The Slow Food movement, an international non-profit association founded as a response to the standardising' effects of fast food and the frenetic pace of the fast life', has been far from slow in spreading its doctrine. In less than 20 years, what began as a small gathering of food- and wine-loving friends in the Italian town of Bra has grown to 83,000 members in 107 countries.
Read more...How did television's latest celebrity chef end up in Dartmouth?
Back from France, we were originally looking for a small country-house hotel. Then we heard that the Horn of Plenty, a place of pilgrimage once owned by the legendary Sonia Stevenson, was on the market, but prices had doubled in the last three years and we couldn't afford it. That brought us to the West Country, and we were about to take on a restaurant in Topsham when we were offered the Carved Angel. We initially turned it down because the owner wanted too much, but he persisted and we finally agreed a deal.
PLB has added Chianti producer Piccini to its portfolio.
PLB's Alex Canneti, commented: Piccini is one of the major suppliers of Chianti that has consistently produced an export-oriented style with good intense colour, concentration and aroma. It is an ideal fit with PLB: not only is it a family company, it also has a 12% market share in the region and so is able to supply the right volume, quality and price to PLB's customers.'
Top wine writer Tom Stevenson has used the introduction to the third edition of his annual guide to the wine world, Wine Report 2006, to launch an attack on the Portman Group.
Read more...With most of the multiple retailer's wine-buying teams shrinking if not yet completely disbanding (see Harpers,
16 September), Tesco's wine-buying team appears to have returned to full strength after a difficult period.
Though he has declared his intention to step down as
CEO of Constellation Europe within the next six months, Christopher Carson has told Harpers that he will still have a key role to play at the company over the next couple of years.
Carson, who will become non-executive chairman when a new CEO is appointed, said that much of his time will be taken up with helping his successor. The rest of his time, however, will be devoted to stepping forward on some serious issues affecting the trade on behalf of Constellation, as well as talking to government as part of the WSTA'.
The Wine Trade Action Group - the group of 30 leading wine companies - has elected a new chairman and committee.
Jerry Lockspeiser, managing director of Bottle Green, takes over from Western Wines managing director Michael Paul, who has led the group since its inception 18 months ago and was instrumental in bringing the various companies together.
Lockspeiser commented: I am delighted to be taking on the role from Mike Paul, whose leadership and enthusiasm in the last 18 months have been a driving force.'
Wine-storage specialist Eurocave UK is opening a Manchester brand of Around Wine, joining the existing one in London. The store will stock a full range of Eurocave cabinets and systems, as well as an extensive range of Riedel glassware. The launch party on 8 October will be hosted by Matthew Jukes.
Read more...Musgrove Budgens Londis has appointed Lyana Doyle as trading manager for spirits and fortified wine, she will be responsible for buying both categories in all Londis and Budgens stores. Doyle joins from Marks & Spencer, where she worked as fruit category industry merchandiser.
Read more...Consumer education, not heavy discounting, is the key to increasing Port sales in the UK, according to the brand manager for Cockburn's Port.
Read more...IWSC Communicator of the Year, Joe Wadsack, has teamed up with E& J Gallo and wine education company Blue Tree, to launch Joe Wadsack's Wine Tasting Adventure'.
Read more...Just one week since it took the IWC Supermarket of the Year crown, the Sainsbury's wine team has announced that it is to lose its second buyer in the space of a month.
Read more...Constellation Wines Europe CEO Christopher Carson is set to step down from his position within six months.
Read more...Have you always wanted to work in a restaurant?
Not really. My big plan was to become an actress and join RADA, but I didn't really like the people at the university drama group - they were too precious. So I chose rugby instead, which was a good move. We won the girls' rugby university final at Twickenham two years in a row. I played flanker and then winger, which means you have to run a lot. I don't have the time now but I'm still fit - restaurants are the best diet plan. Forget Atkins - just serve lunch and dinner, finishing at two in the morning.
Wine Intelligence, the specialist wine market-research and strategy consultant, has been named one of the UK's top 10 new companies after reaching the finals of the 2005 HSBC Start-Up Stars Awards.
Read more...Top-selling German wine Black Tower is to feature in a major national advertising print campaign.
Read more...They started picking grapes in the Douro on 30 August as growers and producers started to count the cost of the drought in Portugal this year - it has hardly rained since May and this is the third dry winter in a row.
Read more...Bottle Green has signed a deal that will see its Chilean PKNT brand sponsor popular-music event The Q Awards 2005.
Read more...The Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) has opened a petition book for its 2005 worldwide tasting tour to garner support for its initiative to promote and protect location'.
Read more...Oxford-based wine importer Stevens Garnier has taken over the distribution for premium McLaren Vale producer Wirra Wirra Vineyards.
