English Wine Week
2025-06-21 - 2025-06-29
Please use contact email Talya Roberson at Wine GB for more details.

Let's talk about... Modern wines from ancient vines: a new look at Jumilla, with Carolina Martinez Origone
2025-07-01 17:00 - 18:00 (Europe/London)
Join Carolina Martinez Origone, general secretary of Jumilla PDO Regulatory Council, to discover how Jumilla, one of Spain’s most dynamic wine regions, is redefining its identity through world-class expressions of Monastrell and securing its future through cutting-edge sustainability.
This webinar will explore the evolution of Monastrell – Jumilla’s signature grape – and how it fits in a global context for today’s wine industry alongside counterparts (otherwise known as Mourvèdre) in Bandol, Australia and beyond.
Following three years of extreme drought Carolina will also delve into the region’s forward-thinking response to climate change, including water-efficient viticulture, organic and biodynamic practices, and the unique role Jumilla’s terroir plays in fostering both resilience and quality.
Born in Madrid, Carolina is an agricultural engineer and holds a Master of Science in agrifood marketing. She has been the manager and general secretary of the Jumilla PDO Regulatory Council since 2017. With a firm belief in the potential of its wines and the distinctive features of the land, her aim is to modernise this historic wine region.
To join this Zoom seminar, please register now or at any time before 5pm BST on July 1st. The session, including Q&As, will last for approximately one hour. To register, follow the links below. Guests will be very welcome, but please let Andrea know their names.
Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/LPDDE4efSXeujJHKF4UBpg
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. We look forward to seeing you then. This will be our last Let’s talk about… before the summer break. The series starts again on September 2nd, when the topic will be the science of wine ageing, with Kelli White.
If you can’t attend the live session, there will be a recording available to watch afterwards on the Circle’s YouTube channel (find links to this and earlier sessions in the members’ area of the website).
Michèle Shah & Liz Sagues, CWW online events organisers

Sunset Tour and Tasting at Leonardslee Wine Estate
2025-08-22 18:30 - 22:00 | Mannings Heath Estate
Run or walk a beautiful route through their garden, stopping to enjoy four samples of Leonardslee English sparkling wine along the way before finishing with a delicious summer barbecue and live music!
Discover everything you need to know about the run and what’s in store for you below!
Book: https://leonardsleefamilyvineyards.com/our-events

Benguela Wine & Dine
2025-08-28 18:30 - 22:30 | Leonardslee Wine Estate
Sip, Savour, and Indulge with Benguela Wine & Dine
Transport yourself to the heart of South African wine country right here in West Sussex. Leonardslee’s sister estate, Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate located in the renowned Walker Bay wine region, famed for its unique maritime climate, discover our award-winning wines from the sunlit slopes of South Africa.
£67 per person
What to Expect
Welcome Bubbles & Canapés
Begin with a glass of Benguela Cove sparkling wine, perfectly complemented by delicately crafted canapés.
Four-Course Gourmet Pairing
Delight in a specially curated four-course menu, with each dish perfectly paired to showcase the exceptional wines of Benguela Cove.
Book: https://leonardsleefamilyvineyards.com/our-events

Let's talk about... The Science of Wine Ageing, with Kelli White
2025-09-02 17:00 - 18:00 | Circle of Wine Writers
Learn from Kelli White, award-winning writer and sommelier, about the chemistry of what is typically happening inside the bottle as a wine matures.
The fundamental elements of a wine’s colour, aromas, sweetness, acidity, alcohol, tannin and effervescence (if any) all change over time, but how and why? What is understood about why wines shut down in their ‘sulky teenage-like’ period? And how do storage conditions and decanting impact these aspects?
Science has not yet given all the answers to these questions, but Kelli will address them, sharing her expertise following sponsorship to write on the topic by the Libération Tardive Foundation, a non-profit body dedicated to showcasing the transformative power of time on fine wines. Foundation director Dominic Buckwell, a Circle member, will introduce the session, our first after the northern hemisphere summer season break.
Kelli is currently director of education for the Wine Center at Meadowood in the Napa Valley. Her work as a sommelier has been covered by many of the wine industry’s top publications. Among publications where her writing has appeared are World of Fine Wine, GuildSomm, Robb Report, Sommelier Journal, Le Pan, and Vinous, and she has contributed to the most recent editions of the World Atlas of Wine and the Oxford Companion to Wine.
Her first book, Napa Valley, Then & Now (2015), received enormous critical acclaim; her second, Wine Confident, published last autumn via Academie du Vin Press in London, is listed for two awards.
To join this Zoom seminar, please register now or at any time before 5pm BST on September 2nd. The session, including Q&As, will last for approximately one hour. To register, follow the links below. Guests will be very welcome, but please let Andrea know their names.
Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Tm1Dv19WRO6GfcTXFtg-rA
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. We look forward to seeing you then.
If you can’t attend the live session, there will be a recording available to watch afterwards on the Circle’s YouTube channel (find links to this and earlier sessions in the members’ area of the website).
Michèle Shah & Liz Sagues, CWW online events organisers

