Vintners’ Company inaugural awards celebrates UK wine talent

By Jo Gilbert

Published: 20 September, 2021

The Vintners’ Company hosted its brand new awards at the Vintners’ Hall in the City of London last Friday (September 17), where Liberty Wines and Ruth Spivey of Wine Car Boot were among those recognised for their contributions to the UK wine industry.

With over £12,000 of funding going to the prize winners, the free to enter awards were established by The Vintner’s Company to nurture and support the enterprising individuals who are bringing positive change to the wine industry, with an emphasis on innovation.

Among the list of worthy winners were Peter Gladwin, recipient of The Vintners’ UK Wine Award his work in laying the foundations for the emergence of the single, overarching body that is now WineGB.

The Vintner’s Outstanding Young Person Award meanwhile was established to recognise and celebrate a person under the age of 35 who is excelling in their field (winemaking and winegrowing included). The award went to Beth Pearce MW of Lay & Wheeler for her innovation and leadership.

After presenting each of the winners their awards, Vintner and Bibendum CEO Michael Saunders said: “It was wonderful to be back at Vintners’ Hall and to be able to award these outstanding and talented people and companies who are responsible for driving the industry forwards. Congratulations to all.”

Liam Steinberg, Laneberg Wine Ltd was awarded the prestigious UK Wine Apprentice Award for aspiring winemakers under the age of 30. Ruth Spivey of Wine Car Boot was awarded The Vintners’ Geoffrey Roberts Award £8,000 bursary, available every two years, to implement a strong idea championing New World or emerging wine regions. She was also the recipient of The Vintners’ Drinks Trust Fundraiser Award, given to a person or company for exceptional fundraising endeavours in support of the Drinks Trust. Spivey was recognised in part for raising £2,325 through running and coordinating a relay marathon during the time when the Bacchus Relay Marathon would have usually taken place.

The Vintners’ Davies Langton Award, which subsidises a young member of the wine trade to undertake work experience was awarded to Kit Weaver at Quinta de la Rosa, who will use the prize money to help fulfil his wish to work through a South African harvest. Liberty Wines was awarded the Best Practice Award, while Melanie Jappy, TWS Creative and producer of The Wine Show, was awarded the Wine Champion Award, which is given to an individual outside the wine industry who has championed wine in the past year.

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