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I spent my early career globe-trotting for The British Council, which introduced me to diplomacy and wine. Sensing the latter might get me into less trouble, I began to take a keen interest during one long summer restoring a farmhouse in South West France; it was Madiran country, a wine which often flies under the radar but has a storied history. Napoleon was a fan of the big, bold and deeply coloured reds and all too quickly, so was I. Regular exposure to the red (and white) wines of the region went a long way to convincing me that I could have a future in the wine industry. That was 20 years ago… Having made the decision to enter the ‘world of the grape’, I made my way through the traditional retail route in London, doing everything from delivery driving to shop management (including being part of the team that opened the Majestic shop in West Dulwich). I gained my WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust) Diploma in Wine & Spirits, before moving into Fine Wine sales. Fortunately, the stars then aligned, and an opportunity presented itself to move to Asia to establish an office for a UK merchant running their Asia Pacific trading desk. What was supposed to be a ‘see how it goes’ move turned into seven years in Hong Kong, a city which was very quickly becoming the epicentre of the fine wine world. Hong Kong abolished wine duties in 2008 (following a 2007 tax cut) primarily to boost trade, tourism, and economic activity, thus positioning itself as a major Asian wine hub by leveraging its logistics and port facilities, capitalising on China's growing demand for luxury products, and benefiting from a budget surplus, with strong industry lobbying also a key driver. My time in the region involved frequent travel to harness the growing demand and provided the opportunity to forge lasting bonds with clients. In addition, valuable R&R at the Hong Kong Cricket Club became a vital part of the adventure with the family and resurrected my hockey career! Returning to London, I joined wine merchants Jeroboams, and I am very fortunate that I could bring together my experience of growing foreign markets, along with an existing global client base to the world of the traditional merchant. I now predominantly look after private customers, building close relationships to curate cellars, recommend new discoveries and generally advise on all things vinous. Indeed, whisky has also become a significant part of my role in more recent times.
How the wine industry is changing – globally and in the UK With the emergence of many serious wine regions across the globe in recent years the wine drinker, in terms of quality, has never had it so good. But, of course, there are challenges that the wine industry, like so many others, is facing. Climate change and extreme weather are putting pressure on regions, impacting the quality and style of grape varieties. These are compounded by economic pressures with never ending changes to production costs and duty increases, as well as geopolitical factors affecting supply chains. We have seen consumer behaviour changing towards more forward drinking styles which favour accessibility, sustainability and quality over quantity. Certainly, younger wine drinkers are seeking to gain more knowledge and to experience wine, evolving the more traditional ‘build a cellar’ approach. There are also radical changes to technology and the increased need for ‘things to be more instant’, which are of course familiar themes across modern life! While it is a complex and nuanced debate, the UK wine industry certainly seems to be benefitting from rising temperatures which lead to warmer, longer growing seasons allowing for better grape ripening, while other traditional wine growing regions such as California, Italy and France are suffering from the effects of too much extreme heat. Here, we have seen a spread of vineyards as far north as Scotland and considerable investment, including from major players such as champagne house Taittinger, who launched their first UK sparkling wine last year, which was then served at a recent state visit by President Macron. Here in the UK, we used to only plant obscure German varieties but now the trends are leaning more towards ‘noble’ varieties like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. It will be exciting to see how the industry in this country grows and evolves over I have been very fortunate to share iconic bottles and visit some hallowed addresses in the wine world. Wine is above all very sociable; it is about the people you drink the bottle with that creates the memory. Whilst a First Growth Bordeaux ’82 dinner and a back vintage evening of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti are moments that will live long, I’m just as passionate waving the flag for a humble bottle of Madiran with a Pyrenean sunset! the next twenty years. What wine means to me
FROM MADIRAN TO MAYFAIR: A LIFE SHAPED BY WINE AND THE WORLD
Luke Cianfarani (88-95)
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