Fuller, Smith & Turner PLC, the London brewer and premium pub company, is delighted to announce that it has picked up the award for Pub Wine Merchant of the Year at the 2017 Sommelier Wine Awards. It is the first time the Company has entered and, of the 51 wines entered by Fuller’s in the competition, 22 picked up medals with a further 19 receiving commendations.
In addition to six gold medals, Fuller’s also received a trophy for its La Capitana Carmenere, a delicious, medium-bodied, barrel reserve red from Cachapoal in Chile.
The competition involves a blind tasting by several industry experts and is widely recognised across the UK and the wider global wine industry.
Head of Wine, Neil Bruce, said: “We have spent the last two years working with our suppliers to create a wine portfolio that is interesting for a very broad audience – and picking up so many medals is great recognition for that portfolio. I’ve got a new team in place, with a great set of skills and ideas and now we have a number of award-winning wines to take to the market.
“Consumers – whether in our own pubs or in one of our free trade customers – are looking for choice and quality and a wine to fit the venue and the occasion. It is our job to makes sure that happens. In the past, wine has traditionally been pushed on customers by agency distributors, rather than using a more consumer facing approach. We are turning that on its head by starting with the ideal wine list for our customer and, in turn, their consumers and finding the wines that fit that criteria. For example, we have two French Pinot Noirs – but there subtle differences in flavour and a difference in the appearance of the bottle, making them suited to different types of venue, occasion and consumer.
“While it is a real achievement to pick up the title of SWA Pub Wine Merchant of the Year, it would not be possible without the wines from the amazing suppliers we work with. We deal direct wherever possible and this partnership approach has resulted in Fuller’s being able to offer our current, award winning wine portfolio.”
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THE WINNING WINES
Gold and Trophy
La Capitana Carmenere 2014
Tasting notes: Taking home a Pub & Bar Trophy in addition to its Gold medal, this Carmenere was described by team leader Jade Koch as a ‘good example of the style, with warm, drying red fruits’, while Gabriel Liotta of Hakkasan Hanway Place highlighted its ‘ripe tannins and well-integrated style, with ripe fruit – good value for money’. Team leader Olivier Marie saw this effortlessly accompanying a Sunday roast or bangers and mash.
Gold
Riebeek Shiraz 2016
Le Versant Viognier 2015
Lanark Lane Sauvignon Blanc 2015
3 Bridges Durif 2012
The Black Shiraz 2015
Silver
3 Bridges Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (NB throws a ‘good’ sediment due to maturity)
Chablis l’Orangerie du Chateau Bichot 2016
Cruz Alta Grand Reserve 2013
La Capitana Chardonnay 2015
Capelio Merlot 2015 (15% Petit Verdot in blend for palate lift and structure)
Riebeek Chenin Blanc 2016
Bronze
Whistling Duck Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc 2016
Whistling Duck Shiraz 2016
Capelio Chenin Blanc 2016
Cesari Valpolicella Classico 2015
Mara Ripasso 2014 (‘baby’ Amarone)
Farina Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
Reserve St Michel Grenache Blanc NV (same blend as Griffin Ridge since 2016)
Moinet Prosecco DOC NV
For further information please contact the press office:
Georgina Wald 020 8996 2198 georgina.wald@fullers.co.uk
Joanne Steward 020 8996 2135 joanne.steward@fullers.co.uk
Alice Monteath 020 8996 2175 alice.monteath@fullers.co.uk
Notes to Editor
Fuller, Smith and Turner P.L.C. is an independent traditional family brewer founded in 1845 and is based at the historic Griffin Brewery in Chiswick, London, where brewing has taken place continuously since 1654. The Company runs 195 Tenanted pubs and 197 Managed Pubs and Hotels, with a focus on delicious fresh, home-cooked food, outstanding cask and craft ale, great wine and exceptional service. The Company also has 665 boutique bedrooms in its Managed estate. The Fuller’s pub estate stretches from Brighton to Birmingham and from Bristol to the Greenwich Peninsula, including 175 locations within the M25. Fuller’s owns a 76% stake in The Stable, a craft cider and gourmet pizza restaurant business, which has 17 sites in England and Wales.
The Fuller’s Beer Company brews a portfolio of premium beers including London Pride, Oliver’s Island, ESB, Organic Honey Dew and Frontier Craft Lager. In June 2013, the Company acquired Cornish Orchards, a craft cider maker producing a range of award-winning ciders and premium soft drinks. Fuller’s is also the UK distributor for Sierra Nevada, the premier US craft beer. In December 2015, Fuller’s acquired a 51% stake in Nectar Imports, a wholesale drinks business.
Alice Monteath
PR Assistant