Argentina must celebrate its "rock and roll" winemakers to grow says Gaucho's Phil Crozier

By Richard Siddle

Published: 11 September, 2014

If Argentina is to contine to grow in the UK then it needs to do more to celebrate, promote and tell the story of its winemakers and make them the "personalities" of their wines, according to Phil Crozier, head of wine at the Gaucho Group of Argentinian restaurants.

Crozier was speaking at last night's annual Gaucho Argentine Winemaker Awards in London which brought together the leading figures of the Argentinian wine industry to coincide with the Wines of the Beautiful South tasting.

"The future," he said, "is all about personality and we need to celebrate that. Talk about it."

He added: "We need to be talking about a new generation of winemaker. The way to sell Argentina in the future is to talk about the people. That is what our guests are interested in. They want to hear about those people in 'concrete eggs'."

Crozier believed Argentina had to "think of new ways to take Argentina forward" and pointed to changes he has made on Gaucho's wine list like introducing a Super Malbec section to put extra focus on its truly outstanding wines.

"We also on our wine list now have a section about out winemakers. The pioneers who changed everything for Argentinian wine, but also the 'young punks' and 'rock and roll' winemakers who are doing things differently," said Crozier.

The Gaucho Winemaker awards are its way of highlighting and celebrating the winemakers and wineries it works with.

Key winners from last night's awards, sponsored by Wines of Argentina, included:

Winery of the Year: Zorzal

Wine of the Year: Atamisqué Mal bec 2011

Non-Argentine Winemaker of the Year: Paul Hobbs

Wine Legend: Alberto Arizu Sr - Bodega Luigi Bosca .

Winemakers Winemaker of the Year: Philippe Caraguel - Atamisqué

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