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Your chance to vote in Harpers France Wine Awards and take part in France Summit

France Summit 2014Your chance to take part in a full day focused on the opportunities for French wine in the UK and have your vote in our France Wine Awards

Harpers is once again looking to reward the very best retailers, restaurants, distributors and individuals that are leading the way in selling and promoting French wine in the UK in our second Harpers France Awards.

The initiative is part of the build up to the Harpers France Summit on October 21 which will again give the trade the opportunity to spend a day focusing in on the key trends and opportunities for French wine in the UK.

The summit will this year look at how the French wine industry is working with the UK trade to adapt its wine offer to suit the needs and palate of the UK consumer. It will include the latest category insights into French wine trends as well as feature open industry debates, specialist masterclasses and free pour tastings giving visitors the chance to explore wines from all over France from the day's wine partners.

There is also the chance to vote in our France wine awards and rewards those companies or individuals you think are leading the way with French wine in the UK.

Simply look at the categories below and if there are any businesses or individuals that you would like to nominate then email Richard Siddle on richard.siddle@wrbm.com with your suggested finalists and the reason why you would like them to be considered.

The categeories are:

As part of the specialist masterclasses,  Master Sommelier, Gerard Basset, will host two sessions in his role as ambassador for summit partner, France AgriMer' s French Wines with Style initiative. They will include 'France is in the House', an overview of more unusual French wines that could be an interesting and profitable alternative for house wines and 'Gerard Basset's Coup de Coeur wines' which will be his personal selection from the recent Hachette Guide. Other masterclasses will look at how winemakers and wineries are adapting wines to suit the UK on and off-trade sectors. 

Other highlights of the day will include an opening insights and data session where Tim Wilson of the Wilson Drinks Report will reveal the latest off-trade trends for French wine, whilst the French generic agency, Sopexa, will look at the overall opportuntiies for French wine in the UK and around the world. Wines Direct, the online wine aggregate site, will also reveal how its 150,000 plus users are searching for and buying French wine online. 

There will be two set piece debates during the day. The morning session will open the floor to delegtes to explore how the UK trade is working with French producers to it has the right wines to suit the UK market, with contributions from major supermarkets, leading French wine distributors, independent wine merchants, sommeliers, restaurateurs and French producers and generic bodies.

The afternoon debate will give delegates the chance to hear the personal experiences of how different operators across the on and off-trades are adapting their French wine offer, with again the chance to join in and share their views.

The open tasting will feature highlighted wines that match the overall theme of the day from the summit partners.

The French Summit partners to date include: France AgriMer, Les Grands Chais de France, Medoc, BIVB, Interloire, InterRhone, BIVC Centre Loire and Les Producteurs Plaimont.

Take a look at Harpers France Summit 2013 to get a taster of what's to come.

For more information about the France Summit, or if you would like to get involved as a speaker, panellist or partner then please contact Joanna Gibson on Joanna.gibson@wrbm.com .

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