Event Details
Wednesday 20th June, 2012
Lords Nursery Pavilion, St Johns Wood, London
Wellington Entrance (North Gate)
2pm to 5pm - Trade Tasting
2.30pm - Trophy Announcement
6pm to 9pm - General Public
The Gold Medal Tasting event will also be attened by the five IWC Co-Chairmen. It will be a fantastic oportunity to taste with the experts and see why the wines have achevied thier Gold and Trophy status.
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Tim Atkin MW: Tim is one of Britain's leading wine writers, with more than 25 awards to his name, including the 2009 Louis Roederer Wine Columnist of the Year. He is Wine Editor at Large of OLN (Off-Licence News) and also writes for Woman and Home, The World of Fine Wine, Wine Luxe, The Economist's Intelligent Life and his own website, www.timatkin.com. Tim appears regularly on BBC One's Saturday Kitchen, as well as running his own wine school at Vinoteca in London.
Oz Clarke: Oz is one of the world's leading wine experts, whose formidable reputation is based on his extensive wine knowledge and accessible, no-nonsense approach. His numerous award-winning books include Pocket Wine Guide, 250 Best Wines, Bordeaux and Let me tell you about wine. Oz's third BBC TV series with ‘Top Gear' co-presenter James May was ‘Oz and James Drink to Britain'. For this series and the accompanying book Oz and James were awarded the International Wine Challenge Personality of the Year Award. Oz has since filmed two series with comic Hugh Dennis and there is more ongoing television with James May. In 2010 Oz became an Officier de l'Ordre du Mérite Agricole for services to French agriculture.
Sam Harrop MW: Sam began his career in the UK as one of Marks & Spencer's youngest ‘flying winemakers'. By age 32 he had travelled to every major wine region in the world, and passed The Master of Wine exam on his first attempt, receiving the Tim Derouet Award for outstanding performance. Sam is now an independent winemaking consultant, an educator and commentator, who specialises in the technical aspects of wine. Sam is co-author of ‘Authentic Wine' a new book focusing on the concept of naturalness in wine. He is also a ‘Sake Samurai' and a champion of the International Wine Challenge Sake Category.
Peter McCombie MW: Peter's career in wine started in sales working with legendary Italian champions Winecellars. He now operates an independent wine consultancy service, focused on hotels and restaurants. Born and raised in New Zealand he has a relaxed approach to wine and is an entertaining speaker, hosting many corporate and public events as well as industry seminars. He teaches at the Christie's Wine Course and at the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, as well as conducting bespoke courses for anyone from beginners to MW students. He writes for a number of publications, including Restaurant magazine and has judged widely in competitions around the world.
Charles Metcalfe: Charles Metcalfe's tasting career started at university, where he captained the Oxford tasting team to victory over Cambridge two years running. He co-founded the consumer magazine Wine International with Robert Joseph in 1983. They started the International Wine Challenge in 1984. He is also in demand as an international wine judge, and has judged in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Portugal and South Africa. As well as writing books on Spanish and Portuguese wines, and on matching wine with food, Charles has appeared on many UK television programmes, presenting drinks and food items on This Morning, Taste Today, Great Food Live, Saturday Kitchen and others. His latest book is ‘The Wine & Food Lover's Guide to Portugal', written with his wife, Kathryn McWhirter.
Derek Smedley MW: Derek joined the wine trade in the propitious vintage of 1961, working for John Harvey in Bristol. He then moved on to work for Gilbeys, in buying and sales and in 1968 passed the MW exam. His next stop was at Whitbread as the wine buyer. In 1985, he started Smedley Vintners, as well as acting as a consultant for Antinori. Derek sold Smedley Vintners in 1999 and is now busy as a widely respected wine consultant. He looks after the Lord Mayor of London and the Guildhall, as well as buying for various City Livery Companies, Queens' College Cambridge, Lincoln's Inn and the Carlton Club. He leads wine tours for Arblaster & Clarke and writes extensive tasting notes which can be found on www.edwardparkerwines.co.uk. He joined as co-chairman of the IWC in 2002.
