In preparation for the trip, I have been along to a couple of recent wine fairs…

The Oddbins wine fair in Islington

The Oddbins wine fair is a great chance to meet winemakers, try more wine than you can physically handle and chat to like-minded wine-o-philes. I’ve been almost every year I’ve been with Oddbins (employees get in free!) and this year being my last with the company, I thought I’d go up for both days and work the fair on the Saturday.

After a seriously early start in Cardiff (I’m usually a fairly late riser due to the hours of the job…) I just about arrived in time for the briefing before the fair opened to the public for the day.

I was helping out, mainly giving a hand pouring on any stands that looked as though they were drowning in outstretched glasses. It gave me a great chance (in between feeding frenzies) to chat to the Agency reps, winemakers and importers who were manning the stands, hearing about the other side of the wine trade, and telling them about my plans to circumnavigate the globe…

One stand I was lucky enough to man for an hour or two, was Murdoch James. Giving me plenty of time to chat to Roger Fraser, the winemaker, proprietor and Pinot Noir expert. I highly recommend the ‘Martinborough’ Pinot Noir, although it’s bigger brother, the ‘Fraser’ Pinot Noir is phenominal, a powerful style, without being over-fruity as some Californians and Australian Pinots can be.

I took it pretty easy at the fair, spitting out most things I tried, a travesty I know, but I was working! When I joined Emma whose flat I was staying at in the pub afterwards, it was clear that not everyone had been as abstemious! So I did my best to catch up, before heading off to the Oddbins after-party… The wine was better than at most parties I’ve been to, with the likes of Champagne and Margaux all laid-on! The dancing though, or at least mine anyway, was just as bad as usual!

Gareth and I at the malt whisky masterclass run by Donald from Bruichladdich (you can see Roger from Murdoch James at the back of the photo, who snuck in for a dram too)

 

The Sunday was my ‘day off’ and I was joined by a couple of the guys from the shop in Cardiff. Despite being the only Oddbins in Wales, none of us are Welsh! I am English, Dylan is from New Zealand, and Gareth is Australian, so I’ve got some first hand knowledge of 2 of the countries I’m going to already…

The London International Wine and Spirits Fair (LISWF)

The LIWSF was more of a formal affair, as you would expect from a trade fair, but a great chance to meet winemakers and line up some visits for later in the year.

 

More wine than travel going on at the moment!