September has always felt like wine’s new year, with a new vintage and new trading cycle (with apologies to our Southern Hemisphere colleagues). And now it’s back to school in a very real sense. We are about to be very un-English and blow our own trumpet all over this newsletter. The one thing this pandemic has shown us is that you can never stop trying to communicate and connect. Innovation, adaptability and focus are vital for us all, and we’re incredibly proud to share news of the perfectly ripened fruits of our, and our clients’, labours.

What We've Been Up To

SWIRL IN THE CLOUD

We launched our digital platform in a flurry of activity in the second week of lockdown. It was something we’d had on our ‘to do’ list for a while – necessity gave us the final push to make it happen. It gave us and our clients the ability to create, connect and deliver content virtually, with events thoughtfully designed to maintain the sense of connection you get from an in-person event. You can read more about the platform here.

GEORGIA RISING

The latest (August 2020) export statistics from Georgia’s National Wine Agency brought good news for us: year on year sales to the UK are up by 189%. On behalf of the Georgian winemakers who have worked, and are still working, so hard to diversify markets beyond the old post-Soviet net, THANK YOU. Sarah talked with Emily Silva of the Oxford Wine Company on why they’re getting behind Georgian wine, and how they’re selling Georgia to their customers.

WE'VE BEEN PUTTING DOWN ROOTS WITH THE OLD VINE COLLECTIVE

Sarah is among the team developing this new project to publicise the value and cultural and genetic heritage of old vines, old vineyards and old varieties. The collective will include for-profit, and non-profit elements with a mission to protect and sustain the old vines of today, and to ensure the viability of the old vineyards of tomorrow.

AND WE'VE MADE PRESS TRIPS VIRTUAL

When you can’t travel what’s the next best thing? The experience of travel coming to you. We’re really proud of our ‘press trips in a box’ – a brilliant way of delivering as many of the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of the location without you ever having to leave your sofa. You can see what we’re doing in more detail for Wines of Georgia and Prosecco Conegliano Valdobbiadene.

OUR ORIGINAL CONTENT IS GOING FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH

We’ve been lucky enough to speak with some really interesting women who’re working behind the scenes of the wine trade and driving important projects and changes. You can read all the interviews on our blog, including our most recent with Melanie Jappy, producer of The Wine Show. We’ve also welcomed a guest blogger, Aleesha Hansel, whose latest article explores whether standardised food and wine pairings are too European-centric as she shares some incredible pairings between Georgian wine and Jamaican-Caribbean food.

Events

COMING UP: JAPAN

We will be hosting virtual and in-person tastings for Japanese wine and sake from November – details to follow, but if you would like to be notified asap please email madeleine@swirlwinegroup.com.

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