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www.internationalwinechallenge.com

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THE INTERNATIONAL
WINE CHALLENGE
SAKE ENTRY KIT 2013

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THE 30TH INTERNATIONAL WINE CHALLENGE

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CONTENTSThe Judges ......................... pages 3, 4 & 5
Discovery Tasting.............................. page 6
Rules For Entry ..................... pages 6 & 7
Entry form .................................. pages 8 & 9
Shipping ................................ pages 10 & 11

WELCOMETO THE INTERNATIONAL WINE CHALLENGE 2013This year marks the 30th International Wine Challenge and sevenyears since Sake was first introduced into the competition in2007. What started as a English vs French contest, with just 200
wines entered, is now one of the most highly-regarded wine andsake competitions in the world.
Last year saw an unprecedented number of entries received from over 50 countries,
tasted by an unmatched panel of international experts.
National Trading Inc Kimura Brewery“We were delighted to accept the Champion Sake award at the International Wine
Challenge awards dinner. In the weeks following the announcement we saw a huge
uplift in telephone calls and stocks of the Daiginjo Fukukomachi 2012 have now
almost sold out. Our accolade was also covered by nationwide TV, magazines andnewspapers. This was a great honour for our brewery. We will continue to make thefinest sake using authentic methods and look forward to entering the IWC again in the
future.”International Wine
Challenge Calendar
Competition opens for entries
10 December 2012
Closing date forcompetition entries
13 March 2013
Samples
Samples must arrive at Hellmann
Beverage Logistics (Japan) by 18th
March 2013
Judging
15 – 16 April 2013
Sake Seminar in London
15 April 2013
Results announced online
13 May 2013
Discovery Tasting
20 - 22 May 2013
A Taste of Gold, Lindley Hall,
Royal Horticultural Halls, London
26 June 2013
30th Anniversary Summer Ball,
Grosvenor House Hotel, London
18 July 20132

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THE JUDGES
The IWC Sake Co-Chairmen, Sam
Harrop MW, Kenichi Ohashi andSimon Hofstra will be joined by anequal number of experienced andhighly regarded Japanese andnon-Japanese judges.
The combined experience of the panel
will make this the world’s finest selectionof international sake judges assembled
at any one time. The competition’s
unique judging process and thequality and experience of its judges
undoubtedly makes the IWC the mostcredible and tested competition of its
kind.

THE CO-CHAIRMENSam Harrop MW

Kenichi Ohashi

Simon Hofstra

Sam began his career in the UK
as one of Marks & Spencer’s
youngest ‘flying winemakers’.

Kenichi Ohashi is a leading
Japanese wine and sake
distributor in Tokyo withaccolades from the industry.

Simon Hofstra is director of Sake
Europe, a company dedicatedto spread the word of sake inEurope.

Awarded Best Wine Merchant 1999
by Japan Sommelier Association hehas shown his intricate knowledgeof the subject both at home andabroad. He is author of “NaturalWine” and is the online winecolumnist of Japan’s national
newspaper “Yomiuri”. He holds a
Diploma from WSET in London andhas been recently certified Masterof Sake (SSI) and Sake Expert
Assessor (NRIB). In addition, he
has started exporting his selectionof sake and Japanese wines to theworld market. Ken is currently an
MW student.

He graduated at the Dutch Sake
Academy and Gastronomy Academyin Holland during his work as
sommelier in the first Michelin star
awarded Japanese restaurant. As
of 2000 he started to combine sakewith non-Japanese food, creating a
new market in Holland and Belgium.
Bringing sake to the wider public
he started his own sake company
in 2005, which is today part ofSake Europe. Simon won the Sake
Contributor Award in 2008 andbecome one of 22 Sake Samurai
worldwide in 2009.

By age 32 he had travelled toevery major wine region in theworld, and passed The Master ofWine exam on his first attempt,
receiving the Tim Derouet Awardfor outstanding performance. Sam
is now an independent consultant,educator and commentator in thewine industry. He recently coauthored ‘Authentic Wine’, a new
book focusing on the concept ofnaturalness in wine. He is also a‘Sake Samurai’ and a champion of
the International Wine Challenge
Sake Category.

