Last week Edward and I donned our dinner jackets and bow ties, and headed to the Park Lane Hilton for the International Wine Challenge Awards dinner 2012. The main event is situated in the grand ballroom that holds nearly 1000 people, a massive gathering of all walks of the wine trade. Before the dinner, the Merchant Awards were presented in the Crystal Palace Suite of the hotel. Farr Vintners had been shortlisted for both En Primeur and Bordeaux wine merchant of the year. We were thrilled to win the En Primeur award, for what is now the sixth time in seven years! We have prided ourselves this year on giving sound advice on the 2011 vintage, relaying our true opinions on the wines by comparison to the superb 2009 and 2010, and seeking out the value where possible. Our expertise and honesty seems to have shone through with the volume of sales varying from wine to wine depending on how we rated both the particular wine and release price.
Thomas Parker collects the En Primeur award
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After the awards were handed out we headed into the ballroom and the sea of wine trade members to enjoy our dinner and the award-winning wines. We were also able to drink a rare Crozes Hermitage 2003 from Graillot, a magnum of Vieux Donjon CdP 2007, and great bottles of Grand Puy Lacoste 2006 and Roc de Cambes 2000. The Cotes-de-Bourg was the pick of the bunch for me – fully open, perfumed with rich fruit on the palate. As the evening continued the awards rolled on and the wine flowed for what was a very enjoyable evening. We will be back next year hoping to win again!
The ballroom in all its splendour
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