How are you?

You can email alex.layton@westburycom.co.uk or canada@westburycom.co.uk Westbury Communications are the UK PR company involved. They may have a spreadsheet already lined up for such a request. Alternatively if there is anything specific you require then I have the information as I attended the event in London.

Interesting masterclass on the sparkling wines of Nova Scotia, Ontario and British Columbia opened up the day. Tony Aspler gave a 10-15 introduction followed by discussions on each wine tasted by Peter Gamble, consultant at Benjamin Bridge, and Angelo Paven, winemaker at Cave Springs.

My personal highlights from the day were the sparklers from Nova Scotia, Ontario’s Cuvee Peter F.Huff 2007, Burrowing Owl Cabernet Sauvignon, GPE Estate Riesling from The Grange of Prince Edward Vineyards, and two Gamay wines, one from 13th Street Winery with their Gamay Noir Sandstone Reserve and finally Malivoire Wine Company M2 Small Lot Gamay.

Canada has some interesting wines that I can see need developing. You can see where the country is going and shows lots of potential. Would be good to see where these wines are in a few years.

The trick though is trying to convince the wine drinking British public to buy into them.

Mike.

Godere!

Alentejo wines worth a peak too if you get the chance.

Next blog piece will be from a Canadian tasting I was at yesterday. Let’s just say…interesting!

In answer to your question…..it’s an on going search.
I’ve stopped writing my bits for the Huffington Post because why waste my ideas on a publication that doesn’t offer anything in return. I’ve maintained my relationship with Harpers. When they are short on blog material and need someone to cover an event, they call me as well as taking other pieces from me. They don’t pay much but they do encourage me, and it helps to get my name out there. I’ve been commissioned to write a feature for Imbibe magazines quarterly supplement, due for publication in September. I’m also being recognised by more and more PR companies now, getting more invites to events. So at least I don’t have to spend too much time in searching for events now.
It’s a slow process, one that I’ve conceded will take more time to develop, but it’s getting there. I’m still developing my writing skills also. As long as I enjoy it I will carry on doing it. Downside is obviously the low, low income. I’m now looking for a part time job to help subsidise my writing.
Persistence and patience really is the key here, more the latter. Persistence has become too stressful. I can achieve more by watching paint dry As for patience, I’ve got a lot of patience! As long as there is wine, I, or we, have a healthy subject to write about.

Mike.

Ireti

Cheers!