WINE GB National Trade & Press Tasting
2025-09-08
Please contact Angelina Howe at WINE GB for more details.

Achaval Ferrer’s Fincas Tasting
2025-09-11 10:30 - 12:00 | Quo Vadis, Leoni Room, 26-29 Dean Street, London, W1D 3LL
You are invited to an exclusive tasting of the latest vintage of Achaval Ferrer’s Fincas hosted by winemaker Gustavo Rearte in September. As well as the latest 2021 vintage release, this occasion will offer an exclusive opportunity to taste the newest, fourth Finca – Finca Nazarenas – first planted in 1923. It is unlikely that another finca will be added to the collection for the next few decades so this is very much a special moment not to be missed. In addition, to mark the occasion, Gustavo will be opening back vintages to share the glorious ageing potential of these show-stopping wines made from old vines.
RSVP to astrid@spritzmarketing.co.uk

Let's talk about... Challenges in France, with Olivier Humbrecht MW, Fabien Moreau and Gavin Quinney
2025-09-16 17:00 - 18:00
This year is proving hugely challenging for wine world wide – and nowhere more so than in France. Join this important webinar to hear expert views on the issues that are currently facing vignerons in three of the country’s major wine regions.
Our distinguished speakers will cover such topics as climate change opportunities and challenges, low yields, Bordeaux’s perfect storm, frost and disease, how to interest younger generations in drinking wine, supply and demand, and making vineyards sustainable. Will they, perhaps, also bring some good news?
Olivier Humbrecht, agronomist and oenologist, passed the MW in 1989, the first Frenchman to do so, while working at Sopexa London. That year he joined the family-owned Domaine Zind-Humbrecht, a legendary name in Alsace. Olivier has arguably overseen the most notable improvements in the 40-hectare domaine’s history, including initiating biodynamic practices. zindhumbrecht.fr
Fabien Moreau is the sixth generation of his family to make wines, producing his first vintage as director of Domaine Christian Moreau Père et Fils in 2001 after his return to Chablis from New Zealand. In 2013 the estate gained organic accreditation, as part of Fabien’s continuing efforts to increase quality and typicity. domainechristianmoreau.com
Gavin Quinney, owner with his wife Angela of Château Bauduc in Entre Deux Mers, publishes detailed Bordeaux vintage reports on Jancis Robinson’s site, Liv-ex and his own website, and tastes all the top wines each spring for his en primeur report in Harpers Wine & Spirit. Bauduc wines are sold primarily in the UK, Switzerland and Ireland. bauduc.com
To join this Zoom seminar, please register now or at any time before 5pm BST on September 16th. The session, including Q&As, will last for approximately one hour. To register, follow the links below. Guests will be very welcome, but please let Andrea know their names.
Register here:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/SHdUPg85Rza1O2cfKXQKbQ
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. We look forward to seeing you then.
If you can’t attend the live session, there will be a recording available to watch afterwards on the Circle’s YouTube channel (find links to this and earlier sessions in the members’ area of the website).
Michèle Shah & Liz Sagues, CWW online events organisers

Amorim Family Estates Masterclass
2025-09-18 10:30 - 12:00 | 67, Pall Mall, St James’s Room, London, SW1Y 5ES
In September, Luisa Amorim – CEO of Amorim Family Estates – will be in London to showcase wines from across the estates’ portfolio. Her masterclass on wines from the Douro, Dao and Alentejo will feature wines from the family’s Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo, Taboadella and Herdade Aldeia de Cima estates.
RSVP to gemma@spritzmarketing.co.uk

