People Archives | The Buyer

By Anne Krebiehl MW on July 19, 2018

How biodynamics led Austria’s Heinrich to skin-fermented whites

What happens when a famous producer of sought-after, fine reds turns to making skin-fermented whites? Anne Krebiehl MW meets Gernot & Heike Heinrich in Austria’s Burgenland whose conversion to biodynamics 12 years ago set off a series of changes. First, they became much more aware of their terroir and its potential and then they started falling in love with skin-fermented white wines – a combination that has changed their entire approach to winemaking and made them feel like starting over again.

Posted In: Anne Krebiehl MW, Austria, Burgenland, Gernot & Heike Heinrich, Liberty, skin contact, slider

People People: On-Trade

By Harry Crowther on July 18, 2018

Harry Crowther on why he’s taking wine training direct to bartenders

Walk into any high end bar and you can be pretty much guaranteed the bar staff can tell you anything you want to know about the 100s of bottles of spirits they have on their back bar. How they are made, where they are made and which combinations work best together. But ask them about wine and the conversation is likely to be a little shorter. Which is why wine consultant, Harry Crowther, is staring a new wine training course to help even the best bar staff get more knowledgeable and excited about wine.

Posted In: bars, bartenders, on-trade, restaurants, slider, spirits, wine, wine training

People: Producer

By David Kermode on July 17, 2018

Inside the ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ of gin-making

Another week another new gin brand launches onto the already-crowded market. But Palmers Dry Gin is different – this is the ‘own brand’ of Langley, a distillery that makes over 350 different gins and which David Kermode describes as the ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ of gin-making. Kermode travels to Birmingham and meets master distiller Rob Dorsett, the man charged with masterminding the blend and coming up with the USPs of this new gin brand.

Posted In: David Kermode, English, gin, Langley Distillery, Palmers Dry Gin, spirits

People People: Supplier

By Richard Siddle on July 12, 2018

Neville Blech hopes new app can identify value for money wines

Former leading restaurateur and now wine critic and publisher, Neville Blech, has decades of experience of working with, supplying and writing about wine in restaurants that he encapsulates each year in his guide, Wine Behind The Label. He has now taken all that knowledge, including reviews of over 25,000 wines, to create a new wine app – Value For Money Wines Pro – that offers every day wine drinkers the chance to assess a wine for its quality and the value for money it is being listed at in a restaurant or wine merchants.

Posted In: Neville Blech, wine, wine apps, Wine behind the label, wine quality, wine tasting, wine value

People People: On-Trade

By Richard Siddle on July 11, 2018

Boutique luxury is the story at Grand Ferdinand in Vienna...which is an excuse to have a bath in your bedroom.

Hotelier Geoff Andrew: good storytelling starts with ‘WHY?’

Regardless of what type of industry you are in the challenge for any business is to be able say, or at least, claim what they are famous for. The key values, attributes or achievements your company, be it a drinks producer, distributor, retailer or restaurant have that mean your customers want to spend money or do business with you. Here leading hotelier, Geoff Andrews of WorldHotels, explains why good, genuine, relevant storytelling is vital to every one of its hotels’ success.

Posted In: customer service, hospitality, hotels, world hotels

People People: Supplier

By Richard Siddle on July 6, 2018

Olivia Marsh: why Corney & Barrow is so eventful to work at

There must be times working for a major wine merchants when you feel you’ve left the core job you started out with well behind you and turned into all singing, dancing events organiser such are the opportunities now to get involved in sourcing and providing wine from everything from rock concerts, major sporting events, to finding the right wines for an around the world cruise. Welcome to the world of Olivia Marsh, catering and hospitality sales manager at Corney & Barrow.

Posted In: Corney & Barrow, events, hospitality, wine, wine distributor, wine merchant

People People: Producer

By Peter McCombie on July 4, 2018

What Hungary has to offer the premium on-trade

So often a country’s future wine potential can be held back by misconceptions and prejudices about what wines it has produced in the past. For Hungary that can often be simply convincing buyers, both trade and consumers alike, to look beyond Tokaj. But, as Peter McCombie MW explains, if you are prepared to do so there are a whole host of styles, regions and grape varieties ideal for UK restaurants and bars.

Posted In: Hungary, peter mccombie, restaurants, sommeliers, wine, wine lists, wine producers

People People: Supplier

By Richard Siddle on July 3, 2018

Simon Stockton’s independent view on judging for CSWWC 2018

The Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships claims to be the only one of its kind in the world which puts every type of fizz to the test. It’s also the only judging event where all wines entered are tasted blind by the same three judges. Founder Tom Stevenson and co-judges Essi Avellan MW and Dr Tom Jordan. Helping them as order of ceremonies is Champagne expert himself, Simon Stockton. Here’s his ringside account of how the judging takes place…

Posted In: champagne, CSWWC, simon stockton, sparkling wine, wine, wine competition, wine judging

People People: On-Trade

By Richard Siddle on July 2, 2018

Why we need to be ‘M-indful’ of our staff’s mental health

Andre’ Mannini, operations director for the M Restaurant Group, explains why he hopes its new ‘M-indful Days’ initiative will help its staff better manage their own stress and any potential mental health issues whilst working in what is the demanding environment of a high-end premium dining restaurant, whilst also giving them some time away from those daily pressures for the benefit of the team and their customers.

Posted In: andre mannini, m restaurant, mental health, on-trade, restaurants, stress

People People: Supplier

By Gordon Stuteley on June 29, 2018

Should Italy focus on its unique varieties or terroirs?

Italy is blessed with both a bewildering array of indigenous grape varieties suitable for wine production and a vast number of local climates and soil types to provide specific terroirs’, each capable of influencing the taste and quality of the wines. But should it focus more on those unique grapes or, instead go for a region, terroir-first strategy? Gordon Stuteley of GS Wines sets out the arguments for each approach as he prepares for a tasting that hopes to address that exact issue in London on July 4.

Posted In: GS wines, italian grapes, italian wine regions, Italy, wine, wine merchants, wine regions, wine tasting

Browsing Category

How biodynamics led Austria’s Heinrich to skin-fermented whites

Harry Crowther on why he’s taking wine training direct to bartenders

Inside the ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ of gin-making

Neville Blech hopes new app can identify value for money wines

Hotelier Geoff Andrew: good storytelling starts with ‘WHY?’

Olivia Marsh: why Corney & Barrow is so eventful to work at

What Hungary has to offer the premium on-trade

Simon Stockton’s independent view on judging for CSWWC 2018

Why we need to be ‘M-indful’ of our staff’s mental health

Should Italy focus on its unique varieties or terroirs?

You Might Also Like

Buyers will be in a race to find the French wine they want in 2017

A Week in the Life of Ian Harris chief executive of the WSET

Much to discover at Wines of Germany’s Get It On tasting

Insight: restaurant and pub sector bounce back after Brexit