Perhaps I shouldn’t mention that we have chosen to ignore today’s General Strike, for Castro Martin business carries on as usual. I will not comment on the sentiment behind the strike except to say that there is no doubt that the Spanish Government will be forced to make cuts, whether we like it or not….

Several months ago Angela exchanged her desktop PC for a new laptop. It has revolutionised her life as she is now able to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Whether that is true or not is not really the issue, but the reality is that it now enables her to work more or less wherever she wants. After all, a Blackberry still has its limitations despite being an indispensable piece of kit.

During those months I have been observing jealously that Angela is no longer a slave to her desk, and although my desktop still works pretty well (despite being a dinosaur in computer years), I have finally taken the plunge. Yesterday I received my shining new laptop, fully equipped with all the very latest technology. Of course the immediate downside is that I first have to load it with all the appropriate software, before I can even contemplate transferring any files. I have my fingers crossed that all goes well over the coming few days.

In the meantime, on the very same day, our office received a huge box containing a brand new photocopier. (Heaven only knows how they got it up the stairs to the first floor.) Anyway, calling it a simple photocopier does it a serious injustice, as not only is this a colour machine, but it also serves as a fax machine and scanner….. and all done by wi-fi! Gone have the days of waiting at the machine to send faxes typed on bits of paper – the 21st century has officially arrived!

Now where’s that handbook, I must check to see if can make me a cup of tea…..

Perhaps I shouldn’t mention that we have chosen to ignore today’s General Strike, for Castro Martin business carries on as usual. I will not comment on the sentiment behind the strike except to say that there is no doubt that the Spanish Government will be forced to make cuts, whether we like it or not….

Several months ago Angela exchanged her desktop PC for a new laptop. It has revolutionised her life as she is now able to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Whether that is true or not is not really the issue, but the reality is that it now enables her to work more or less wherever she wants. After all, a Blackberry still has its limitations despite being an indispensable piece of kit.

During those months I have been observing jealously that Angela is no longer a slave to her desk, and although my desktop still works pretty well (despite being a dinosaur in computer years), I have finally taken the plunge. Yesterday I received my shining new laptop, fully equipped with all the very latest technology. Of course the immediate downside is that I first have to load it with all the appropriate software, before I can even contemplate transferring any files. I have my fingers crossed that all goes well over the coming few days.

In the meantime, on the very same day, our office received a huge box containing a brand new photocopier. (Heaven only knows how they got it up the stairs to the first floor.) Anyway, calling it a simple photocopier does it a serious injustice, as not only is this a colour machine, but it also serves as a fax machine and scanner….. and all done by wi-fi! Gone have the days of waiting at the machine to send faxes typed on bits of paper – the 21st century has officially arrived!

Now where’s that handbook, I must check to see if can make me a cup of tea…..

As a bit of a foodie one of my favourite channels on TV is the Food Network, and very recently there’s a new programme that’s caught my eye. It’s called Meat & Potatoes (although not so much about the potatoes). The ex-chef and cattle rancher Rahm Fama presents the show and spends his time trawling all the best meat restaurants of the U.S. Now, I can tell you from my own experience that if you ever visit a steak house in the U.S. be warned, in fact, don’t eat for at least three days before you go. The portions are usually enormous (by European standards), the steaks are like door steps and are enough to feed your whole family for a week!

Well, there’s now some bad news for all you carnivores out there – those dreaded researchers have been at it again. They now claim that eating even small quantities of processed meat such as bacon, sausages or salami on a regular basis can increase the likelihood of dying early by a fifth, and eating steak increases the risk of early death by 12%. The study by the Harvard School of Medicine found that cutting the amount of red meat in peoples’ diets to 1.5 ounces (42 grams) a day, equivalent to one large steak a week, could prevent almost one in 10 early deaths in men and one in 13 in women.

In reality this is nothing new, because it’s apparently down to the amount of salt (in the case of processed meats) and saturated fats. Replacing red meat with poultry, fish or vegetables, whole grains and other healthy foods cut the risk of dying by up to one fifth – again, nothing new. Either way, it looks like the health police look set to terrorise meat-lovers into submission….. Sorry, I have to finish now, I’m just off to enjoy my Full English Breakfast!

