Liberty welcomes record number of visitors to familiar turf

By Jo Gilbert

Published: 20 January, 2023

Liberty Wines is celebrating a bumper tasting at its usual Oval hunting ground on Tuesday (17 February), where a record number of visitors made the pilgrimage to its annual portfolio event.

Organisers report around a 10% uplift in visitor numbers on last year, alongside 232 of the producers the company currently represents.

The tasting also follows a standalone Burgundy event the week before. Combined, a total of almost 1,000 wines were shown, including a number of new additions across Argentina, Tuscany and Greece. Several new wines from existing producers were shown too, most notably in Burgundy, where small yields were the underlying theme of the 2021 vintage.

Speaking of the event in the context of the wider economic and business climate, Liberty MD Tom Platt said Tuesday’s attendance demonstrates the industry’s resilience in times of stress.

He added that “large numbers of restaurateurs, hoteliers and independent retailers also recognise that the only route to growth in a market that is likely to contract in volume terms, is to sell quality wines with a story behind them. Though rising costs of dry good and transportation are causing wine prices to increase across the board (a situation that will only be made worse by the government’s planned changes to the duty system in August), we remain committed to supporting our customers to sell better wine and succeed in 2023.

“Fundamental to this, as has always been the case at Liberty Wines, is a broad, exciting range of wines that provide value at all price points and a determination to adapt and invest to deliver the highest standard of service.”

In terms of wines on show, a number of new additions are helping Liberty to grow its stall across the Old and New World.

For example, in Pacheco Pareda, the company has added one of the leading exponents of organic viticulture in Argentina.

“Their wines have a vibrancy and finesse that complement our existing producers Finca Flichman, Kaiken, Altos Las Hormigas and Colomé,” said Platt.

Similarly, the wines of Tenuta Meraviglia further strengthen Liberty’s portfolio in Bolgheri specifically and Tuscany more broadly.

There was also a focus on Greek wines, too. Continuing a theme set in motion on Monday (16 February) by Maltby & Greek’s tasting, Liberty picked up the baton as champions of Greek wine in London this week.

These include three new Assyrtiko wines, which were added to Liberty’s first Greek producer, Anhydrous.

Lastly, Burgundy added several new wines from existing producers, partly as a way to mitigate disappointing yields in 2021.

“We are particularly excited about the new wines we have added from Jean-Claude Boisset, where winemaker Grégory Patriat goes from strength to strength,” Platt concluded.

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