Ian Dunkerley, chef/proprietor, Dunkerleys

How did you get started?
I was born in Ashford (Kent) but then
we moved to Cyprus, because my father worked with the army. He became ill and died, so we returned initially to Deal but then moved to Ashford. It was full of London overspill so it was a tough environment. To keep out of trouble, I did two paper rounds, worked in a sweet shop and in a fish and chip shop - I used to have a barrow at Ashford station and served Bill Deedes (the Conservative MP and former editor of the Daily Telegraph).

6-7 category up 27%

The 6 to 7 price band is booming in the UK's multiple grocers - with sales by volume up 27% in the last year.

Valette joins Rita

Patrick Valette has joined Chilean winery Via Santa Rita as wine consultant.

Caliterra rebrands

Errazuriz is relaunching its Caliterra brand with a new global livery, screwcap closures for all white and varietal red wines, and a new premium tier.

Majestic boosts Chilean range

Majestic unveiled 70 new listings at a recent tasting of its summer collection - a larger addition to the range than usual. The two sectors to be given the most attention were Chile and Italy, with the former showing growth and the latter receiving a partial overhaul.

Three men, a dog and global domination

Generally speaking, you should be wary of anyone who begins a sentence with In the old days'. Usually, they'll be talking about bygone eras when the bobby on the beat would give unruly youngsters a swift clip around the ear, or when footballers were real men, kicking a laced leather ball around a mudbath, cheered on by flat-cap-wearing hordes of working-class folk.

LFE moves into San Antonio

Chilean producer, Via Luis Felipe Edwards (LFE) has purchased 162 hectares of land in the Leyda Valley sub zone of the recently discovered San Antonio Valley.
Located 10 kilometres from the Pacific Coast, the new vineyards will be planted predominantly with Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with smaller plots of Gewurztraminer, Viognier and Riesling. Planting of the first 60 hectares will commence in 2006, with the first harvest anticipated in 2009.

M-erlot C-abernet C-armenre

Wines of Chile
Annual Trade Tasting

Lord's Cricket Ground
London NW8

Tuesday 13 September

10.30am-5pm

Tiger spotting

The recent launch in Ireland of a new Spanish wine followed the usual routine. The owner of the estate was visiting, and a clutch of press scribblers and favoured trade customers were invited to a lunch hosted by the importer. There was an opportunity to taste the whole range, and before we sat down the importer said a few words of welcome and introduction.

Rock on-trade

With the retail sector consolidating, and ranges and the supplier base being rationalised, the on-trade has become flavour of the month.

Chilean consolidation

Although Chile's 2005 vintage has so far proved to be good news for winemakers, it is developments in the boardrooms rather than the vineyards that are making the headlines.

EVENT HORIZON

As the wine trade's annual get-together settles into the second year at its new home at ExCeL, David Williams talks to organisers Andrew Evans and James Murray of Brintex about what's new for this year, and previews the product launches, events and tastings that will be pulling the punters to Docklands for the 2003 LIWSF

CHILE: A SUCCESS STORY, BUT WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

The following is an edited transcript of the WSET Lecture delivered by Eduardo Chadwick, president of Via Errazuriz, on 3 March

WHEELS WITHIN WHEELS

Far from being geared merely towards the large-scale production of mediocre wines, Joanne Simon discovers that two Italian co-operatives are driving quality production in two very diverse regions, Trentino and the Marches

SUNSHINE AND SHOWERS

Europeans often fall into the trap of thinking that Southern Hemisphere summers are as consistent as ours are fickle. But the 2002 vintage confounded that notion, with Australia experiencing its coldest-ever summer in some areas, and the south of Chile one of its wettest. Harpers reviews the mixed harvest in key New World countries

LET'S PUT ON THE SHOW RIGHT HERE . . . .

The 21st London International Wine & Spirits Fair is almost upon us, and this year it's all change, as the fair heads east to take up residence at ExCeL in London's Docklands. Jack Hibberd looks at the reasons behind the move and its chance of success, while David Williams previews the producers and wines on show

SPAIN COMES TO TOWN

The 2002 Spanish Wine Trade Fair takes place next week at the Royal Horticultural Halls in London. John Radford considers the optimism surrounding this year's event, and profiles the wines, regions and bodegas on show

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT

Argentina has been plunged into financial and political disarray. With its fifth president in six weeks, the country is in dire need of stability and an economic rescue package. Monty Waldin, who was in Buenos Aires as the crisis escalated, reports on the threat to Argentina's wine industry, at home and abroad

BOOST FOR CHILE

STRATFORD'S STRIDES INTO SOUTH AMERICA