As a bit of a foodie one of my favourite channels on TV is the Food Network, and very recently there’s a new programme that’s caught my eye. It’s called Meat & Potatoes (although not so much about the potatoes). The ex-chef and cattle rancher Rahm Fama presents the show and spends his time trawling all the best meat restaurants of the U.S. Now, I can tell you from my own experience that if you ever visit a steak house in the U.S. be warned, in fact, don’t eat for at least three days before you go. The portions are usually enormous (by European standards), the steaks are like door steps and are enough to feed your whole family for a week!

Well, there’s now some bad news for all you carnivores out there – those dreaded researchers have been at it again. They now claim that eating even small quantities of processed meat such as bacon, sausages or salami on a regular basis can increase the likelihood of dying early by a fifth, and eating steak increases the risk of early death by 12%. The study by the Harvard School of Medicine found that cutting the amount of red meat in peoples’ diets to 1.5 ounces (42 grams) a day, equivalent to one large steak a week, could prevent almost one in 10 early deaths in men and one in 13 in women.

In reality this is nothing new, because it’s apparently down to the amount of salt (in the case of processed meats) and saturated fats. Replacing red meat with poultry, fish or vegetables, whole grains and other healthy foods cut the risk of dying by up to one fifth – again, nothing new. Either way, it looks like the health police look set to terrorise meat-lovers into submission….. Sorry, I have to finish now, I’m just off to enjoy my Full English Breakfast!

Moving wine around the world is actually quite a complicated business, not just because of the different labelling requirements and strict customs/import regulations, but also because of the physical conditions under which the wine travels. If you’re moving wine across the equator, or half way around the world your bottles will be subject to all sorts of stresses, the most significant being temperature.

In an ideal world we would move everything using refrigerated transport (as we do for all of our domestic pallet deliveries), but for long distance this can be a very expensive exercise. Whilst I have no doubt that all the 1er Cru Classé wines of Bordeaux are always moved around using temperature controlled transport (as customers protect their huge investment), for a humble wine such as albariño this is not quite so common.That’s not to say that it doesn’t happen as we do have customers that ship our wine across the planet at a constant temperature of  around 12°C….. a real achievement in logistics!

If you’re not quite so rich there is however, an alternative – perhaps not quite as effective, but still offering some protection against the elements. J.F. Hillebrand offer a system called a Vinliner, sort of like a big ‘oven proof’ foil bag into which you simply zip your pallets or cases. Obviously it isn’t really just foil, in reality it’s made from an aluminium coated woven polyethylene fabric, which simply adds another layer of protection against thermal shock (see photo). Of course it still needs to be backed by a good marine transit insurance.

As one final precaution, however you decide to pack your container, you always need to specify that your precious cargo is stowed below deck, and not piled high on top of the ship with full exposure to hot sunshine – baking your beloved albariño like an oven!

Moving wine around the world is actually quite a complicated business, not just because of the different labelling requirements and strict customs/import regulations, but also because of the physical conditions under which the wine travels. If you’re moving wine across the equator, or half way around the world your bottles will be subject to all sorts of stresses, the most significant being temperature.

In an ideal world we would move everything using refrigerated transport (as we do for all of our domestic pallet deliveries), but for long distance this can be a very expensive exercise. Whilst I have no doubt that all the 1er Cru Classé wines of Bordeaux are always moved around using temperature controlled transport (as customers protect their huge investment), for a humble wine such as albariño this is not quite so common.That’s not to say that it doesn’t happen as we do have customers that ship our wine across the planet at a constant temperature of  around 12°C….. a real achievement in logistics!

If you’re not quite so rich there is however, an alternative – perhaps not quite as effective, but still offering some protection against the elements. J.F. Hillebrand offer a system called a Vinliner, sort of like a big ‘oven proof’ foil bag into which you simply zip your pallets or cases. Obviously it isn’t really just foil, in reality it’s made from an aluminium coated woven polyethylene fabric, which simply adds another layer of protection against thermal shock (see photo). Of course it still needs to be backed by a good marine transit insurance.

As one final precaution, however you decide to pack your container, you always need to specify that your precious cargo is stowed below deck, and not piled high on top of the ship with full exposure to hot sunshine – baking your beloved albariño like an oven!

The truth behind today’s post is simply that I was waiting for an excuse to post this photo! Taken on our visit in 2009, it obviously shows one of Sydney’s most iconic landmarks. Probably not the most iconic, because I believe that this honour surely belongs to the sweeping sail design of the Sydney Opera House.

