Taylor’s signs sponsorship deal with The Golden Vines Diversity Scholarships

By Lisa Riley

Published: 17 March, 2021

Taylor’s Port has agreed with Liquid Icons and The Gerard Basset Wine Education Charitable Foundation to sponsor The Golden Vines Diversity Scholarships.

As a result, the initiative has been renamed The Taylor’s Port Golden Vines Diversity Scholarships.

“We are delighted to be associated with Liquid Icons and The Gerard Basset Wine Education Charitable Foundation to support the creation of a more effective workforce in the wine trade by seeking diversity in teams,” said Adrian Bridge, MD of Taylor’s Port.

“For Taylor’s, increasing diversity and inclusiveness is of the upmost importance,” he added.

Lewis Chester DipWSET, CEO of Liquid Icons and Trustee of The Gerard Basset Wine Education Charitable Foundation, said: “As someone of Portuguese heritage, I cannot think of a better sponsor for The Golden Vines Diversity Scholarship than Taylor’s Port.

“Together, we can accomplish great things in creating opportunities for the BAME/BIPOC community in the wonderful world of wine, and The Taylor’s Port Golden Vines Diversity Scholarships will inevitably help in creating the future BAME/BIPOC role models that anyone wishing to enter the wine industry from those communities can look to with a mixture of pride and inspiration.”

The not-for-profit Golden Vines Awards has been launched to recognise excellence in the fine wine industry and raise funds for The Gerard Basset Wine Education Charitable Foundation, with the aim of funding diversity and inclusion-related wine education programmes, including the headline Golden Vines Diversity Scholarship, Internship & Mentorship Programmes.

The initiative will include two scholarships for aspiring black and ethnic minority students wishing to undertake the Masters of Wine (MW) and Master Sommelier (MS) programmes – open to all candidates from all over the world.

The application window closes on 16 April 2021, interested applicants should apply here, with winners announced at The Golden Vines Awards Ceremony & Dinner to be held at Annabel’s Private Members Club on 7 October 2021.

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