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THE JUDGES
The Panel Chairmen

Ake Nordgren

Satoshi Kimijima

Yuji Matsumoto

Ake is a Diploma sommelier, founderand owner of Akebono Unlimited AB.

Satoshi is the president (4thgeneration) of Yokohama Kimijimaya
Co. Ltd – a liquor and wholesaletrade company based in Yokohama,dealing with sake, shochu awamori
and wine.

Yuji is a Shochu specialist andwas the first certified Master Sake
Sommelier in the US.

Founded in 1995 Akebono is today
the Scandinavian leading importer anddistributor of Japanese sake. In 1990 hestarted to travel to Japan and visit sakebreweries to gain a deep understandingof the process and has since thenvisited Japan over 50 times. For thelast nine years he has been a teacher
at two of Sweden’s sommelier schools
giving weekly lectures and seminar onsake to professionals and amateurs.
He also runs annual guided gourmet
trips to Japans sake breweries and theinteresting Izakaya world. Ake is now
recognised as a Sake Samurai when
he was awarded the honour in October
2011.

The company has more than 300 clients
nationwide, including major hotels, toprated restaurants and French grandes
maisons in the metropolitan cities. He
is also the owner of two restaurants inTokyo (French and Italian). He gives
lectures and seminars on Sake toprofessionals and amateurs at one of
the leading wine schools in Japan and isalso a judge/supervisor of Sake for the
Apellation Control Committee of Nagano
prefecture since 2006.

Yuji was the president of the California
Sushi Academy from 1998 until 2002
and the President of the Sake Instituteof America and Beverage manager of
Kabuki Restaurants, Inc. in 2011. He has
conducted more than 300 sake seminars
for the general public, restaurants andwine cellars and has regular columns
in Japanese Restaurant News andSushi and Sake Magazine. Yuki wasrecognised as a Sake Samaurai in 2010by the Japan National Sake Brewery
Association Junior Council.

Dr. Takeaki Ishikawa

Yukio Hamada

Beau Timken

Dr. Takeaki Ishikawa, born in 1941, isa biochemist whose major interests
include the breeding of sake yeast
and fermentation physiology.

Yukio worked at the National Tax
Bureau as technical adviser of
brewing for 30 years.

Beau is one of the foremost nonJapanese authorities of Sake in theworld. He opened the first dedicatedsake retail store outside of Japan in
San Francisco, California in 2003.

He is now the president of the Brewing
Society of Japan that is a supplier ofKyokai sake yeast. He has also been asake tasting expert for over 40 years andhas served as a judge at sake contests
held in various locations in Japan. In
2004 and 2009, he judged at the U.S.
National Sake Appraisal in Honolulu,
Hawaii.

He has also acted as a consultant forseveral hundred sake and shochu
makers in areas concerning the brewing
and distillation process and quality
control. Yuki was an advisor andconsultant for the quality and safety of all
liquors at the National Tax Administration.
He is founder of the official contest forwarmed sake which represents thispopular drinking style in sake tasting. He
is now the director of Japan Sake andShochu Makers Association.

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Along with a Master Sake Sommelier
License (Kikisake-Shi), Beau has beenpresented the prestigious and inaugural
Sake Samurai title as well as the 10th
Anniversary Honorary Kikisake-shi
distinction. He is an educator, promoter,protector of sake who works in breweries
whenever time permits.

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DISCOVERY TASTINGThe IWC Discovery Tasting provides aplatform for wine and sake entered in to thecompetition seeking UK representation.
Looking for representation?
For the second year running the IWC Discovery Tasting will take place during thethree days of the London International Wine Fair – a key event in the UK trade diary.
Numerous buyers from supermarkets, agents, independents and major restaurant
and hotel chains attend the IWC Discovery Tasting.
Wines are split into three sections depending on where they are seeking buyers from;
off-trade – high street & supermarkets, off trade – independent merchants and ontrade. Wines are then grouped by country and style. This enables buyers to taste in atime efficient way and only select the wines that are available to them. IWC staff will beon hand to open bottles and provide producer contact details.

