As a group of wine trade cyclists gear up for this year’s fund-raising challenge for The Benevolent, we look back at the Lycra-clad participants from charity rides of the past. As previously reported by the drinks business, Mentzendorff managing director Andrew Hawes has orchestrated a 350km bicycling challenge in aid of The Benevolent, and the riders will set off next week. Among them will be me, as I swap the sodden streets of London for the sun-baked terrain of Tuscany – the ride takes us from the Maremma to Sienna, and has been dubbed the Giro di Toscana. However, this is far from the first...

Want to see what this year’s students had to contend with in the Master of Wine examination? Look no further, as we bring you the questions and wines from 2019’s ordeal. Revealed by the IMW this morning was this year’s Master of Wine papers, which cover both a ‘theory’ essay-writing element and a ‘practical’ exam, which comprises three 12-wine blind tastings, held over consecutive mornings. The famously difficult test was held from 3 June to 7 June, with 160 students sitting the exam across three sites: London, San Francisco and Adelaide. Over four days, the students had three 12-wine...

Lidl UK is gearing up to launch wine sales online, db understands, as the discounter announces it is upping its spend on London expansion. Lidl UK’s French Wine Cellar Collection Although the retailer has not confirmed any timescale, or clarified exactly what the online offer will be, db understands that wines will be part of the planned online offer, after the online team were at this year’s London Wine Fair. A spokesman for the retailers told db: “Ecommerce is something we’re exploring and we have a digital team of experts within the business who are looking at this.” Since...

More than a quarter of Oddbins’ stores have shut since the retailer was placed in administration, db has learned. Since Oddbins was put into administration by its parent company European Food Brokers Ltd at the end of January, blaming the uncertain economic pressure from Brexit, rising rents and the deterioration of the high street, 13 of its stores have been shut. Although the administrators originally said they planned to continue to operate the stores as a going concern while assessing the companies options, out of the retailer’s original 45 Oddbins stores, only 32 have remained...

New Zealand’s 2019 harvest has been declared “small but stunning” by trade body New Zealand Winegrowers. A total of 413,000 tonnes were harvested this vintage, smaller than anticipated although quality is apparently “exceptional” across North and South Islands. This is the third small harvest in a row for the antipodean country which will hamper volume growth. NZ Winegrowers’ CEO Philip Gregan said: “Smaller vintages in 2017 and 2018 meant wineries had to work to manage product shortages, and many of our members hoped for a larger harvest this year. Another smaller-than-expected vintage will...

Gerard Basset’s “magic combination of charm and determination” was celebrated this morning at a service of thanksgiving in Winchester Cathedral. Providing a beautifully-crafted and touching tribute to Basset at the memorial was Jancis Robinson OBE, MW, who addressed leading figures from right across the world of wine, all of whom had gathered at the stunning Gothic cathedral to mark the life of this famously high-achieving sommelier, hotelier, wine personality and author. Recalling how she had first met Gerard at Chewton Glen – the top-end hotel that launched his career in the UK – Jancis said...