The Wine Show caps last years event

Nearly 14,000 people sniffed and sipped at the Wine Show held in London last weekend. The successful second show had 18 per cent more visitors than last year, which, say the show’s organisers, ‘reflects consumers’ increasing interest in wine, and the appeal of a dedicated show to promote wine education and knowledge’. And there were certainly lots of interactive features where visitors could learn a little more about wine. The Tasting Theatre ran expert-led tutored sessions, with the likes of Oz Clarke, Matt Skinner and ThirtyFifty’s Chris Scott talking about wine areas across the globe. For Old World wine lovers, French Wines Experience had a series of lifestyle zones. Each featured wines fit for the occasion, be it nights in, outdoor living, dinner parties or celebrations. As Brits, we’re used to queuing, which is just as well if you wanted to visit Sainsbury’s ‘Perfectly matched food & wine’. This proved to be exceptionally popular throughout the weekend. For those needing a bit more exercise than raising their glass, there were expert-guided Wine Walks through the show or, if time was tight, visitors to the Thresher stand could take a 10-minute crash course in wine tasting. But for some visitors it was enough to just wander round, tasting some of 1,500-plus wines that were on offer.