Jackie Fast, Author at The Buyer

By Doug Wregg on July 19, 2019

One of the illustrations from Wregg's book

Doug Wregg’s history of Les Caves de Pyrène in 10 and a 1/2 chapters

If you were writing a history of the premium on-trade and independent wine trade over the last 30 years then Les Caves de Pyrène would have to be at the heart it. For not only did it first introduce so many of the exciting, breakthrough and dynamic organic and natural wines that are now across the sector, it actually walked the walk and opened up its own successful wine bars and restaurants. So to save someone else the time, co-founder, Doug Wregg, who lives and breathes the company’s DNA, has written his own account of Les Caves and the wine word it has grown up in. Here he explains why he did it and shares one of the extracts from the book.

Posted In: book, doug wregg, les caves de pyrene, slider, wine, wine book

Insight

By Richard Siddle on July 18, 2019

The rise and rise of cannabis: what the drinks industry needs to know

The debate and conversation about cannabis is changing. And changing fast. No doubt driven by what is happening in North America. First with the legalisation of cannabis use in Canada and the fact 10 US states have followed suit, including California. The UK has now agreed to legalise the medical use of cannabis and there are an increasing number of legal CBD cannabis products in the market, across health and beauty, oils, coffees and now soft drinks. So what, if anything, does all this mean for the drinks industry? Richard Siddle looks at the key factors and trends we all need to know about.

Posted In: cannabis, CBD, drinks industry, legal cannabis, slider, wine

Tasting: Wine

By Roger Jones on July 18, 2019

Wines of Chile takes on Australia at 12th Tri Nations Wine Challenge

Wines of Chile took on Wines of Australia at a thrilling contest in the twelfth Tri Nations Wine Challenge. The challenge sees six wines from each country compete with one another, paired with food cooked by our contributing editor and chef at large Roger Jones of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn. Chile has been making giant strides recently in proving that its premium wines can sit comfortably on a fine wine list, but are they good enough to be judged better than Australia’s across six varietal categories – Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz?

Posted In: Chile v Australia, roger jones, slider, Tri Nations Wine Challenge

Opinion

By Jackie Fast on July 17, 2019

Jackie Fast: My five top tips on how best to use social media influencers

Who has over a million social media followers and can claim tens of thousands of pounds for just one post, but you have never heard of them? Welcome to the world of social media influencers. Whether we like the idea of them, or want to work with any of them, we can’t ignore them. Particularly if you want to get your drinks brand in front of the right target audience. Jackie Fast gives her own personal take on what it is like to be seen as an influencer, thanks to her time on BBC’s The Apprentice, the challenges of becoming one and, in this frank account, gives her five top tips on how to work best and get the most out of social media influencers.

Posted In: influencer, jackie fast, marketing, rebel pi, slider, wine, wine influencer, wine marekting

Insight

By Justin Keay on July 17, 2019

So why does Pignoletto have a lack of sparkle in the UK on-trade?

Pignoletto has so much going for it as a quality Italian sparkling wine that it makes its low profile in the UK on-trade somewhat baffling. The grape variety that is used to make the wine is superior to, more nuanced and cheaper than Glera, the Prosecco grape, and the wine comes in spumante, frizzante and still versions. Yet just 10% of the wine is exported and success in the UK has largely been solely with the major supermarkets. Justin Keay travels to Pignoletto’s home in Emilia-Romagna, tastes and recommends some of the more boutique labels, and talks to key figures both in Italy and the UK about what needs to be done to bring a bit of sparkle to Pignoletto’s fortunes.

Posted In: Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto DOCG, Emilia Romagna, italian wine, Justin Keay, Pignoletto, prosecco, slider, sparkling

People People: Supplier

By Richard Siddle on July 16, 2019

Swig’s Robin Davis on keep riding South Africa’s New Wave

If you were blown away by the excitement, dynamism, and buzz of the first two New Wave tastings, highlighting and celebrating some of the best winemaking talent in South Africa quality, then you really are in for a treat with its return to London on September 3. Robin Davis, co-founder of the New Wave tasting, explains why his own distribution business, Swig, is so keen to be involved again and why he believes it is going to be “easily be the best tasting yet”. In the first of a series of articles with each of the five importers involved, and some of their key winemakers, Richard Siddle talks to Davis about what we can expect. (Main picture: BlankBottle’s Pieter Weiser competing in the Vintners Surf Classic, picture by Thys Lombard).

Posted In: new wave tasting, new wave wine, south africa, SWIG, wine

People: Producer

By Geoffrey Dean on July 16, 2019

Pommard’s Michael Baum: “Wine is all about staying in business”

Five years ago when Silicon Valley billionaire Michael Baum expressed an interest in buying Château de Pommard, his lawyers advised against it. But Baum liked the direct-to-consumer business model, the cellar master Emmanuel Sala and took quite a shine to this historic Burgundy estate. 90% of the current 100,000 bottle annual output is sold direct to consumer, but Baum is putting the building blocks in place to quadruple that. Geoffrey Dean travelled to Burgundy to meet Baum and his team, see their plans and, of course, to taste the wines.

Posted In: burgundy, Château de Pommard, Emmanuel Sala, Geoffrey Dean, Michael Baum, Pommard

Insight

By Richard Siddle on July 15, 2019

Bibendum Debate: opportunities & challenges for English wine

Can the English wine industry do no wrong? The growth figures for the last few years have been staggering with 3m extra vines expected be planted in 2019, on top of the 1.6m in 2018 and 1m in 2017. This is on top of the boom in the number of bottles of English wine being sold, with a record 15.6m in 2018. But as well as the huge opportunities there are also a number of challenges for the industry as well. All of which came up for discussion at a recent trade panel debate organised by Bibendum. Richard Siddle was there to report on a discussion between major English industry wine figures that looked at what steps are being taken to widen the category to bring in the scale of customer the sector will need if it is to have a market for all the wine being produced.

Posted In: bibendum, Denbies, english wine, Ridgeview, wine gb, wine producers, winemakers

Tasting: Wine

By Chris Wilson on July 14, 2019

10 Best wines from Chile: Chris Wilson’s tips for the on-trade

Chile is now one of the two most innovative winemaking countries in the world, reckons Alistair Cooper MW, who delivered a perceptive, focussed masterclass at a recent Wines of Chile tasting – backed up by a tasting of 45 wines that Cooper picked to reflect Chile’s movement towards sommelier-driven styles. It is innovation, risk-taking, old vines and the resurgence of traditional varieties (made with a modern twist) that are working so well and Chris Wilson was there for The Buyer to further whittle these down to 10 that every sommelier should have on their radar.

Posted In: chile, Chris Wilson, wines of chile

People: Producer

By Peter Dean on July 12, 2019

Why Chemin de Moscou shows how serious Gayda is about Syrah

When the Languedoc’s Domaine Gayda got some of the world’s top wine critics to blind-taste Syrah matured in 9 different vessels in London last month, it was a ground-breaking exercise in sharing a key facet of the winemaker’s craft – how does elevage in completely different vessels alter the wine? And which is more palatable? The results were as surprising as they were useful to winemaker Vincent Chansault and winery chief Tim Ford. So what effect will the learnings have on how they are going to blend future vintages of their flagship wine, the Syrah-based Chemin de Moscou, and how will it affect sales?

Posted In: 9 vessels, Chemin de Moscou, Domaine Gayda, Languedoc, Roussillon, syrah, Tim Ford, Vincent Chansault

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