Old World resolve
The traditional European wine producing nations have found their dominance of the UK on-trade under threat in recent times and many will have a big presence at this year's fair to give their wines much-needed exposure.
Although sales are declining, France still remains the biggest single supplier of wine to the on-trade, and will have a suitably high profile.
The generic French Wine Zone, hosted by promotional body Sopexa, will have 160 companies represented, plus a tasting area for the Vin de Pays Top 100.
Bordeaux producer Dourthe will be showcasing the 2005 vintage of its number-one white brand, alongside new vintages of Barrel Select St Emilion and Médoc on the French pavilion (H50/3).
Burgundy producer Antonin Rodet will be holding an informal tasting of 12 wines from Meursault's Domaine Jacques Prieur - of which it is part owner - on the Lane & Tatham stand (C10).
The producer is the only one in Meursault to own vines in the five acclaimed appellations of Chambertin, Musigny, Clos de Vougeot, Corton Charlemagne and Montrachet.
Also on the Lane & Tatham stand will be Rodet's negociant range, plus wines from Château de Mercey in Hautes Côtes de Beaune and Château de Rully in Côte Chalonnaise.
HWCG (S30) will be launching two new wines in its French Le Charmant range. The Muscadet and Sancerre wines have been created in an attempt to deliver the best examples of typical wines from those regions.
Castel (J30) will have its Finest Reserve range of French wines available for tasting. The range has been specifically created for the on-trade by Castel's group winemaker Cedric Jenin.
Champagne Pommery's new Falltime Cuvée joins a seasonal line-up that already includes Summertime, Wintertime and Springtime brands.
The fizz firm will also be showing Elixir, its dry style Champagne aimed at the prestige on-trade on the Percy Fox stand (D62).
Also available to taste with Percy Fox is the new Piat d'Or sparkling rosé, which is making its debut at the fair.
Single-vineyard bubbly
Champagne Taittinger is launching its first single-vineyard bubbly, Les Folies de la Marquetterie, through Hatch Mansfield, which will also be featuring Les Climats 2002, a blend of premier cru and village wines from Burgundy producer Louis Jadot.
H&H Bancroft (F70) will be joined by the Chablis producer Domaine Billaud-Simon for the first time.
Thierry's (Q30) will be showing a new range of Vin de Pays d'Oc, based around the people of the village of Tuchan. The wines include ones based on Rolland Le Barman and Bernard Le Chef.
Wines of Germany will be hosting the Riesling Room on stand K40. Nicky Forrest, director of the generic promotional body, says: "Germany has taken the lead on Riesling for the last few years at the fair, through a series of international Riesling tastings.
"This year we have taken this a step further, by providing an exclusive space in which to sample the top wines from one of the greatest Riesling producing nations in the world."
An independent panel of writers and on-trade experts has chosen the wines to be tasted on the stand.
Spain is the only major Old World producer in growth in the on-trade. Albion Wine Shippers (A5) will be showing wines from its new Absum Spanish range from Bodegas Irius, based in Somontano. The range comprises a blend of Chardonnay, Gerwurztraminer and Pinot Noir, a singe varietal Chardonnay and a red Tempranillo-Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon.
Also from Spain on the Albion stand will be Rioja wines from Bodegas Tritium.
Mad Dogs & Englishmen
Guy Anderson Wines (C18) will be showing an affordable Garnacha called Mitico from Bodegas Borsao in Campo de Borja. The label features an image of a rare Roman coin found when the foundations of the bodega were being dug.
It is also launching Mad Dogs & Englishmen white, a Godello-Chardonnay from Bierzo, which joins a red already under that name.
Pernod Ricard (D50) will be launching Gran Campo Viejo Cava Rosé.
Freixenet (Q40) will show wines from its recently-acquired Solar Viejo winery in Rioja Alavesa. The Solar Viejo brand is well known in Spain and being launched in the UK after international test marketing.
A new-look range of Raimat wines will include a new Chardonnay-Albarino-Sauvignon Blanc blend, on the Codorniu stand (Q60).
From a less traditional source comes Firebird Legend Chardonnay, the latest Moldovan varietal wine to be made available to the UK on-trade by Hayman Barwell Jones (I20).
Brand manager Belinda Stone says: "There is high demand for un-oaked, approachable Char-donnay because of its versatility in food matching, and this wine is a perfect example."
Gourmet delights and Douro wine
The Port Wine Institute (IVDP) will have expertly-matched "gourmet delights" and Douro wine and port styles, with a daily-changing menu each lunchtime. The IVDP lunch is by invitation only, with more details from Scott Burton at Westbury Communications on 0207 751 9170.
Port firm Fonseca will be launching the first fully-certified organic port to be produced in the Douro - Fonseca Terra Prima Organic Reserve - on the stand of its agent Mentzendorff (G72). Fonseca will also be introducing its new unfiltered LBV at the fair.
Also on the Mentzendorff stand will be new Colheita ports from Delaforce for the years 1964, 1979 and 1988.
Bottle Green (C70) will be linking Old and New World with its Twin Vines concept. The range was launched earlier this year and comprises varietal wines from opposite sides of the globe made from the same grape, including Chardonnay from France and Australia, and Merlot from France and Chile.
Among the spirit producers who are attending the fair is Armagnac producer Baron de Sigognac.
It will be exhibiting through Eaux de vie (U40) and will be showing new packaging, including
its Vielle Reserve Familiale, which comes in a leather case.
Other Armagnac producers in attendance are Château Laubade (Vin du Sud Ouest H40/2), Château du Tariguet (J72), Castarede (Enotria Winecellars, F52), and Cles des Ducs (Cellar Trends, M60).