Let's talk about... Through the looking glass: perceptual individualism and rethinking wine and food, with Tim Hanni MW
2025-10-07 17:00 - 18:00
A looking glass symbolises introspection and self-awareness. This session introduces how every individual’s sensory world is unique, why wine traditions and food-pairing ‘rules’ deserve rethinking, and how embracing perceptual diversity can reshape the way we talk about and enjoy wine.
Tim will provide an update on his work in perceptual sciences, and stress the importance of understanding that every person’s sensory world is unique. He’ll look at how personal opinion, sensory sensitivity and experiences challenge long-held assumptions in wine education, marketing and wine-and-food pairing. The session will also outline a need to update our thinking about wine history and traditions, and to replace the current approach to wine, and wine with food, with a more inclusive framework that respects individual perceptual perspectives.
Tim Hanni MW is a professionally trained chef, gastronomy fanatic, consumer researcher and consultant in wine business and sensory sciences. Widely known for critically re-thinking conventional wisdom, he has been studying wine and gastronomy for nearly 60 years and spent more than 35 years researching sensory perception and its implications for wine education, marketing and hospitality. Tim is the author of Why You Like the Wines You Like and a leading advocate for making wine culture more inclusive and consumer-centered.
To join this Zoom seminar, please register now or at any time before 5pm BST on October 7th. The session, including Q&As, will last for approximately one hour. To register, follow the links below. Guests will be very welcome, but please let Andrea know their names.
Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Ohpubdq4SzSXpAStSIzsBw
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. We look forward to seeing you then.
If you can’t attend the live session, there will be a recording available to watch afterwards on the Circle’s YouTube channel (find links to this and earlier sessions in the members’ area of the website).
Michèle Shah & Liz Sagues, CWW online events organisers

Sustainability in Drinks 2025
2025-10-21 10:00 - 20:30 | St Mary’s Church, York Street, Marylebone, London, W1H 1PQ
This year’s SID (Sustainability in Drinks) brings together some of the most inspiring voices in sustainability — including Professor Paul Behrens, Jancis Robinson OBE MW, and Judith Batchelar OBE — for a day packed with practical ideas, honest conversations and opportunities to connect as well as the opportunity to discover some of the best sustainable products on the market.
– Join thought-provoking talks on certification, retail & distribution, and communicating sustainability
– Explore interactive workshops in four themed zones: Land Health, Carbon Management, Sustainable Society, and Packaging
– Take part in The Big Sustainability Debate, introduced by Jancis Robinson OBE MW
– End the day with a Keynote from Professor Paul Behrens, sponsored by CarbonCloud, followed by drinks and networking
For more details about the event and to secure your place please follow the link here: https://sustainabilityindrinks.com/

Let's talk about... The emergence of English wine: successes and challenges, with Sam Linter
2025-10-21 17:00 - 18:00
We’re delighted to welcome Sam Linter, a stellar figure in the UK’s wine industry, to present October’s second online webinar. She will discuss the current position of an emerging wine industry, exploring its related success and issues facing it. Beyond that, Sam, who is Director of Wine at England’s world-respected Plumpton College, will look at solutions the industry is exploring, specifically research with sensors and data collection in vineyards.
Sam Linter has more than 30 years of experience in the English wine industry. Formerly managing director and head winemaker at Bolney Wine Estate, established by her parents in the early 1970s, she transformed the family business from a little-known vineyard into one of the UK’s top producers, achieving multiple national and international awards along the way.
A pioneer in English wine, Sam has played a key role in shaping the industry through her leadership roles, including chair and director of WineGB, and as a founding member of Sustainable Wines of Great Britain. Passionate about Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and sparkling wines, she has always championed quality, sustainability and innovation.
In 2023, she joined Plumpton College as Director of Wine, where she is dedicated to advancing education and training to support the continued growth of the industry.
To join this Zoom seminar, please register now or at any time before 5pm BST on October 21st. The session, including Q&As, will last for approximately one hour. To register, follow the link below. Guests will be very welcome, but please let Andrea know their names.
Register here
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. We look forward to seeing you then.
If you can’t attend the live session, there will be a recording available to watch afterwards on the Circle’s YouTube channel (find links to this and earlier sessions in the members’ area of the website).
Michèle Shah & Liz Sagues, CWW online events organisers

