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Pays d'Oc IGP names Fiona Taylor UK ambassador for 2014

Published:  03 October, 2014

Christopher Piper Wines' Fiona Taylor has been named Pays d'Oc IGP ambassador of the year for the UK market.

Christopher Piper Wines' Fiona Taylor has been named Pays d'Oc IGP ambassador of the year for the UK market.

Fiona Taylor named Pays d'Oc UK ambassador of the yearFiona Taylor named Pays d'Oc UK ambassador of the year

Three finalists - Taylor, Charlie Foley and Jeremie Guiraud - took three challenges testing their knowledge of the region through a written test, tasting and interview with the jury on September 15 at Mayfair's the Only Running Footman pub.

Brieshea Cowley, who works for Inter Oc's communications and marketing team; Kate Beveridge and Chloé Delanne from Westbury Communications were part of the judging team. They sought an individual who could explain the Pays d'Oc's key messages to the UK market.

Taylor will be offered the opportunity to represent the UK as a member of the grand jury of the Pays d'Oc IGP collection 2015, selecting some of the finest wines from the denomination. For the next year she will be acting as the UK spokeswoman for Pays d'Oc IGP on social networks, as well as sharing news and information with the UK trade.

Florence Barthès, general director of Inter Oc said: "We are delighted to announce Fiona Taylor as the Pays d'Oc IGP ambassador of the year for the UK market. We had excellent candidates for this competition and were thrilled to be able to meet Charlie Foley and Jeremie Guiraud, top choice finalists who impressed us with their enthusiasm and knowledge about the Pays d'Oc IGP label. We look forward to working with Fiona over the next coming year, and are convinced that this will be a great collaboration."

Pays d'Oc IGP, which was set up in 1987, is in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in the south of France. The IGP allows a greater degree of innovation than is allowed in many other denominations -including the use of 56 grape varieties.  

In 2013 it produced 6.3 million hectolitres (840 million bottles) of wine across its 100,000 hectares of vines managed by 20,000 growers.

Pays d'Oc IGP represents 65% of French IGP wines and 90% of French IGP varietal wines. The UK is its third biggest export market and it represents over two thirds of Languedoc Rousillon wines exported to the UK. Two thirds of its wine consumed in the UK is red or rosé while the remaining third is white.

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