Sarah Knowles,
Wine Category Manager,
Amathus Drinks PLC“The Discovery Tasting offers avery convenient opportunity to taste
un-imported wines in the summer –which is a great buying period for
us. With the wines set up in countries
it is easy to taste through a specificwine category quickly and efficiently
e.g. American Zinfandel. Over thelast 3 years we have often followed
up on tastings at the show as weare confident that the wines in the
Discovery Tasting don’t yet have an
importer and are clearly keen to workin the UK as they are investing in theshow.”

Eamon FitzGerald, Wine
Development Manager at
Naked Wines

The IWC Discovery Tasting costs 5,375¥ on topof the standard entry fee.
To enter your sake in to the tasting tick ‘yes’ toquestion 1 on the entry form on page 9.
5“The IWC Discovery Tasting gave
35 of our Archangel customers aunique opportunity to choose the IWC
Bronze medal winning Anticaia Salice
Salentino 2009 as their top pick. The
wine was put on our nakedwines.
com MarketPlace platform and 1470
bottles sold out straight away”

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RULES FOR ENTRY
Organiser
The organiser of theInternational Wine Challenge is:William Reed Business Media Ltd
Broadfield Park, Crawley, RH11 9RT,
United KingdomTel:+44 (0)1293 610416
Fax: +44 (0)1293 610499
Email: iwc@wrbm.com
Criteria for entryi.	Sakes produced in one
country and bottled in anotherare allowed to enter thecompetition.
ii.	All sakes submitted must be
sold fitted with a non-reusablesealing or closing devise.
iii.	Unfinished samples will not be
judged by the International Wine
Challenge.
iv.	Temporary labels are accepted
but the information that appearson these labels must be thesame as the information thatwill appear on the final label.
Please note all bottles arephotographed for the IWC App
so we ask that you try and avoid
using temporary labels where
possible.
Entry forms
Paper entry forms must arrived
on or before 13 March 2013.
Completed entry forms should besent by prepaid postage to
The Japan Sake Brewers
Association Junior Council
日本酒造青年協議会
大隅浩平／Mr. Kohei Osumi
105-0003
東京都港区西新橋一丁目1-21-7F
03-3501-0101/Tel FAX03-3501-6018
Alternatively online entries
can be submitted atinternationalwinechallenge.com.
Incomplete entries cannot be
accepted. Proof of postage or

submission will not be deemed to
be proof of delivery.
Samples
Samples must arrive at Hellmann
Beverage Logistics (Japan) before
18 March 2013. Four bottles ofeach sake must be submitted forevery entry to the International Wine
Challenge. Sakes may be tasted up
to three times, entrants must submit
three bottles to allow for this andone spare bottle to allow for an outof condition sample.
If a sake is entered in to the
Discovery Tasting a further 2bottles are needed for the tasting
which will take place shortly after
the International Wine Challenge
judging.
ALL SAMPLES WILLBECOME PROPERTY OF THE
ORGANISER.
Discovery Tasting
Sakes entered into the competition
that are seeking UK representation
should answer ‘yes’ to question
1 on page 9 of the entry form. It
is important that you specify yourtarget market on the entry form;
On trade: bars, restaurants, hotels
and clubs
Off trade: independent merchants,
supermarkets and online retailers
Withdrawal of entries
To cancel an entry you must email
iwc@wrbm.com with the nameof the sake to be deleted and thename of the company deletingthe entry. Entry fees can only be
refunded in full if the cancelation ismade before 13 March 2013.
CANCELLATIONS AFTER THISDATE WILL NOT BE REFUNDED.
Pricing
Prices are essential for categorising
the sakes for tasting as fairly and6accurately as possible. This will
also have an effect on the Great
Value Award for Sake.
Dispatching your sake
For your convenience theInternational Wine Challenge has
appointed Hellmann Beverage
Logistics as its official carrier for thecompetition.
To arrange shipping your sakeplease contact Keisuke for details:
SPAZIO IDEA CO.,LTD.
入江啓祐／Keisuke IRIE
154-0011
東京都世田谷区上馬2-9-8-107／
2-9-8-107
Kamiuma Setagaya TOKYO.
090-4222-1759/Mobile
03-6804-0027/TEL
03-6880-1551/FAX
Sake must arrive at Hellmann
Beverage Logistics in Japan by
18 March 2013.
PackagingWe ask that wineries consider theenvironment when packing theirsamples for the competition. There
are now many forms of recyclable
cardboard boxes with suitableinternal support that are durable
alternatives to Styrofoam.

