The International Wine and Spirit Competition Announces the Shortlist for ‘Communicator of the Year 2015’
To coincide with Vinitaly 2015, the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) has announced the shortlist for its Communicator of the Year award.
The award, sponsored by Vinitaly was created to highlight an individual or organisation who demonstrates exceptional contribution to increasing awareness of wine and spirits. Last year the prestigious trophy was won by UK-based wine writer and presenter Jane Parkinson. Previous winners have included Jancis Robinson MW, Olly Smith and Oz Clarke.
This year’s shortlist of nominees:
Neil Ridley & Joel Harrison
Neil and Joel are award-winning writers and presenters. They write about spirits on their website WorldsBestSpirits.com and regularly pen drinks articles for a number of different publications such as Whisky Magazine, Imbibe and the London Evening Standard. They have also published their first book, Distilled.
Joseph Bastianich
Joe is co-founder of thirty successful restaurants worldwide.
He has co-authored two award winning books on Italian wine and is a former judge on FOX’s MasterChef and MasterChef Junior, his latest TV venture is CNBC’s Restaurant Startup.
Tyson Stelzer
Tyson is a multi-award-winning Australian wine writer, author of 14 wine books and a regular contributor to 15 magazines including Wine Spectator, Decanter, Qantas The Australian Way and Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine.
Helen McGinn
Helen is an award-winning wine blogger who launched her first book ‘The Knackered Mother's Wine Club’ in 2013. She also runs her own wine business, a wine marketing and communications consultancy. In 2012, Helen won the IWSC Blogger of the Year Award.
Chris Scott
Chris set up Thirty Fifty in 2002, after he and his wife Jane had completed their wine studies. Thirty Fifty offers expert wine tastings across the United Kingdom which demystify wine by bringing fun and no-nonsense tastings to people in their own homes.
Greg Dillon
Greg is a whisky expert and writer; he hosts the award-winning GreatDrams.com blog and has also contributed to national newspaper The Guardian. Furthermore, Greg also runs his own brand strategy consultancy GD Inspires.
The winner will be announced on 21st March at the Vinitaly Gala Dinner, which will be held in Verona, Italy.
Enter the 2015 International Wine & Spirit Competition online at www.iwsc.net
Notes to editors:
For more information please contact Lianne Walsh at Green Row, Lianne@greenrow.co.uk or 020 8960 8950
•The International Wine and Spirit Competition was founded in 1969 and is the premier competition of its kind in the world. Its aim is to promote the quality and excellence of the world's best wines, spirits and liqueurs. All entries are blind tasted in groups divided by variety, region and vintage as necessary.
•The IWSC has partnered with Wines Direct to promote its top award winning wines. The price comparison website will allow consumers to search for medal winners by country, variety, colour, region, or retailer. The website will also show judges’ tasting notes for wines which have won trophy, gold, gold outstanding and silver outstanding.
•IWSC has appointed Neil McGuigan as the 2015 president.
•The 2015 Annual Awards Banquet will be held on Thursday 26th November, at The Guildhall, City of London.
•Enter the 2015 International Wine & Spirit Competition online at www.iwsc.net