Fuller, Smith & Turner PLC, the London brewer and premium pub company, has announced it has picked up the award for Pub Wine Merchant of the Year at the 2017 Sommelier Wine Awards.
It is the first time the company has entered and, of the 51 wines entered by Fuller’s in the competition, 22 picked up medals with a further 19 receiving commendations.
In addition to six gold medals, Fuller’s also received a trophy for its La Capitana Carmenere, a delicious, medium-bodied, barrel reserve red from Cachapoal in Chile.
The competition involves a blind tasting by several industry experts and is widely recognised across the UK and the wider global wine industry.
Head of Wine, Neil Bruce (pictured) said, “We have spent the last two years working with our suppliers to create a wine portfolio that is interesting for a very broad audience – and picking up so many medals is great recognition for that portfolio. I’ve got a new team in place, with a great set of skills and ideas and now we have a number of award-winning wines to take to the market.
“Consumers – whether in our own pubs or in one of our free trade customers – are looking for choice and quality and a wine to fit the venue and the occasion. It is our job to makes sure that happens. In the past, wine has traditionally been pushed on customers by agency distributors, rather than using a more consumer facing approach.
Bruce continued, 'We are turning that on its head by starting with the ideal wine list for our customer and, in turn, their consumers and finding the wines that fit that criteria. For example, we have two French Pinot Noirs – but there subtle differences in flavour and a difference in the appearance of the bottle, making them suited to different types of venue, occasion and consumer.
“While it is a real achievement to pick up the title of SWA Pub Wine Merchant of the Year, it would not be possible without the wines from the amazing suppliers we work with. We deal direct wherever possible and this partnership approach has resulted in Fuller’s being able to offer our current, award winning wine portfolio.”