You may have noticed that this week there was no News in five, Sam Cole-Johnson’s hugely admired weekly news round-up. That was because last weekend she was not in her usual Portland, Oregon, but in London, England. And our managing editor Tara Q Thomas also flew across the Atlantic at the end of last week so that, most unusually, all full-time members of the JancisRobinson.com team were in the same place at the same time.
We celebrated with a dinner at our flat, graced by these wines. We’d just got back from India so Nick’s menu included some delicious chutneys from Soam and a very special Indian version of treacle tart, decorated with gold leaf, from one of Mumbai’s best restaurants, Indian Accent. Below, left to right, Tamlyn Currin, Tara Q Thomas, Sam Cole-Johnson, me, Andrew Morris and Julia Harding MW.
The reason Sam and Tara were in London was to attend the inaugural 67 Pall Mall Global Wine Communicator Awards ceremony. These awards are the brainchild of our Richard Hemming MW who is head of wine, Asia, at 67 Pall Mall in Singapore. The awards intend to identify and reward those communicating about wine in the wide range of media now prevalent.
There are six categories and our Sam was a finalist in two of them, which made us very proud. We were at the event, held last Friday in the grandeur of Sinfonia Smith Square, in force to support her.
Although the ceremony was live-streamed to 67 Pall Mall clubs in Melbourne, Singapore and Hong Kong, communicators came from all over the globe to the event, hosted by Richard, who issued us all a hand-held rattle/clapper, on the basis that most of us would be holding a glass of wine (Gusbourne sparkling rosé for the announcement of the winners) and so would find it difficult to clap.
The first person to greet me was a large, bearded man in a three-piece tweed suit whom I didn’t recognise at all. It was only when he won the short-form writing (remember that medium?) category that I realised it was Australian wine writer Nick Ryan, with whom I’d toured New Zealand in 2023, when he looked very much more casual. It also was good to see André Mack, Brooklyn sommelier-winemaker, in his trademark red beanie. He won the long-form video category and was using the trip as an excuse to come with his son, who fancies a British college education.
Amanda Barnes, who has contributed some great coverage of South America for us, popped over from Argentina. And it was worth it because, challenged only by our Sam and Barbara Drew MW of Berry Bros & Rudd, she won the Berkmann Award for best all-round communicator presented by Rupert Berkmann.
All winners were presented with £2,000 and an unexpectedly large wooden barrel – certainly not as big as a barrique, but not the easiest thing to pack.
Full results are as follows.
The 67 Pall Mall Award for Best Global Wine Communicator in Audio
2024 Winner
- Peter Richards MW and Susie Barrie MW, United Kingdom
Wine Blast with Susie and Peter: Light Strike: Wine’s Not-So-Secret Scandal
Wine Blast with Susie and Peter: Orange Wine part 1: The Resurrection
Finalists
- Katherine Cole, United States
The Four Top Ep 126: Sound off on RoundUp
The Four Top Ep 142: Dr Who? - Brenna Quigley, United States
Roadside Terroir S2E10: Haute Future - Samantha Cole-Johnson, United States
The JancisRobinson.com podcast: NOLO, leaf removal and deficit irrigation - Barbara Drew, United Kingdom
Drinking Well S3E1: Lizzy Rudd and Leclerc Briant
Drinking Well S3E2: Philip Moulin and Ch du Tertre
The 67 Pall Mall Award for Best Global Wine Communicator in Short-Form Video
2024 Winner
- Henna Bakshi, United States
Boot the flute
Georgia makes Pet-Nat wines
Finalists
- Tom Gilbey, United Kingdom
What temperature should white wine be when you drink it? - Jono Le Feuvre, South Africa
A 90sec REEL on the magic of Elgin Wine
Soil, climate & topography of Hemel-en-Aarde wine zone - Brooke Martin, United States
Ever wonder why there are different shaped wine glasses and which wine goes in which glass? - Alessandra Mastrantonio, United Kingdom
A real wine fountain
The 67 Pall Mall Award for Best Global Wine Communicator in Long-Form Video
2024 Winner
- André Hueston Mack, United States
Sommelier Tastes the Same Champagne at Different Ages (1973-2023) | World of Wine | Bon Appétit
Sommelier Tries a $1,500 Bottle of Red Wine | World Of Wine | Bon Appétit
Finalists
- Agnese Gintere, Latvia
Are EXPENSIVE Wines WORTH Your Money? (Blind Tasting $20, $100 & $500 Wines)
Chianti Classico vs Brunello di Montalcino (Comparing & Tasting) - Edward Taylor, France
Les Riceys en Champagne | Domaine Alexandre Bonnet - Peter Richards MW, United Kingdom
The Wild Side of Wine South Africa - Vincent Anter, United States
Wine Tour In Chile? Adventure In The World’s Longest Country!
