Who is behind the competition?
Gosset Champagne
Champagne Gosset has been established for more than four centuries and is the oldest wine house in Champagne. It was founded in 1584 by Pierre Gosset, a lord and alderman of Aÿ. who created a trading company to sell his wines. After 16 generations in the Gosset family, Champagne Gosset joined the Renaud-Cointreau family group in 1993.
Gosset work with respect for family tradition, always in search of perfection, to make wines that have perfectly balanced freshness and vinosity.
Grapes are sourced from 160 vine growing families, who between them, have 140 hectares of vineyard. To encourage virtuous working practices, Gosset pay a premium for grapes grown following organic and sustainable practices. This large selection allows them to create the most balanced blends possible, adhering to the Gosset style, which is recognisable year after year.
To ensure their wines express the authentic terroirs of the Champagne region Gosset follow an unusual vinification method avoiding malolatic fermentation. This preserves the natural acidity and true aromatic characteristics of the grapes and assures the long ageing capacity of their wines. This long ageing allows each bottle to slowly develop and reveal the full potential of the wine and the terroirs from which they came.
Gosset’s superior craftsmanship and history was acknowledged in 2010 when they became permanent members of L’Excellence Franciase. Soon after, in 2013, they were recognised by the French State as an Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant or living heritage company.
Hallgarten & Novum wines
Hallgarten is one of the UK’s leading specialist wine merchants, with over 90 years of experience importing wines from producers around the world, supplying the premium On and Off Trade.
In 2018, the business achieved the ISO 14001 accreditation for its dedication to minimising its environmental impact, as well as successfully meet all criteria to attain Investors in People accreditation.
Hallgarten has been awarded the IWSC Wine Distributor Trophy 2023; European Merchant of the Year in 2020, 2019 and 2018 by the Sommelier Wine Awards; the prestigious International Wine Challenge Merchant Wine List of the Year Award in 2019 and 2021; The Drinks Business On-Trade Supplier of the Year 2021 and Company of the Year in 2023.
In 2010 we teamed up with Novum Wines to create a stronger Hallgarten. Now, our 1,000-strong portfolio looks to satisfy the needs of all sectors of the trade, orchestrated by Head Buyer, Steve Daniel. The ex-Oddbins buyer has one the most respected palates in the UK and famed with introducing Greek and Chilean wine to the UK.
Today we offer our on-trade and off-trade customers an innovative world-class portfolio, backed by logistics, marketing and customer services expertise to inspire and fuel their wine offer.
We specialise in wine and wine only – the root of our knowledge and expertise.
sommelier Edit
Launched in April 2023 the Sommelier Edit is an online magazine for discerning drinkers and membership site for professional sommeliers in the UK.
Each month it interviews the best front of house team members, finds out what they are drinking and shares news from around the world of drinks. The team behind Sommelier Edit share over forty years experience and also organise the Top 100 Sommeliers – an independently judged and definitive guide to the UK’s best working sommeliers.
Membership is free to those working in the on-trade and offers access to events, tastings, trips and competitions designed exclusively for sommeliers and bartenders.
Le Cordon Bleu London
Le Cordon Bleu is the leading global network of culinary arts and hospitality management institutes steeped in history with a rich heritage spanning over 120 years. The school maintains its global presence with 35 schools in more than 20 countries, training over 20,000 students of more than 100 different nationalities every year. Traditional French culinary techniques remain at the heart of Le Cordon Bleu, but its academic programmes are constantly adapted to include new, innovative technologies required to suit the growing needs of the hospitality industry.
The London institute offers a large range of programmes from short courses, certificates and professional diplomas covering cuisine, pâtisserie, wine, nutrition and management, to undergraduate and postgraduate courses in culinary arts and hospitality management.