Five independent wine merchants from across the country have won a buying trip to Chile for their "innovative and quirky" promotions around Chilean wine.
Five independent wine merchants from across the country have won a buying trip to Chile for their "innovative and quirky" promotions around Chilean wine.
Wines of Chile selected McAlindon Wines from Belfast; Taurus Wines from Guildford in Surrey; The Wine Reserve, Cobham, Surrey; Hercules Wine Warehouse in Sandwich, Kent and Stone Vine & Sun from Twyford, Hampshire as its top independent merchants of 2014.
Five merchants stood out in the Wines of Chile promotion
Over 50 retailers took part in the competition, which ran throughout the month of September, coinciding with the country's national day on September 18. Each store filed a report outlining what they had done to the generic body, and the winners get to go off on a buying trip to Chile.
Anita Jackson, UK director for Wines of Chile, said: "We had a fantastic response this year, not only in numbers taking part but also the innovative and quirky ways used to promote Chile and catch the attention of customers.
"Competition was high and the judging tough. The winners were finally chosen for their creativity and innovation as well as extending their Chilean ranges, showing an increase in like for like Chilean sales and the sheer energy and enthusiasm they showed for Chile and its wines. It needed to be more than just a promotion to sell bottles but an education in Chile as well, and the winners achieved this"
The winners will head off on their buying trip in early 2015, and receive £500 towards the cost of their promotion. Six runners up were also selected, each of whom will also receive £500.
The runners up are:
Corkscrew Wines - Carlisle
Hoults Wine Merchants - Huddersfield
Luvians Bottle Shop - St Andrews, Fife
Park Vintners - Wimbledon Park
The Wine Centre - Colchester, Essex
Cambridge Wine Merchants - Dry Drayton, Cambridge