Winners announced in the ‘Oscars’ of the drinks’ world

IWSC news

Mon 21 Nov 2011

Scottish distiller William Grant & Sons, retailer Waitrose and Australian winemaker McGuigan Wines all have cause to celebrate after scooping top awards at the Oscars of the drinks world.
 
Family-run William Grant & Sons, producers of Glenfiddich, Grant’s and Balvenie, were crowned ‘Distiller of the Year’ at the prestigious International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) awards banquet. This is the fourth time that William Grant & Sons have won the award since its inception in 1995.
 
In addition to the title Distiller of the Year sponsored by Suntory, Speyside-based William Grant & Sons also received the title ‘International Spirits Producer’.
 
Waitrose were crowned ‘Retailer of the Year’, whilst McGuigan Wines scooped the title ‘International Winemaker of the Year’
 
Accepting the award, sponsored by leading independent wine importer PLB Group Ltd, Waitrose’s head of wines, beers, spirits and tobacco buying, Pierpaolo Petrassi, said: “We’re thrilled to have been recognised with this award which is the icing on the cake of a very successful year. Our focus on English wine, glass light-weighting and spirits have all helped us to achieve this fantastic award and we look forward to leading from the front with plans for wine, beers and spirits innovation from our excellent team in the next year.”
 
Popular producer McGuigan won the coveted title ‘International Winemaker of the Year’, sponsored by VDP Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter – one of the oldest national associations of wine growers in the world.
 
IWSC’s marketing manager, David Kelly, said: “From the early days of Australian winemaking, the McGuigan family has been at the forefront of the Australian wine industry. Neil McGuigan has spent considerable time over recent years expounding the virtues of the Semillon grape it is therefore fitting that they have won this award.”
 
In addition to the prestigious title, the family-run Australian producer scooped 35 medals for its wine.
 
All Producer, Product, Retailer and People Trophies were also announced on the night, click here to see a full list of Trophy winners.
 
The awards were announced at the IWSC’s annual banquet at London’s Guildhall on Wednesday 16 November. To see the photo gallery from this event please click here
 
For further information, please contact:
David Kelly, Marketing Manager
Tel: +44 (0) 1483 542 707
  
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