Upcoming Vintage Roots Trade & Press Tasting in London
2025-11-03 11:00 - 17:00 | The Punch Bowl, 41 Farm Street, London, W1J 5RR
Don’t miss this chance to taste a range of wines from our Festive Season offers, including exciting new wines, a lineup of trusted favourites and more! The perfect opportunity to reconnect, share our winter promotions and raise a glass together before the festive season kicks in.
No registration is required, though we’d appreciate it if you could confirm your attendance by emailing chris@vintageroots.co.uk

Let's talk about... Democratising fine wine and Regenics, with Steve Smith MW
2025-11-04 17:00 - 18:00
Our next Let’s talk about… session promises to be highly stimulating. Steve Smith MW, one of the world’s most-decorated wine people, expands the title of his presentation to how these two ideas could be the catalyst for reimagining the future for wine. He adds: “The wine world is seriously challenged right now, unusually with all sectors being impacted one way or the other. It seems to me that wine might have lost its way where it is trying to be everything to everybody instead of focusing on where we can win.”
Steve will outline some of the reasons behind the challenges, but more importantly will suggest areas where there should be optimism. Out with snobbism, he will urge, in with celebration of new world fine wines, drink a great wine over days rather than hours, celebrate what makes wine special and its true deliciousness, tell its special stories.
And what is regenics? New approaches beyond the box-ticking of organic growing or natural wine making “to embrace everything that is good about nature, people, science and ambition for a better future”.
Steve Smith MW has spent his career in the New Zealand wine industry as a researcher, viticulturist, leader and creator of entreprenuerial wine businesses such as Craggy Range and Smith & Sheth. He has twice been named in lists of the most influential people in the wine world. In 1996 he was the first viticulturist in the world to become an MW. He has been inducted as a Fellow of New Zealand Winegrowers and into the Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers Hall of Fame, is a former chancellor of Lincoln University and been involved in a number of industry governance roles and wider initiatives.
At the end of the day his happy place is among the great vineyards and with the wines he has created over the last 30 years, and creating innovative ways to tell their story.
To join this Zoom seminar, please register now or at any time before 5pm GMT on November 4th. The session, including Q&As, will last for approximately one hour. To register, follow the link below. Guests will be very welcome, but please let Andrea know their names.
Register here:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/A2atqrArQ7yAc4RWKpSG-w
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. We look forward to seeing you then.
If you can’t attend the live session, there will be a recording available to watch afterwards on the Circle’s YouTube channel (find links to this and earlier sessions in the members’ area of the website).
Michèle Shah & Liz Sagues, CWW online events organisers

CWW Let's talk about... The science of soil and how it influences our wine, with Sunny Hodge
2025-11-18 17:00 - 18:00
The next Let’s talk about… session digs deep into dirt… Circle member Sunny Hodge, whose book The Cynic’s Guide to Wine has prompted much discussion since its publication earlier this year, will talk soil science. He’ll discuss how vines interact with soil and the resulting direct influence on wine.
Sunny will cover where this aspect of terroir plays a part in vine development and wine style, and how farming methods directly influence matters of soil. Key topics will include the processes that allow vines to draw up soil nutrients, different types of rock and how we articulate ourselves around matters of soil.
Sunny graduated in mechanical engineering with a keen eye for detail, love of science and hospitality. Finding the ‘why’ behind food and wine has always fascinated him and he is now spearheading research in new ways of looking at wine education based on science and functionality.
The Cynic’s Guide to Wine delves into the science behind wine from soil upwards into perception of taste and flavour, to dispel wine myths and with the aim of changing the way everyone thinks and talks about wine.
Sunny (@sunnyhodgewine) is a commentator, writer, International wine judge and a mentor for the Drinklusive drink diversity initiative; he delivers extracurricular tastings and lectures for the WSET. Also, he is the founder and owner of two award-winning wine bars in London associated with challenging the status quo of wine, integrating science and education in their service model.
To join this Zoom seminar, please register now or at any time before 5pm BST on November 18th. The session, including Q&As, will last for approximately one hour. To register, follow the link below. Guests will be very welcome, but please let Andrea know their names.
Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/BWUz-v1CTf2DlYHFKoNXkQ
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. We look forward to seeing you then.
If you can’t attend the live session, there will be a recording available to watch afterwards on the Circle’s YouTube channel (find links to this and earlier sessions in the members’ area of the website).
Michèle Shah & Liz Sagues, CWW online events organisers

