Geoffrey Dean, Author at The Buyer

By Richard Siddle on September 25, 2022

How Scilly Spirit Distillery hopes to craft gins to match the islands’ beauty

Thanks to European development funding Hilary Miller has been able to return to her home in the Isles of Scilly where multiple generations of her family have lived before to set up her own craft distilling business with her husband Arthur. After only a few years from launch the Scilly Spirits Distillery is winning a raft of awards in all the major international spirits competitions and gaining distribution around the country thanks to its initial listing with John Lewis. Richard Siddle finds out just what inspired the couple to start a distillery in Scilly.

Posted In: Arthur miller, craft gin, distilling, Hilary miller, scilly islands, scilly spirits distillery, slider

Tasting: Spirit

By Kate Hawkings on September 25, 2022

Long Read

Top 10 Speciality Brands’ spirits and fortifieds you need to know about

Spirits and fortified specialist Kate Hawkings found plenty to be impressed by at last week’s Specialist Brands portfolio tasting – liquids that were on-trend towards lighter long-drink styles and ones that play to the post-Covid stay-at-home-mixologist. She talks to all the key players, picks a Top 10 that definitely need your attention, plus highlights market innovations such as Boatyard’s 2.8 litre refill pouches of vodka and gin that help the on-trade save 25% over the same drink in bottle.

Posted In: Chris Searle, kate hawkings, slider, Speciality Brands

Tasting: Wine

By Justin Keay on September 24, 2022

Through the past darkly: the allure of Wynns Coonawarra’s iconic reds

Although wine lovers the world over will be familiar with Wynns Coonawarra Estate and its iconic Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon, this is still a misunderstood region, with the estate’s Michael Shiraz somewhat neglected. In a rare back vintage tasting which showed the three new flagship wines: Wynns John Riddoch 2019, Michael Shiraz 2018 and Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 against much older library wines, Justin Keay discovers, with the help of Wynns winemaker Sarah Pidgeon, what makes Wynns tick and how the wine styles are changing.

Posted In: Australian wine, Justin Keay, McLaren Vale, Sarah Pidgeon, slider, Wynns Coonawarra, Wynns John Riddoch

Insight

By Richard Siddle on September 23, 2022

Andrea Mullineux believes South Africa's Old Vine Project is a another vital calling card it needs to make even more as part of its international story

Stellenbosch Report: How old vines are a key part of Stellenbosch’s future

However much Stellenbosch wants to look forward, its future also lies in its past and the traditions and knowhow that enable so many of the innovations taking place in the region to happen. None more so than in the role of old vines in helping winemakers rediscover, and bring back to life varieties and plots of land that have gone unloved for many years. In the latest article from The Buyer’s Stellenbosch Business Report, Richard Siddle assesses just what impact old vines are having on modern winemaking in Stellenbosch.

Posted In: Andre morgenthal, lonbridge wine, Old Vine Project, old vines, slider, south africa, stellenbosch, wine, wine producers

Tasting: Wine

By Sophia Longhi on September 23, 2022

Sophia Longhi: Getting to grips with the underrated wines of the Luberon

With over 1,000 years of winemaking the Luberon isn’t a new wine region by any stretch of the imagination. But its wines have been over-shadowed by its two closest neighbours Provence and the Rhône. Wine communicator of the year, Sophia Longhi, visits the Luberon for The Buyer and reports that, with its core values of sustainability and biodiversity, teamed with approachable, versatile and accomplished wines, it’s now Luberon’s time to shine.

Posted In: Luberon, slider, sophia longhi

Conference

By Richard Siddle on September 22, 2022

Consumer trends & innovation at One Step Beyond Conference

The One Step Beyond conference organised by The Buyer and Sophie Jump, in partnership with the WSTA, is back. First held in March 2020 the one day event is returning to London on October 31 with a unique mix of experts in consumer trends, behaviour, innovation and technology from outside the drinks and hospitality sectors combined with leading players within the industry who can help identify the key trends and issues we all need to be on top of in our respective businesses. The event will look to tackle the future shopper, how to make the most of direct to consumer and how understanding what dictates human behaviour can have a direct impact on your bottom line.

Posted In: consumer tends, drinks industry, human behaviour, innovation, one step beyond, wine

Tasting: Wine

By Geoffrey Dean on September 22, 2022

How Saint Julien’s Lagrange is getting stronger each vintage

Mathieu Bordes, winemaker and general manager of the 3rd growth, Saint-Julien estate Lagrange, was in town to show a remarkable 11-wine vertical of the grand vin dating as far back as 1982 and including such legendary wines as the 1990 and 2000. Bordes explains in detail how they made the 2016 which he considers one of the best-ever produced, why they were never bothered about Robert Parker’s disdain for the estate, and why two thirds of production at the estate is dedicated to making Les Fiefs, one of Bordeaux’s truly great second wines. Geoffrey Dean reports

Posted In: Bordeaux, Geoffrey Dean, Lagrange

People: Producer

By Richard Siddle on September 21, 2022

Andrew Graham on the size, scale & majesty of New South Wales

New South Wales is pretty proud of the fact it is one and a half times bigger than France. A region that has 2,000m high snow-lined mountains and deserts that reach 50C. It also has seven major wine regions each with its own terroir, climatic characteristics and a diversity of wines its producers claim can also live up to the French too. You can find out for yourself at today’s New South Wales generic tasting taking place at 67 Pall Mall in London. Here respected Australian wine writer, Andrew Graham, helps explain what New South Wales is all about.

Posted In: australia, Australian wine, New South Wales, wine, wine tasting, winemakers

People People: Producer

By Richard Siddle on September 20, 2022

Inside GCF’s Private Wine Days tasting & new Signature Range

You don’t get to the size, scale and influence of Les Grands Chais de France (GCF) without knowing a thing or two about how to make wine for virtually every kind of wine consumer. Responsible for what it claims is around one in four bottles of French wine sold in the UK, and one in five of every bottle of wine exported from France, Les Grands Chais de France is hugely important to the overall French wine category. Ahead of its first all channel portfolio tasting in London on October 4 and 5, featuring all its international wines and spirits too, Chris Davies, UK sales director for on-trade and independents, explains how its premium wine strategy is driving the company forward with a new range of Signature wines representing the best of what France can do.

Posted In: chris davies, france, french wine, Les Grands Chais de France, signature wines, wine

Insight

By David Kermode on September 18, 2022

Long Read

Many changes afoot at Austrian Single Vineyard Summit

Although it is only 10 years old the Austrian Single Vineyard Summit, held earlier this month in Grafenegg, has established itself as an epicentre for all that is good in Austrian Wine. The ÖTW, which runs the event, has designs on becoming a national body as it continues to expand with new regions signing up. Its painstaking, new classification system now covers 95 1er Cru sites with Grand Cru to come and, with Austria’s wine exports on a roll, there is still room for further expansion as Austria establishes itself with a younger generation of international wine lovers. David Kermode was one of 40 international journalists taking part in the event and reports from Grafenegg.

Posted In: Austria, austrian wine, David Kermode, Grafenegg, wine tasting

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