There will a series of talks given by wine growers during the two days of the fair, details of which are given below. Pre-registration will not be necessary, feel free to take any available seat on the day.
SUNDAY, 22nd MAY
12noon – 12:45pm – “Pair Food & Wine Like a Pro” with Sam Povey of Provisions Wine School (provisionswineschool.co.uk), a London-based wine school with a focus on organic, biodynamic and natural wine. You will have the opportunity to sample a range of snacks and wine and try your hand at finding the best pairings!
1:30pm – 2:15pm – “Georgian Artisan Wine – 10 Years On”. John Wurdeman, from Pheasant’s Tears Winery in Kakheti, describes the massive changes in the Georgian natural wine scene over the past decade alone, not only the progress at home, but also the perception of (and admiration for) Georgian wines in wine-loving countries around the world.
3:00pm – 3:45pm – “Perceptions Of Natural Wine In The Trade in 2022”. It has been nearly fifteen years since natural wine burst onto the scene in the UK and ten years since the first Real Wine Fair. An expert panel consisting of Emily Harman (consultant buyer for Firmdale Hotels); Honey Spencer (founder of Bastarda and wine buyer for Palomar Group); Hugo Stewart, farmer/owner Domaine Hugo, and author Ruth Spivey assess the development of a natural wine culture and account for the current popularity of natural wines in the UK. Chaired by journalist, writer and contributor to Wine Anorak, Lisse Garnett.
MONDAY, 23rd MAY
12:00pm – 12:45pm – “Pair Food & Wine Like a Pro” with Sam Povey of Provisions Wine School (provisionswineschool.co.uk). See above for details.
1:00pm – 1:45pm – In 1000 Decisions meets James Erskine, Heidi Nam Knudsen – founder of the wine school A Thousand Decisions, talks to James Erskine of Jauma Wine (Barossa), about his particular journey from wine judge to winemaker and making delicious natural wine, growing cherries and yoga!
2:00pm – 2:45pm – “Terroir Translating: The influence of organic, biodynamic and regenerative farming on the wine in your glass” is a seminar in which Christina Rasmussen, co-founder of LITTLEWINE (littlewine.co), will discuss how different proactive (and low intervention) methods of farming materially affect the transmission of “terroir” and the way wines ultimately taste. Her guests include Craig Hawkins (Testalonga); Andrew Beckham (Beckham Estate Vineyards) and Anna Martens (Vino di Anna).