Leonardslee Wine Estate - Festive Wine & Dine
2025-11-27 18:30 - 22:30 | Leonardslee Wine Estate
A Sparkling Celebration: Festive Wine & Dine Awaits
Embrace the festive season with an evening of fine wines and exceptional food.
Discover the artistry behind every bottle as they share insight into their vineyards – Leonardslee Family Vineyards nestled in the rolling hills of Sussex and Benguela Cove, South Africa upon the sun-kissed slopes of Walker Bay.
£67 per person
What to Expect
Welcome Bubbles & Canapés
Begin with a glass of Leonardslee sparkling wine, perfectly complemented by delicately crafted canapés.
Four-Course Gourmet Menu
Delight in a four-course menu, with each dish perfectly paired to showcase the exceptional wines of Leonardslee Family Vineyards and Benguela Cove.
Book: https://leonardsleefamilyvineyards.com/our-events

CWW festive party - save the date
2025-12-09 18:30 - 20:30 | London Cru, 21-27 Seagrave Road, London, SW6 1RP
We are heading to London Cru again this year for more festive fun. Please put the date in your diary, more details to follow.

CWW Let's talk about... Piemonte’s white wines: an accelerating trend, with David Way
2026-01-20 17:00 - 18:00
The 2026 season of Let’s talk about… continues with one of the Circle’s members, Italian expert David Way, discussing an aspect of Piemonte unfamiliar to many but increasingly necessary to understand.
Piemonte is chiefly famous for its world-class red wines. But the last 15 years have seen a notable rise in the plantings of white grape varieties, mainly native to the region. What lies behind this development? What are the grape varieties that are leading this trend? David will provide the answers.
David specialises in the wines of Italy, publishing on his website, www.winefriend.org and more recently Decanter, where he has written on this Let’s talk about… topic. He also works as senior researcher on the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines textbooks. In 2023, he published The Wines of Piemonte (Académie du Vin Library), the first book to deal with the whole Piedmont region in the same depth as is usually reserved for Barolo and Barbaresco. His current project is to write an annual report on the wines of Northern Piemonte, first edition, March 2026.
For more information, look at #piemontewine #timorasso #collitortonesi #arneis #roeroarneis #cortese #gavi #nascetta and David’s own links @davidwaywine: Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn
To join this Zoom seminar, please register now or at any time before 5pm BST on January 20th. The session, including Q&As, will last for approximately one hour. To register, follow the link below. Guests will be very welcome, but please let Andrea know their names.
Register in advance for this webinar:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/j6h3eENSTTua0J2gfCgisg
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. We look forward to seeing you then.
If you can’t attend the live session, there will be a recording available to watch afterwards on the Circle’s YouTube channel (links to this and earlier sessions are in the members’ area of the website).
Helen Savage & Liz Sagues, CWW online events organisers

Borsa Vini Italiani: Italian wine trade tasting
2026-01-21 10:30 - 18:00 | IET LONDON: SAVOY PLACE, 2 Savoy Place, London, WC2R 0BL
The Italian Trade Agency is spotlighting Italian wines in the UK with a major tasting event featuring producers from across Italy.
Masterclass led by Peter McCombie MW: 2pm to 3pm
“The Lightness Revolution: Italian Reds Redefined”
From heavy oak to lifted perfume — exploring how Italian reds have become more transparent, food-friendly, and globally relevant.
Register here:

Australia and New Zealand Trade Tasting 2026 - London
2026-01-27 10:00 - 17:00 | Lindley Hall, Royal Horticultural Halls, Elverton Street, London, SW1P 2QW
Explore Australia and New Zealand’s distinctive terroirs, vibrant winemaking communities and thrilling wines in this collaboration between Wine Australia and New Zealand Winegrowers.
The Aussies and Kiwis are good mates with lots in common. Fine wine, great food, stunning scenery, the cool Southern Ocean and also their cool Antipodean attitude. Don’t miss this joint event to find out more!
Across the three cities (London, Edinburgh and Dublin), there will be more than 1,000 wines from 200 wineries spanning 50 regions in Australia and New Zealand. This is your chance to discover new wines, revisit the classics, meet the makers, and catch up with importers.
Taste the wines that have put Australia and New Zealand in the spotlight and discover exciting new styles that are coming out of the two countries today. Uncover regional and stylistic differences, find out about winemaking techniques and innovative spirit, and look into the future of Australian and New Zealand wine.
In London, there will be a ‘Sommelier Selections’ feature table with 40 Australian and New Zealand wines that sommeliers have nominated. Selected by some of the UK’s leading sommeliers, these are the Australian and New Zealand wines that most excite them – wines that have ignited a love for the region or with special significance.
The tasting booklets and a list of visiting winemakers and winery owners will be added to the website in early January.
Register here
Contact: uk@wineaustralia.com sarahs@nzwine.com

Australia and New Zealand Trade Tasting 2026 - Edinburgh
2026-01-29 11:00 - 17:00 | Sheraton Grand Hotel, 1 Festival Square, Edinburgh, EH3 9SR

Australia and New Zealand Trade Tasting 2026 - Dublin
2026-02-03 12:00 - 17:00 | The Alex Hotel, 41 - 47 Fenian Street, Dublin
Explore Australia and New Zealand’s distinctive terroirs, vibrant winemaking communities and thrilling wines in this collaboration between Wine Australia and New Zealand Winegrowers.
The Aussies and Kiwis are good mates with lots in common. Fine wine, great food, stunning scenery, the cool Southern Ocean and also their cool Antipodean attitude. Don’t miss this joint event to find out more!
Across the three cities (London, Edinburgh and Dublin), there will be more than 1,000 wines from 200 wineries spanning 50 regions in Australia and New Zealand. This is your chance to discover new wines, revisit the classics, meet the makers, and catch up with importers.
Taste the wines that have put Australia and New Zealand in the spotlight and discover exciting new styles that are coming out of the two countries today. Uncover regional and stylistic differences, find out about winemaking techniques and innovative spirit, and look into the future of Australian and New Zealand wine.
In London, there will be a ‘Sommelier Selections’ feature table with 40 Australian and New Zealand wines that sommeliers have nominated. Selected by some of the UK’s leading sommeliers, these are the Australian and New Zealand wines that most excite them – wines that have ignited a love for the region or with special significance.
The tasting booklets and a list of visiting winemakers and winery owners will be added to the website in early January.
Email jean@jeansmullen.com to attend
Contact: uk@wineaustralia.com sarahs@nzwine.com

CWW Let's talk about... The Evolving Languages of Pinot Noir with Meg Maker (Please note the new time!)
2026-02-10 18:00 - 19:00
All specialized languages evolve, their vocabularies enjoying cycles of emergence, standardization, modernization, and reinvention. Such a cycle has radically transformed wine discourse over the last fifty years. Examining this evolution reveals our ever-shifting attitudes toward the meaning and value of this singular beverage.
In this talk, Meg uses Pinot Noir as a lens through which to view specific shifts in our lexical and linguistic approaches to wine commentary, and to explore what these mean for wine’s evolving cultural significance.
Meg originally presented this talk in July 2025 at the inaugural Pinot Noir and Identity Symposium at St. Cross College, Oxford. Her full paper is forthcoming in World of Fine Wine in March 2026.
Meg Maker, chair of the Circle of Wine Writers, is an award-winning wine and culture writer, fine artist, and educator. She explores wine and food as expressions of social and cultural identity, and how these manifest history, tradition, and fashion. Her current research focuses on wine languages and how our linguistic choices reinforce or explode notions of individual identity and wine’s place in culture. She contributes freelance writing to various outlets and publishes her own features, criticism, and commentary on Maker’s Table.
To join this Zoom seminar, please register now or at any time before 6pm GMT on February 10th.
The session, including Questions and Answers, will last for approximately one hour.
To register, follow the link below. Guests will be very welcome, but please let Andrea know their names.
Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/hjSa5C01SrOV-CTx2f4xzA
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. We look forward to seeing you then.
If you can’t attend the live session, there will be a recording available to watch afterwards on the Circle’s YouTube channel (links to this and earlier sessions are in the members’ area of the website).
Helen Savage, CWW online events organiser