So why have I chosen today to include this photo? Simple. The coat hanger (as it is affectionately known), celebrates its 80th birthday this week (March 19th to be precise). The 1,149m bridge, which took almost 10 years to build, was officially opened in 1932, and is listed in the Guiness book of records as the world’s widest long-span bridge. The bridge cost £6.25m to build and 16 men reportedly lost their lives during the construction process. In its early days about 11,000 vehicles crossed the bridge on a daily basis, although today’s figure is nearer to 160,000 vehicles.

Celebrations included a special performance by musicians from the Sydney Symphony Orchestra from the top of the 134m-high arch, as well as a 1930s-themed picnic party, but it is perhaps best known for being the fireworks launchpad during Sydney’s annual New Year’s Eve celebrations.

The truth behind today’s post is simply that I was waiting for an excuse to post this photo! Taken on our visit in 2009, it obviously shows one of Sydney’s most iconic landmarks. Probably not the most iconic, because I believe that this honour surely belongs to the sweeping sail design of the Sydney Opera House.

So why have I chosen today to include this photo? Simple. The coat hanger (as it is affectionately known), celebrates its 80th birthday this week (March 19th to be precise). The 1,149m bridge, which took almost 10 years to build, was officially opened in 1932, and is listed in the Guiness book of records as the world’s widest long-span bridge. The bridge cost £6.25m to build and 16 men reportedly lost their lives during the construction process. In its early days about 11,000 vehicles crossed the bridge on a daily basis, although today’s figure is nearer to 160,000 vehicles.

Celebrations included a special performance by musicians from the Sydney Symphony Orchestra from the top of the 134m-high arch, as well as a 1930s-themed picnic party, but it is perhaps best known for being the fireworks launchpad during Sydney’s annual New Year’s Eve celebrations.

I mentioned only a few days ago that it had been very dry and sunny in Galicia for some time now. My comment however, was directed more to the lack of rain rather than any unseasonably warm temperatures. Last Saturday we experienced the first significant rainfall of the last month or two, albeit that it was quite short lived, lasting no more than a few hours. Certainly not enough to make any significant impact. 

Yesterday, 20th March, we witnessed the Spring Equinox, the day when the sun’s rays shine directly overhead at the equator. The equinox marks the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere, as well as the first day of autumn in the southern hemisphere. It also marks the mid point when the sun crosses the celestial equator, and the length of day and night is almost equal everywhere on earth (12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness).

Google marked the day with a doodle designed by Marimekko, the Finnish fashion house. Unlike most Google doodles, the letters of the Google logo are almost indistinguishable, apparently in keeping with Marimekko’s signature style…. or so we are told.

I mentioned only a few days ago that it had been very dry and sunny in Galicia for some time now. My comment however, was directed more to the lack of rain rather than any unseasonably warm temperatures. Last Saturday we experienced the first significant rainfall of the last month or two, albeit that it was quite short lived, lasting no more than a few hours. Certainly not enough to make any significant impact. 

Yesterday, 20th March, we witnessed the Spring Equinox, the day when the sun’s rays shine directly overhead at the equator. The equinox marks the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere, as well as the first day of autumn in the southern hemisphere. It also marks the mid point when the sun crosses the celestial equator, and the length of day and night is almost equal everywhere on earth (12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness).

Google marked the day with a doodle designed by Marimekko, the Finnish fashion house. Unlike most Google doodles, the letters of the Google logo are almost indistinguishable, apparently in keeping with Marimekko’s signature style…. or so we are told.

In the first part of my post about Michelin I mentioned that the Red Guide might actually be hated by some. If hated is perhaps too strong a word, then certainly its objectivity has been called into question on countless occasions, and also, over the years, it has also been accused of a certain bias.

It is clear however, that at the very least, Michelin has been inconsistent in the midst of its struggle to evolve. Many now consider its rating system to be outdated, a foundation built during the time when cooking was about who made the best Cassoulet or the best Boeuf Bourgignon. Perhaps out of political correctness or a perverse type of over-compensation it not only attempts to include a variety of ethnic restaurants, but also a few casual, more informal restaurants sometimes discovered in very odd locations. 