THE 30TH INTERNATIONAL WINE CHALLENGE

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13ENTRY FORM EXPLANATORY NOTES
Please read these explanatory notes before completing the entry form. Numbers
correspond to the question numbers on the entry form.

1.	I would like to enter this sake into
the Discovery Tasting	Cost for entry ¥5,375. Two extra
samples of your sake are required.
For full details refer to page 5.
2.	Sake name/brand(as it appears on the label)
Please make sure the sake name on
the entry form is exactly the same as
it appears on the label.
3.	Year brewed
Ensures that sakes are grouped
correctly, fairly and consistently fortasting.
4.	Producer name
This field validates the sake enteredand is useful for notification of results
to the entrant and the media.
5.	Country
Ensures that sakes are grouped
correctly, fairly and consistently fortasting.
6.	Prefecture
Ensures that sakes are grouped
correctly, fairly and consistently fortasting.
7.	City
Ensures that sakes are grouped
correctly, fairly and consistently fortasting.
8.	Category of Sake
Ensures that sakes are grouped
correctly, fairly and consistently fortasting.

9.	Rice polish rate
Ensures that sakes are grouped
correctly, fairly and consistently fortasting.

17.	Principle UK Stockist
Required for publicity purposes andallows consumers to find your sake inthe shops and on the IWC App.

10.	Rice variety
Ensures that sakes are grouped
correctly, fairly and consistently fortasting.

18.	Principle Stockist(outside of the UK)
The IWC promotes medal winningsakes internationally and consumers
from around the world will be
informed of your principle stockist.

11.	Alcohol level
Duty levels are calculated using thisfigure. Ensures sakes are grouped
correctly, fairly and consistently fortasting.
12.	UK Importer
Essential for the IWC to locate the UK
stockists of sakes. This information
will be used for publicity purposes
and on the IWC App to allow
consumers to find your sake.
13.	Number of bottles produced
Total production.
14.	Available in the UK
This information is important for
publicity purposes and will appear on
the IWC App.
15.	Retail price in Japan
Required information for theInternational Wine Challenge and IWC
Great Value awards.
16.	UK retail price per bottle for wines
available in the UK
Please quote the price in Sterlingand inclusive of VAT per bottle. This
information is required for publicity
and the IWC App.

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19.	Bottle size
Allows consumers to see what bottle
size they will get for the quoted price.
20.	Barcode number
If you have a barcode number thiswill help the IWC team identify yoursake and enter it into the competition
correctly.
21.	Type of closure used
Please specify type of closure used.
Natural cork (2+2, Altec, etc.),synthetic or Screwcap.
22.	Glass colour
Related to environmental information
and assists with fault correction.
23.	Organic/biodynamic/
conventional/sustainable
Please specify if the sake falls into
any of these categories.

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2013 ENTRY FORM
Name of company entering the sake

Company name in JapaneseContact name (Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss/Dr/Proff)

Contact name (Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss/Dr/Prof) in Japanese

Address

Address in Japanese

PostcodeCountry

Telephone

Fax

Email

VAT registration number (Europe only)**UK VAT RULES European companies with a valid VAT registration number do not have to pay UK VAT. Companies outside of Europe are not required to pay UK
VAT and DO NOT have to provide a VAT registration number. Those companies who have not been eligible to claim back VAT in the past will save 20%.