New York Wines Tasting
2026-02-12 11:00 - 16:00 | Upstairs Loft at The Light Bar, 233 Shoreditch High Street, London, E1 6PJ
They’ll be pouring around 50 wines from AVAs across the state, including The Finger Lakes, Long Island, Hudson River, and Lake Erie.
Please contact eleanor@randr.co.uk for more details.

Let's talk about... Exploding the myths of natural wine, with Simon Woolf
2026-03-24 18:00 - 19:00
We are very pleased that Simon Woolf, an acknowledged natural wine expert (and Circle member), will be presenting our next Let’s talk… session.
Over to Simon….
‘The term ‘natural wine’ continues to be contentious. Its true meaning is endlessly debated, and poorly understood by regular wine lovers. It has created ghettos, ranging traditionalists against the more radical factions of the natural wine world. Some maintain that its popularity just keeps growing, while others insist its day has been and gone.
I’ll start by answering two burning questions: What exactly does this term mean? Or what should it mean? When and where did it start, and why has it created so much animosity amongst the trade?
How does natural wine overlap with existing certification schemes such as organics and biodynamics? What attempts have there been at certifying or classifying it? We’ll talk about the current state of play, and the detailed definitions that have been proposed by various organisations.
Why do natural wines taste, smell and look different? What are the differences in production and philosophy compared to conventional wine? Can we define what is good or bad natural wine? Is a fault always a fault, or is beauty in the eye of the beholder?
We will of course tackle the thorny issue of sulphite usage, and why it has become such a hot potato.
A few of the movement’s pioneering winemakers will also be discussed, together with some recommendations for tracking down and enjoying great natural wines from different parts of the wine-producing world.
I’ll reflect on whether the term is still useful, and what the natural wine movement has contributed to the wider world of wine. Where do we go now? Should we abandon this phrase altogether? What can we take away that’s valuable, and what should we jettison?’
To join this Zoom seminar, please register now or at any time before 6pm GMT on March 24th.
The session, including Questions and Answers, will last for approximately one hour.
To register, follow the link below. Guests will be very welcome, but please let Andrea know their names.
Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/LhXYO6MPRnudcZkNbTq5rQ
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. We look forward to seeing you then.
If you can’t attend the live session, there will be a recording available to watch afterwards on the Circle’s YouTube channel (links to this and earlier sessions are in the members’ area of the website).
Helen Savage, CWW online events organiser

CWW Let's talk about... Keeping afloat? How French wine producers stay profitable, with Helen Savage
2026-04-28 18:00 - 19:00
‘La crise viticole’ overshadows all other topics in French reporting on the wine industry. Consumption is tumbling, costs are rising, catastrophic hikes in tariffs block exports and wineries of all sizes are going out of business. Economy of scale hardly seems to matter, but independent growers in unfashionable or overlooked appellations have their backs against the wall. This study investigates the challenges they face and how the best and most imaginative businesses are managing to stay competitive and profitable.
Helen Savage has carried out a series of case studies in the areas of Bordeaux away from the spotlight of the classed growths and in neighbouring Bergerac and the Côtes de Duras. In particular, she looks in detail at the winning approach by Fanny Rey and her family at Domaine des Graves d’Ardonneau at Saint Mariens in the appellation of Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux. Fanny, with her two brothers, Christian and Laurent were chosen by the 2025 Guide Hachette as Bordeaux winemakers of the Year, though Fanny readily admits this only gave their business a modest boost. We hope that Fanny may also able to join us in person.
Biographies
Fanny Rey
Fanny comes from a family of winemakers able to trace their roots on their estate back to 1763. As a youngster, wine was not her passion, but she chose to combine business studies in Bordeaux as well as singing lessons at the local conservatoire. Prodigiously talented, a glittering career on state was a real possibility, but stage fright meant that wine won. She is takes responsibility for the commercial side of the family business of the Domaine des Graves d’Ardonneau with its 70 hectares of vines.
Helen Savage
Helen is a highly experienced wine educator and writer, a member both of CWW and AWE. For many years based in the North East of England she moved permanently to South West France in 2023, from where she also pursues her special interests in organic and biodynamic viticulture, Champagne and the wines of Alsace. She is amazed to discover that her little history of French wine written in 2011 (and even translated into French) is still available on Amazon and in other French outlets. It’s high time she wrote something else.
To join this Zoom seminar, please register now or at any time before 6pm GMT on April 28th.
The session, including Questions and Answers, will last for approximately one hour.
To register, follow the link below. Guests will be very welcome, but please let Andrea know their names.
Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/4VxIJ73uRQKzjgRvM_OjNA
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. We look forward to seeing you then.
If you can’t attend the live session, there will be a recording available to watch afterwards on the Circle’s YouTube channel (links to this and earlier sessions are in the members’ area of the website).
Helen Savage, CWW online events organiser