Perhaps the best example of this was the Australian chef Skye Gyngell who’s cafe style restaurant was located in a south-west London garden centre. However she managed to achieve her notoriety is not the main issue, and was presumably based on some fine cooking. The problem was more the type of clientele that her single (unwanted) Michelin star started to attract….  people who suffer the misfortune of being led by Michelin; people, that is, who are gastronomically clueless and who expect the ‘fine dining experience’; deluded people preoccupied by the status that patronisation of a particular restaurant attaches to them. An army of fine diners that drink whatever is expensive and relish the fact that it takes five flunkies to open their chosen bottle.

Naturally, when these food ‘connoisseurs’ were suddenly confronted with a complete lack of starched table linen, rickety tables, “haphazard service” and “loos in a wooden shed”, they were thrown into a state of shock, and reacted by complaining that their expectations had not been met. One patron complained that they had only been offered one type of cheese, and another that “it simply wasn’t up to Michelin standards”.

Despite having previously held high pressure kitchen positions in Paris and Mayfair, and eight years in charge at the nursery cafe, Skye Gynell sadly resigned, and was quoted as saying upon her departure “if I ever have another restaurant I pray we don’t get a star”.

In the first part of my post about Michelin I mentioned that the Red Guide might actually be hated by some. If hated is perhaps too strong a word, then certainly its objectivity has been called into question on countless occasions, and also, over the years, it has also been accused of a certain bias.

It is clear however, that at the very least, Michelin has been inconsistent in the midst of its struggle to evolve. Many now consider its rating system to be outdated, a foundation built during the time when cooking was about who made the best Cassoulet or the best Boeuf Bourgignon. Perhaps out of political correctness or a perverse type of over-compensation it not only attempts to include a variety of ethnic restaurants, but also a few casual, more informal restaurants sometimes discovered in very odd locations. 

Perhaps the best example of this was the Australian chef Skye Gyngell who’s cafe style restaurant was located in a south-west London garden centre. However she managed to achieve her notoriety is not the main issue, and was presumably based on some fine cooking. The problem was more the type of clientele that her single (unwanted) Michelin star started to attract….  people who suffer the misfortune of being led by Michelin; people, that is, who are gastronomically clueless and who expect the ‘fine dining experience’; deluded people preoccupied by the status that patronisation of a particular restaurant attaches to them. An army of fine diners that drink whatever is expensive and relish the fact that it takes five flunkies to open their chosen bottle.

Naturally, when these food ‘connoisseurs’ were suddenly confronted with a complete lack of starched table linen, rickety tables, “haphazard service” and “loos in a wooden shed”, they were thrown into a state of shock, and reacted by complaining that their expectations had not been met. One patron complained that they had only been offered one type of cheese, and another that “it simply wasn’t up to Michelin standards”.

Despite having previously held high pressure kitchen positions in Paris and Mayfair, and eight years in charge at the nursery cafe, Skye Gynell sadly resigned, and was quoted as saying upon her departure “if I ever have another restaurant I pray we don’t get a star”.

Michelin stars: loved by some, coveted by many, but also hated in equal measure – or so it would seem.

In Denmark for example, some critics are in shock, as one of the world’s best and most creative restaurants, Noma in Copenhagen, has not been awarded its third Michelin star this year. I’m afraid that my attitude is, ‘so what’, and I don’t mean that in the sense that it does or doesn’t deserve it, because I’ve never eaten there. If I did then I’m sure that the fact it doesn’t have its third star would not diminish my enjoyment at all. Indeed, any rating is purely subjective and is the just the opinion of the reviewer.  One of my very favourite restaurants here in Galicia only has one star, but to be honest I’d still queue up in the rain to eat there even if it didn’t. I really like it – full stop.

I am not sure if it’s because we’re somehow reluctant to decide for ourselves or whether it is simply that we feel we require some point of reference, but from my own perspective the famous Red Guide works for food pretty much in the same way as Parker points works for wine. I think the key to how we disseminate the information that they provide can be found in the word itself…… the original objective of these books is merely as a ‘guide’, to help us. They exist only to steer us in the right direction, and should never become the overall determining factor in whether any particular business is deemed to be a success or a failure.

I guess that’s what I mean about having the ability to decide for ourselves, and trust our own judgement. Yes, a guide can be useful to give us an idea, and perhaps lead us to some new experience, but that’s as far as it should go.

Some people like Marmite, some put butter on their Weetabix, whilst others eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, but who am I to tell them that this is wrong, or that they shouldn’t enjoy it? I actually quite like peanut butter and banana on toast, but I don’t think that this particular snack would win any Michelin stars!

