What's on offer
New World wines will be out in force at the fair, but France, which is still number one in the on-trade, will be putting on a big show
While the New World has been getting a lot of attention in recent times, France remains the number one supplier of wine to the UK on-trade, and the country has another big presence at the London International Wine & Spirits Fair this year.
The HWCG stand (S30) will feature two new wines in the on-trade-only Cuvée Lavande range. The Chardonnay and Merlot French wines are aimed at consumers trading up from house wine.
New French wines from H&H Bancroft (F70) include a Mercurey Rouge and Mercurey Premier Cru Clos des Barraults, both from Burgundy producer Michel Juillot. Bancroft also has Chateau Le Pey Cru Bourgeois for £6.55 and Chateau Le Barrail for £5.60, both from Compagnet in the Medoc.
Guy Anderson Wines (C18) is introducing the Riviera range, created by consultant Thierry Boudinaud, who previously worked on brands such as Fat Bastard and Wild Pig. Riviera varietals are Chardonnay, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah. Guy Anderson is also adding a Muscadet at £4.99 to its Atlantique range.
Champagne Taittinger will be launching its Taittinger Nocturne marque through Hatch Mansfield (T40). The champagne is designed to complement dinner and moves away from the drink's aperitif usage.
Another Champagne house, Pommery, will be exhibiting its latest addition, a 75cl bottle for its Pop mini-bottle brand. The Vranken Pommery Mono-pole stand (D62) will also feature new stripy packaging for the Charles Lafitte 1834 Champagne brand.
On-trade specific releases from the New World include Chilean producer Vina La Rosa's, which will be showing its 2004 releases from the Cornellana on-trade range.
Also from Chile is the Casa Silva Viognier Lolol, available through Jackson Nugent (U32). The producer only planted Viognier grapes as recently as 1998 and only 500 cases of this have been made.
Woodstock Five Feet White is a Viognier-led blend of seven white grape varieties that will be available to taste at the El Vino stand (H18). It is also being pitched at the on-trade.
Australian wine firm Hardys is showing its new Quayside and Banrock Station Bandicoot range both exclusive to the on-trade. The wines will be on the Constellation Europe stand (F40/G40). Another on-trade exclusive from Constellation is the Orca Bay range from New Zealand producer Nobilo.
South African producer Graham Beck will be showing its Shiraz-Cabernet and Chardonnay-Viognier wines in their Family Vineyards on-trade guise for the first time. The wines feature split-level labels that have been specifically created for restaurants and bars, and will be on the Bibendum stand (D30).
Trapiche of Argentina will be presenting the 2004 vintages of its on-trade Astica range through Hayman Barwell Jones (G19).
The Californian producer Sutter Home is using the show to embark on its strategy to raise its on-trade profile in the next 12 months. Its Trinchero Napa Reserve Main Street Cabernet Sauvignon and Vista Montone Chardonnay will target prestige accounts, Montevina will be aimed at the independent on-trade sector, and the Sutter Home range will be positioned as a wine for multiples. The company will be on the PLB stand (F60) and with the Wine Institute of California (T20).
Brown-Forman Wines (D60) will be exhibiting two new dual-varietal Bonterra wines from California a Chardonnay/Sauvignon and a Shiraz/Carginane, both targeted at the on-trade. Other on-trade exclusives, including its Coldwater wines and Fetzer Hopland Ranches, will be in the on-trade tasting area.
