London Wine Fair June 2: What is happening

By Helen Arnold

Published: 02 June, 2014

London Wine Fair hightlights for Monday

Harpers Debate 2013 LWF Harpers Debate 2013 LIWF

11am-12 noon Harpers Debate: How your consumers can drive your business strategy

Industry Briefings : Hear experts from both inside and outside the trade discuss how retailers, brands and producers are using customers to sell, promote and drive their business strategy through peer-to-peer recommendations, social media and online. Speakers include Stuart Anderton, category manager, Tesco Wine by the Case; Robin Langton, buyer, Laithwaites; Ray O'Connor, wine director, Naked Wines; Mark Fiddes, brand development expert, IdeaMotel; and Neil Hallmark, head of digital, Manifest London, which handles consumer content for brands such as BrewDog.

11am-4pm 2011 Bordeaux vintage tasting

Apex Room

The Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux is returning to the fair for the fourth year, with its 2011 vintage. Around 60 members from the best appellations in Bordeaux - including Pauillac, Margaux, Graves and Pomerol - will participate at this single-day event.

12 noon-12.30pm Wine faults workshop (also on Tuesday and Wednesday)

Marcia Waters MW ? WSET stand P82

A chance to improve your ability to identify key wine flaws, using doctored and undoctored samples.

1pm-1.30pm Break the mould: wine in cans - quality from the grape to the can

Antti Laakkonen and Carlo Bermes, Ball Packaging Europe ? Gallery Theatre

How cans build a bridge to new target groups, the question of quality, and the advantages and performance of a special wine can. A chance to learn more about can sizes, wine qualities, and Ball's wine-test service.

2.30pm-3.30pm The structure and performance of the UK wine category (off-trade and online)

Tim Wilson Tim Wilson

Tim Wilson, managing director, Wilson Drinks Report, and Tim Eales, director of strategic insight, IRI

Industry Briefings A jointly presented session examining the off-trade and online channels within the UK wine category, using the combined insight of WDR and IRI. Special focus will be put on own label, the role of the weather and future developments within the category, as well as looking at key trends within grape varieties.

2.30pm-3pm Managing sulphur dioxide levels in wine

Justin Knock Justin Knock

Justin Knock MW, winemaking consultant, Encirc Wines ? Gallery Theatre

The effect that oxygen and sulphur dioxide levels can have on a finished product, and how best to manage these.

3pm-3.30pm Judging quality in wine (also on Tuesday and Wednesday)

Karen Douglas, AIWS ? WSET stand P82

How do we assess quality in wine? And how do we define quality? What makes an expensive wine worth the premium, and do you necessarily get what you pay for? Douglas will show you the process of reaching an objective view, using wines served blind.

4.30pm-5pm With changing world interest and exchange rates, what is the future of packaging in the UK?

Mark Lansley, managing director, Broadland Wineries ? Gallery Theatre Over the past 10 years, the pound has weakened, interest rates have dropped to record lows and the UK wine packing sector has doubled in size.

Mark Lansley looks at whether a reversal of these trends now occurring? What might be the effects of such a reversal? And what might this mean to wine bottlers, retailers and consumers?