Michelin stars: loved by some, coveted by many, but also hated in equal measure – or so it would seem.

In Denmark for example, some critics are in shock, as one of the world’s best and most creative restaurants, Noma in Copenhagen, has not been awarded its third Michelin star this year. I’m afraid that my attitude is, ‘so what’, and I don’t mean that in the sense that it does or doesn’t deserve it, because I’ve never eaten there. If I did then I’m sure that the fact it doesn’t have its third star would not diminish my enjoyment at all. Indeed, any rating is purely subjective and is the just the opinion of the reviewer.  One of my very favourite restaurants here in Galicia only has one star, but to be honest I’d still queue up in the rain to eat there even if it didn’t. I really like it – full stop.

I am not sure if it’s because we’re somehow reluctant to decide for ourselves or whether it is simply that we feel we require some point of reference, but from my own perspective the famous Red Guide works for food pretty much in the same way as Parker points works for wine. I think the key to how we disseminate the information that they provide can be found in the word itself…… the original objective of these books is merely as a ‘guide’, to help us. They exist only to steer us in the right direction, and should never become the overall determining factor in whether any particular business is deemed to be a success or a failure.

I guess that’s what I mean about having the ability to decide for ourselves, and trust our own judgement. Yes, a guide can be useful to give us an idea, and perhaps lead us to some new experience, but that’s as far as it should go.

Some people like Marmite, some put butter on their Weetabix, whilst others eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, but who am I to tell them that this is wrong, or that they shouldn’t enjoy it? I actually quite like peanut butter and banana on toast, but I don’t think that this particular snack would win any Michelin stars!

It goes without saying that with a surname like McCarthy my family origins are from the deep south of Ireland – but that goes back many, many generations. Perhaps I should be dying my hair green today by way of celebration, but I am spared by the fact that I now have very little hair worth speaking of (not that I ever dyed it when I did have hair!). Alternatively, I could drink gallons of Guiness, which I admit I nearly always have in my fridge, albeit not in gallons. However, perhaps an even better idea, and more in keeping with my current situation, would be to recommend a few fat, creamy Dublin Bay oysters washed down with a cool, refreshing glass of Castro Martin albarino.

During my research I was surprised to discover that Spain’s biggest St Patrick’s Day celebration is held on the Costa Blanca, in a place called Cabo Roig. To be very honest I have absolutely no idea what specific connection this small town has with Ireland, but I have a feeling that I must be missing something very obvious. Apart from the name of the place sounding vaguely Gaelic and there being a Flanagan’s bar and a Bog Road, Google did not offer any other apparent connection. Unless you know otherwise…….

It goes without saying that with a surname like McCarthy my family origins are from the deep south of Ireland – but that goes back many, many generations. Perhaps I should be dying my hair green today by way of celebration, but I am spared by the fact that I now have very little hair worth speaking of (not that I ever dyed it when I did have hair!). Alternatively, I could drink gallons of Guiness, which I admit I nearly always have in my fridge, albeit not in gallons. However, perhaps an even better idea, and more in keeping with my current situation, would be to recommend a few fat, creamy Dublin Bay oysters washed down with a cool, refreshing glass of Castro Martin albarino.

During my research I was surprised to discover that Spain’s biggest St Patrick’s Day celebration is held on the Costa Blanca, in a place called Cabo Roig. To be very honest I have absolutely no idea what specific connection this small town has with Ireland, but I have a feeling that I must be missing something very obvious. Apart from the name of the place sounding vaguely Gaelic and there being a Flanagan’s bar and a Bog Road, Google did not offer any other apparent connection. Unless you know otherwise……..

No, it’s not the title of a new Gene Pitney song (although that might be difficult as he passed away almost exactly six years ago). It’s actually the time that it took for my meat to arrive from Aberdeen!

Here in Pontevedra there are some things that money just can’t buy…. Scottish beef, pork sausages, rack of lamb, Barbary duck to name but a few. Of course you can find one or two reasonable alternatives, but just occasionally you have to push the boat out and treat yourself to the real McCoy (no, that’s not a rare breed of Scottish beef).