The BEST WINE ROAD TRIP in France? Join me in the Southern Rhône Valley!
The 67 Pall Mall Award for Best Global Wine Communicator in Short-Form Writing
2024 Winner
- Nick Ryan, Australia
The curious congruity of Krug in a beer glass in a pub
Steve Smith, Cyclone Gabrielle, and the fabric of New Zealand wine
Finalists
- Matt Walls, United Kingdom
Scents of Place
The importance of drinking windows over scores - Sophie Thorpe, United Kingdom
The bar that sparked a revolution: 10 years of Sager + Wilde
A waiting game: Champagne Charles Heidsieck - Tom Hewson, United Kingdom
Bad Language
Do It The Hard Way - Henry Jeffreys, United Kingdom
Labelled with love
The colourful world of English winemakers
The Gusbourne Estate Award for Best Global Wine Communicator in Long-Form Writing
2024 Winner
- Henna Bakshi, United States
Bollywood Movies Are Having a Wine Renaissance
Finalists
- Ed Merrison, Australia
McBryde stripped bare: The true story of Adelina - Malu Lambert, South Africa
Decolonising the wine lexicon
Expert’s Choice: South Africa Cinsault – the 30 wines to try - Farrah Berrou, Lebanon
Why is Chateau Musar Underappreciated in Lebanon?
Which Lebanese Grapes are Truly Indigenous? - Arnica Rowan, Canada
Not for EXPORT
The Berkmann Award for Best All-Round Wine Communicator
2024 Winner
- Amanda Barnes, Argentina
For work in Decanter, World of Fine Wine, on YouTube and podcasts
Finalists
- Barbara Drew, United Kingdom
For work on bbr.com and Instagram - Samantha Cole-Johnson, United States
For work on JancisRobinson.com
Judges, chaired by Elaine Chukan Brown, included Natalie Wang of Hong Kong, Olly Smith of the UK, our Australian correspondent Max Allen and Konstantin Baum MW of Germany.
The awards are intended to continue each year, arguably replacing the Roederer International Wine Writers’ Awards, which gave out their last medals in 2020.
Founder of the 67 Pall Mall group of wine-minded clubs Grant Ashton also spoke at the awards with news of their global expansion. If you’re not a member but have ever wondered what the original 67 Pall Mall in London is like, how about getting a ticket for a very special event in aid of the Gérard Basset Foundation (of which I’m a trustee) in association with Jane’s Bordeaux Mentor Week. Bordeaux expert Jane Anson will be hosting a tasting (6.30–8.30 pm on Monday 30 September) of these spectacular wines:
Liber Pater Tetradrachm 2021 Naxos, Greece
Liber Pater Denarius 2020 Graves, Bordeaux
Château Bellefont-Belcier, Grand Cru Classé 2020 St-Émilion, Bordeaux
Château Fleur Cardinale, Grand Cru Classé 2016 St-Émilion, Bordeaux
Château Brane-Cantenac, 2ème Cru Classé 2016 Margaux, Bordeaux
Château du Tertre, 5ème Cru Classé 2015 Margaux, Bordeaux
Château Lynch-Bages, 5ème Cru Classé 2015 Pauillac, Bordeaux
Clos du Clocher 2015 Pomerol, Bordeaux
Cheval des Andes 2021 Mendoza, Argentina
Pangaea 2016 (multiple countries of origin)
Tickets, in aid of this very good cause, are £395 a head and can be booked here.
