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The Interview: Corrine Michot

Published:  23 July, 2008

What made you choose The Connaught?
I spent a few months as the head sommelier for Aurora, but I didn't like the feeling of the City. They don't want sommeliers, they just want to order Sancerre or Chablis and have a quick lunch so they can go back to work and do their business again. I prefer Mayfair. People are traditional but more open to trying Riesling, say, or something like Amarone La Marega from Salette.

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Wine Show a success

Published:  23 July, 2008

Exhibitors and consumers alike gave the thumbs-up to the inaugural Wine Show London - which took place in Islington last weekend - with the calibre of attendee and the organisation of the show particularly praised.

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Weis in The Winebarn

Published:  23 July, 2008

Winchester-based German wine specialist The Winebarn has added top Mosel-Saar-Ruwer producer St Urbanshof to its agency roster. Owner Nik Weis will be in London this week to launch his association with The Winebarn in a tasting at The Capital Hotel, Basil Street, Knightsbridge (7 November, 3-5pm).

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CIVB consults Morton

Published:  23 July, 2008

The Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux has appointed Douglas Morton as a consultant in the UK. A former MD of Baron Philippe de Rothschild UK, Morton will be charged with opening lines of communication between the CIVB and opinion formers and decision makers' in the UK trade.

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Prowein chases UK visitors

Published:  23 July, 2008

ProWein, the major German wine and spirits show that is held in Dsseldorf in March, wants to attract more UK visitors.
With 2,773 exhibitors (Vinitaly, 4,064; Vinexpo, 2,500; and London International Wine & Spirits Fair (LIWSF), 1,300), ProWein claims the largest number of Italian and French exhibitors outside of their respective countries' own shows and also showcases the German wine industry with 700 producers exhibiting. The UK remains Germany's number-one export market, bringing in 971,315 hectolitres in 2004, compared to the number-two Netherlands with 380,870hl.

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Howard-Sneyd in at Waitrose

Published:  23 July, 2008

South Africa is the priority for Waitrose's new wine buyer Justin Howard-Sneyd MW, who has replaced Simon Thorpe MW.
Howard-Sneyd did three vintages in the Rainbow Nation in the mid-1990s at the time of the regime change, but he has not been back since, except for a week's honeymoon when it rained throughout.

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Wine experts' present the case for The Benevolent

Published:  23 July, 2008

A group of top wine writers, communicators and retailers have put together a case of top wines in a bid to raise money for drinks-trade charity The Benevolent.

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McKeon takes over at Jim Beam's new UK office

Published:  23 July, 2008

Adrian McKeon, the former head of Allied Domecq's wine arm, has been appointed managing director at Jim Beam UK, the new UK division of Fortune Brands, Pernod Ricard's partner in the break-up of Allied Domecq.

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Jefford honoured

Published:  23 July, 2008

Author and occasional Harpers contributor Andrew Jefford has been named the world's best drink journalist at an awards ceremony in Adelaide.

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Global whisk(e)y conference

Published:  23 July, 2008

Next year (21-22 April) will see Edinburgh host the inaugural World Whiskies Conference, which aims to provide a forum for the global whisky-distilling industry'.

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Paul defends the WSTA

Published:  23 July, 2008

Western Wines MD and Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) board member Mike Paul has defended the association against accusations that it has lost its way in the wake of its protracted hunt for a new chief executive.

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Laroche and AXA buy L'Avenir

Published:  23 July, 2008

Michel Laroche, the Chablis-based producer with interests that span the globe, has bought high-profile South African estate L'Avenir.

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The 330 cocktail

Published:  23 July, 2008

London West End nightclub Umbaba has launched what it claims is the world's most expensive cocktail.

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Lpez is Wine MBA

Published:  23 July, 2008

Cristin Lpez, managing director of Concha y Toro UK, is the first Chilean to complete the Wine MBA and pass with distinction.

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Benevolent auction

Published:  23 July, 2008

Following the success of The Benevolent's Christie's wine auction in 2003, the second Benevolent auction will take place at Christie's from 10.30am on 17 November. Many special and rare-bottling wines and spirits will be on sale, all having been donated by companies in the trade.

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Jameson aims for younger market

Published:  23 July, 2008

Jameson Irish Whiskey has outlined its most expensive advertising campaign ever - with the main message to serve it mixed with ginger ale/beer.

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Champagne ambassador

Published:  23 July, 2008

Cambridge wine educator Anthony Stockbridge has become the first ever UK finalist selected to represent the country in a competition to find the European ambassador for Champagne.

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20th Salon des Vins de Loire

Published:  23 July, 2008

The 20th edition of Salon des Vins de Loire will be held 6-8 February 2006 at Angers Parc Expo - not 30 January-
1 February as previously advertised by the organisers.

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Portugal must go regional, says Sogrape's Salvador Guedes

Published:  23 July, 2008

Portugal must play to its strengths - indigenous
grape varieties and regional differences - if it is to
succeed as an exporting wine nation, according to Salvador Guedes, president of the country's largest producer, Vinhos Sogrape.

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Hanging On

Published:  23 July, 2008

The most exciting grape grown in South Tyrol, at least among its reds, is the Lagrein, a variety found only there and in the adjacent hills of northern Trentino. Scholars differ about the area where the Lagrein grape originated. Some say it comes from the Vallagarina area, which is a valley south of Trento. This theory finds some support in the name of the variety, since Lagarino is the Italian name for Lagrein. Others believe it first appeared near Gries in the area of Bozen, where Benedictine friars of the Muri convent have cultivated it since 1600. But most scholars agree that the real origin
is Lagaria, a Roman coastal area near the Ionic Sea, or Greece, where lagaros means hanging grape, which in south Italy became lagarinum.

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