When I was in England at Christmas I found a fabulous online butcher, Donald Russell, who deliver all around the UK. I had a rib of beef sent to my sister’s house so that I could cook a traditional roast lunch for her and her husband. The meat was fantastic, but at that time it didn’t even cross my mind that this butcher might be able to do international delivery. The great news for me is that they do, and so I trawled their website looking for all the things that I can’t buy easily in this remote corner of Galicia. Once a month a courier service collects all the meat orders for Spain – shock frozen and packed in dry ice. 25 hours later they’re in your home freezer….. a very impressive and efficient service.

It was just as well that I had one completely empty freezer, because it’s not any more. All I have to do now is get cooking.

No, it’s not the title of a new Gene Pitney song (although that might be difficult as he passed away almost exactly six years ago). It’s actually the time that it took for my meat to arrive from Aberdeen!

Here in Pontevedra there are some things that money just can’t buy…. Scottish beef, pork sausages, rack of lamb, Barbary duck to name but a few. Of course you can find one or two reasonable alternatives, but just occasionally you have to push the boat out and treat yourself to the real McCoy (no, that’s not a rare breed of Scottish beef).

When I was in England at Christmas I found a fabulous online butcher, Donald Russell, who deliver all around the UK. I had a rib of beef sent to my sister’s house so that I could cook a traditional roast lunch for her and her husband. The meat was fantastic, but at that time it didn’t even cross my mind that this butcher might be able to do international delivery. The great news for me is that they do, and so I trawled their website looking for all the things that I can’t buy easily in this remote corner of Galicia. Once a month a courier service collects all the meat orders for Spain – shock frozen and packed in dry ice. 25 hours later they’re in your home freezer….. a very impressive and efficient service.

It was just as well that I had one completely empty freezer, because it’s not any more. All I have to do now is get cooking.

Prowein might not be quite the biggest wine fair in Europe, but in terms of visitor numbers it comes a very respectable third, behind Vinitaly and VinExpo. For the serious international wine buyer however, it could possibly rate as number one on the list, quite simply owing to its level of highly efficient (German) organisation and good access – only minutes by tram, train or bus from both hotels and Dusseldorf’s International airport.

In 2012 Prowein boasted some 3,930 exhibitors from around 50 countries, but more importantly, some 40,000 trade visitors from around the world – very slightly up on 2011 despite the economic crisis. You might be forgiven for thinking that the biggest fair of all is VinExpo, but in terms of visitor numbers it is apparently dwarfed by Vinitaly. In 2011 Vinitaly claimed 156,000 visitors over a period of only four days, whilst VinExpo attracted only 48,000 (even though the latter is only a bi-annual event).

Not mentioned in all of this is the London International Wine Fair – and the reason? It appears that this event may now be in a period of slow decline. Since it’s switch to  the Excel centre in Docklands (east London) it would seem that visitor numbers have been static at best, in 2011 it attracting just under 14,000 visitors, only one third that of Prowein. The London dilemma is no doubt compounded by the high cost of meals, hotels and public transport for visitors (in Germany free public transport is included with the entry ticket).

My own conclusion is therefore, if you need to chose only one fair to visit in Europe, it should be Prowein…….. and that’s coming from a Brit!

Prowein might not be quite the biggest wine fair in Europe, but in terms of visitor numbers it comes a very respectable third, behind Vinitaly and VinExpo. For the serious international wine buyer however, it could possibly rate as number one on the list, quite simply owing to its level of highly efficient (German) organisation and good access – only minutes by tram, train or bus from both hotels and Dusseldorf’s International airport.

In 2012 Prowein boasted some 3,930 exhibitors from around 50 countries, but more importantly, some 40,000 trade visitors from around the world – very slightly up on 2011 despite the economic crisis. You might be forgiven for thinking that the biggest fair of all is VinExpo, but in terms of visitor numbers it is apparently dwarfed by Vinitaly. In 2011 Vinitaly claimed 156,000 visitors over a period of only four days, whilst VinExpo attracted only 48,000 (even though the latter is only a bi-annual event).

Not mentioned in all of this is the London International Wine Fair – and the reason? It appears that this event may now be in a period of slow decline. Since it’s switch to  the Excel centre in Docklands (east London) it would seem that visitor numbers have been static at best, in 2011 it attracting just under 14,000 visitors, only one third that of Prowein. The London dilemma is no doubt compounded by the high cost of meals, hotels and public transport for visitors (in Germany free public transport is included with the entry ticket).

My own conclusion is therefore, if you need to chose only one fair to visit in Europe, it should be Prowein…….. and that’s coming from a Brit!