Doug Wregg, Author at The Buyer

By Richard Siddle on December 8, 2023

How Corney & Barrow’s logistics have to be as good as its wines

A premium wine importer can have the best wine list in the land, with quality and value from all major wine producing countries, but that all fades into insignificance if its supply chain and logistics service is not equally as good – if not better. Now it’s pretty fair to say Corney & Barrow is widely respected for getting its wine range right, here associate director, Mark Baskett, explains how the business gets the delivery side of the company right in his role as supply chain manager – in charge of London and the South East, supported by Allison Few, commercial manager and associate director, based in East Kilbride, who manages the supply chain operations for the North and Scotland.

Posted In: corner & barrow, logistics, mark baskett, slider, supply chain, wine, wine delivery

People: On-Trade

By Caroline Gilby MW on December 8, 2023

Caroline Gilby MW on how sweet Tokaji is thinking outside the box

Gastronomic versatility is the name of the game when it comes to sweet Tokaji. As part of Wines of Hungary UK’s campaign to drive trade and consumer awareness about this fact, Caroline Gilby MW looks at the many diverse ways that restaurants in the UK are finding new and innovative ways to show off this sweet Hungarian wine to its best effect.

Posted In: caroline gilby, slider, Sweet Tokaji, Wines of Hungary UK

Insight

By Andrew Johnson on December 7, 2023

Andrew Johnson on why we should be excited by the Cirò Revolution

Whisper it gently but there is a wine revolution going on in Italy. A revolution that has the potential to radically change and elevate the perception of Calabria and, in particular the traditional winemaking DOC of Cirò that has recently gained DOCG status. A revolution that Andrew Johnson, managing director of premium wine importers, Woodwinters, is firmly behind as he explains in this in-depth report on why anyone interested in Italian wines needs to better understand what is happening in this exciting wine region.

Posted In: Andrew Johnson, Calabria, ciro, ciro revolution, italian wine, Italy, slider, winemakers, wood winters

People: Producer

By Leona De Pasquale on December 7, 2023

Maurizio Lunetta, Director of Etna DOC and his partner Margriet own Casale 120

What’s the best way of selling Nerello Mascalese from Etna DOC?

In an era where the fervour for terroir-driven wines shows no signs of waning, the site-sensitive Nerello Mascalese, cultivated on the ever-changing terroir surrounding Europe’s largest active volcano, Mount Etna, continues to captivate wine enthusiasts. With its somewhat challenging pronunciation and intricate terroirs, selling Nerello Mascalese to average consumers doesn’t appear to be a straightforward task. During a recent visit to Sicily for the ‘Etna Day 2023’ event, Leona De Pasquale spoke with Maurizio Lunetta, the director of the Consorzio Tutela Vini Etna DOC, to find out how it’s done.

Posted In: Etna DOC, italian wine, Leona De Pasquale, Nerello Mascalese, sicily, slider

Awards

By Richard Siddle on December 6, 2023

IWSC On The Road: What UK judges thought of Austrian wine

The scores from the IWSC’s Austrian wine jury are in with an impressive 17 gold medals, 136 silver medals and 229 bronze awarded in what was the first time the competition has travelled to Austria to do the judging as part of a wider immersion into Austrian wine. It was also the latest country to join the list of those the IWSC is now judging in situ. David Kermode, part of the judging team, takes us behind the scenes.

Posted In: Austria, austrian wines, iwsc, wine buyers, wine judging, wine tasting

Tasting: Wine

By Heather Dougherty on December 6, 2023

Côtes du Rhône London Tasting: Producers hail ‘epic’ 2023 vintage

Côtes du Rhône winemakers were enthusing about the ‘epic’ 2023 vintage at a recent London tasting of Rhône wines. The event was an opportunity to catch up with latest trends, see how wines at named village level are a great opportunity to pick up a bargain, and to hear how the appeal of the Gigondas appellation will be enhanced by the addition of the new Gigondas Blanc category from the 2023 vintage onwards. Heather Dougherty was there for The Buyer to pick out her favourite wines plus talk to Ann Vermeersch of Le Plan-Vermeersch and Vincent Boyer of Domaine de la Bastide to catch up with the challenges they face as Rhône winemakers.

Posted In: Côtes du Rhône, Heather Dougherty

Insight

By Heather Dougherty on December 5, 2023

Getting up to speed on DO Cava’s premiumisation initiatives

Cava is on something of a roll right now, with sales in 2022 of over 249 million bottles, equating to growth of 4.6% year-on-year. It’s also become Spain’s most internationally successful wine export with nearly 70% of production being sold outside the country. The UK is now Cava’s fourth largest export market, behind Germany, US and Belgium. Here Heather Dougherty analyses the steps the Cava region is taking to not only maintain and grow its sales but also look at how it can continue to premiumise the image of Cava and focus even more on the quality wines being produced.

Posted In: Cava, DO Cava, Heather Dougherty, Spain, spanish wine, sparkling wine

Insight

By Victoria Sharples on December 5, 2023

Franck Bijon: Cru Bourgeois, the new classification & future plans

Although it was a long and bumpy road getting to the Cru Bourgeois 2020 Classification, it has successfully provided wine buyers with a benchmark for accessing Bordeaux wines with great value, character and quality – not just with the wines themselves but with the techniques used to get them there in the first place. Victoria Sharples talks to Franck Bijon about the Classification and what it means for wine drinkers, looks ahead to the 2025 Classification and future plans for the Alliance des Crus Bourgeois du Médoc, of which he is president.

Posted In: Bordeaux, Cru Bourgeois du Médoc, Franck Bijon, victoria sharples

Insight

By Richard Siddle on December 4, 2023

Richard Siddle on solutions to be found at Wine Future 2023

Like the World Cup and the Olympics you have to wait your turn for the next Wine Future to happen. But when they do they are not only must attend events – for those in the know – they also act as good benchmarks for where the global wine industry finds itself and an opportunity to step out of the cut and thrust of everyday trading to see what the sector’s current and future challenges and opportunities are. Here Richard Siddle, who has attended and taken part in all of the Wine Future events dating back to the first in 2009, gives his personal take on what we can all take away from Wine Future 2023, and the importance of looking outside our own business needs for potential solutions and how coming together to share ideas, insights and experiences is the only way for the industry as a whole to move forward.

Posted In: pancho campo, wine, wine future, wine industry, wine trends

Tasting: Wine

By Geoffrey Dean on December 3, 2023

Why Sweet Tokaj needs to exit the box marked ‘dessert wine’

Sweet Tokaj wines are the best known in Hungary but they are not where they need to be in the international market where an overall decline in consumption of sweet wines has offset massive, sporadic growth in some areas of the US. The Buyer’s Geoffrey Dean visited Michelin-starred Trivet restaurant in London, speaks to the key movers and shakers in the Hungarian wine scene and picks 10 wines that every wine buyer should have on their radar.

Posted In: Geoffrey Dean, Hungary, Sweet Tokaj, wines of hungary

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