Nicola Bates, CEO of Wine GB, shares the mission of the trade body and what we can look forward to in English Wine Week.
Could you describe the mission and scope of Wine GB?
WineGB is the trade association that cultivates success for the UK domestic wine industry. We represent the industry to the government, media, and trade and provide support and leadership with education, networking, advice and campaigns. At the heart of our work, we help members to make and sell wine.
What is a recent accomplishment you and your company are most proud of?
Our newly launched English Wine Week campaign takes place 21st to 29th June and this year it kick-starts our new wider campaign ‘Create New Traditions’. It is an advocacy to the trade and consumers to try something new and Drink English (or Welsh) wine.
We also take our responsibility seriously to encourage all people from the widest backgrounds into the industry, and to ensure that they are able to do their jobs. Despite our small size, we have taken a leadership role by providing a free toolkit for all to access… in response to recent studies about women’s experience in the sector and to coincide with the change to the law in October 2024 and the responsibilities of businesses to address sexual harassment.
On a more personal level, what is a recent notable experience you’ve had with a wine or spirit – consuming, producing, learning about?
Since joining WineGB, I have had to hold off formal wine study while undergoing an informal immersion in every aspect of the trade. Given the demands of the role at this point, where it is maturing rapidly while managing global economic shocks, I suspect it will be more than a few years before I can build on my WSET level 2!