Wines of Germany 'Riesling Week' winners announced

Published: 09 September, 2011

Wines of Germany has unveiled independent merchant, Corks Out and restaurant, The Vineyard at Stockcross as the winners of its first Riesling Week promotion.

The initiative which aimed to highlight to consumers the excellent quality, versatility and food-matching capabilities of German Rieslings at all price points, took place from July 23-31.

Top restaurants, including the Michelin-starred Yauatcha and The Ledbury, and retailers including Averys, Tanners and Oxford Wine Company took part.

Retailer winner Corks Out, was praised for its innovative and enthusiastic approach to the promotion, including allowing customers to try the wines with food, holding a blind tasting to challenge perceptions, as well as promoting the initiative on Twitter and Facebook throughout the week.

It brought in five new German wines from importers and supporters of Riesling Week, Liberty and ABS Wine Agencies ahead of the promotion, resulting in a sales uplift of 285% for their German Riesling offering over the course of the promotion.

The Vineyard at Stockcross was chosen as the restaurant winner for its extensive Riesling Week offers which included 12 wines categorised by style, highlighting the diversity of Germany's most revered grape.

Chef sommelier Yohann Jousselin MS also created a food and wine matching menu and held German wine tastings throughout the week of the promotion.

Both winners will receive £1000 towards new German wine listings from Wines of Germany while the two runners-up, Inverarity 121 and Lutyens, will receive £500 towards new listings.

A member of the wine service staff from The Vineyard at Stockcross will also win a place on the German Wine Institute's Sommelier Spring Class trip to Germany in April 2012.

Wines of Germany's UK managing director, Nicky Forrest, says: "We're delighted with the response we've had to our first-ever Riesling Week - it's been fantastic to see such esteemed restaurants and retailers getting behind the initiative and even better to hear the positive feedback they've been getting from their customers, who for too long have shied away from German wines.

We are now planning to build on the success of this year's promotion to extend the reach of the campaign next year."

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