A JOURNEY THROUGH LAURENT-PERRIER'S SAVOIR-FAIRE
2026-04-29 11:30 - 13:30 | 67, Pall Mall, St James’s Room, London, SW1Y 5ES
SAVE THE DATE
Discover the House’s inimitable winemaking methods at a special tutored tasting hosted by Laurent-Perrier Oenologist, Constance Delaire.
This is a tutored tasting, spaces are limited to 40 people.
11.30 – 12.30 Tasting
12.30 – 13.30 Buffet Lunch

Tejo Tasting & Masterclass – Freshness, Sustainability, Value and Diversity from Portugal
2026-05-11 10:00 - 16:00 | ASIA House, 63 New Cavendish Street, London, W1G 7LP
10 dynamic producers from Tejo, the region that’s currently rising up the charts in Portugal, are coming to London to share over 90 wines from this diverse winemaking region.
A chance to meet the winemakers, taste wines available in the UK and those seeking representation, and take a deep dive into the richness of this region’s offering in the masterclass; New Terroir, Old Vines and Modern Styles of Tejo led by Portuguese expert, Dirceu Vianna Junior MW.
Register here for Wines of TejoTasting & Masterclass 11 May 2026 or contact emma@eviva.co.uk for more information.

Australia and New Zealand Masterclass and Tasting
2026-06-22 10:00 - 17:00 | The Grand Hotel, 1 Church Street, Birmingham, B3 2FE
The Aussies and Kiwis have lots in common: fine wine, great food, stunning scenery, the cool Southern Ocean and also our cool Antipodean attitude. Our wines are an expression of our distinctive terroirs and the vibrant communities that craft them. Perfecting traditional techniques and inventing our own ways of doing things, we push the boundaries in the pursuit of the most diverse, thrilling wines in the world.
Join us for the masterclass to taste sparkling wine, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah/Shiraz from Australia and New Zealand. Find out why they’ve become signature styles of the regions, and learn about the diversity and impact of soils, climate and winemaking.
The line-up includes elegant cool climate expressions and new releases as well as older vintages. We also invite you to explore classic and contemporary styles in the free-pour tasting, which features 60 wines. The flights are sparkling wine, Riesling, aromatic whites, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, rosé, light reds, Pinot Noir, Syrah/Shiraz, and Cabernet Sauvignon and blends. Challenge your perceptions and discover a fresh side of Australian and New Zealand wine. All of the wines are available in the UK. If you’re looking to expand your portfolio of Australian and New Zealand wines, this is a great opportunity to taste and explore a diverse range under one roof.
Masterclass:
10.30 – 12.00
14.00 – 15.30
Free-pour tasting
10.00 – 17.00
Masterclass – Explore sparkling wine, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah/Shiraz in the masterclass with Emma Symington MW and Anne Krebiehl MW, then try 60 classic and contemporary wines in the free-pour tasting. Challenge your perceptions and discover a fresh side of Australian and New Zealand wine.
For more information and to register to attend, please visit https://ausnzwine-birmingham.eventbrite.com.au
Please note that this is a trade tasting and is limited to wine trade and media only.