PAYMENT DETAILS
Entry fees may be paid by credit card or cheque or by requesting an invoice to be paid by cheque or bank transfer. All entries mustbe paid in FULL before the first day of tasting. Credit card payments will be charged in Sterling.
Number of entries

Price per Entry

International Wine Challenge global entry fee¥14,575

Discovery Tasting**(2 additional samples required)¥5,375*The International Wine Challenge entry fee does not include Free on Board (FOB) shipping.
Please refer to page 10 ‘Dispatching Your Wines’ to find out about our great deal with Hellmann
Beverage Logistics. **Full details of the Discovery Tasting can be found on page 5.

Total

Total

METHOD OF PAYMENT

Payment by cheque. Please make cheques payable to ‘William Reed Business Media Ltd’ in Yen, Sterling, Euros or US Dollars
Payment by credit card. Please charge

to my Visa

Mastercard

Amex

Card number:/

Expiry date:

Security number(3 or 4 digit number in the reverse of the credit card)

Name on card:
Card holders address:
Postcode:Country:

Please invoice my company

Purchase order number (if required)

We confirm that we have understood the rules and instructions set out in the entry kit and agree to be bound by them. This entry form is signed by the
person responsible for submitting the entry and to whom all correspondence concerning the International Wine Challenge should be addressed.
Signature:

Print Name:

Date:

We will use this data for the purpose of administering your entry in the International Wine Challenge. If you do not wish us to contact you regarding your entry please tick the relevant IWC boxes. We
may also use it to contact you about William Reed Business Media (WRBM) products or allow carefully selected third party companies to let you know how you can benefit from similar offers (mail andtelephone only). If you do not wish this to happen please tick the relevant box. We do not share your data with third parties for Email, Fax or SMS purposes.
International Wine Challenge:

Tel

Fax

Email

SMS

Mail

William Reed Business Media: Tel

8

Fax

Email

SMS

Mail

3rd Parties:

Tel

Mail

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2013 ENTRY FORM
i. Entry details must be completed in black ink and BLOCK CAPITALS. All details will be produced for results and certificates. William Reed 		Business Media takes no responsibility for corrections of errors or illegible text made by the entrant.
ii. Complete the entry form together with ACCENTS.
iii. Complete the Method of Payment form on page 8.
iv. Photocopy the entry form for your records and return the original by post WITH PAYMENT to arrive by 20 February 2013 to:
The International Wine Challenge, William Reed Business Media Ltd, Broadfield Park, Crawley, West Sussex, RH11 9RT, UK.

PLEASE PRINT THIS ENTRY FORM FOR EACH SAKE YOU ENTER
Entry number:

Sakes entered. Name of company entering the sake: IN ENGLISH

of

Name of the company entering the sake: IN JAPANESE

1. I would like to enter this sake into the Discovery Tasting: Yes

No

Please tick ONE option as to where you would most like to target buyers from:

On-trade (restaurants / bars / clubs / hotels)

Off-trade (high street / supermarkets)

Off-trade (independent merchants)

2. Sake name/brand (as it appears on the label): ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
2. Sake name/brand (as it appears on the label) IN JAPANESE: .....................................................................................................................................................................................................
3. Year Brewed: .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
4. Sake producer name: ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
5. Country: .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
6. Prefecture:.................................................................................................... 6. Prefecture: IN JAPANESE .....................................................................................................................................................
7. City:...................................................................................................................................... 7. City: IN JAPANESE .....................................................................................................................................................
8. Choose the category of sake: Junmai
9. Production Style: Nama-zake

Junmai-Ginjo/Junmai-Daiginjo

GenshuTaru-zake

Honjozo

Kimoto/Yamahai

Ginjo/Daiginjo

Kijoshu

Koshuother.....................................................................................................

10. Rice polish rate:............................................................................................................................................ %..........................................................................................................................................................................
11. Rice variety (e.g. Yamadanishiki):..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
11. Rice variety (e.g. Yamadanishiki): IN JAPANESE........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
12. Alcohol level:................................................................................................................................................... %..........................................................................................................................................................................
13. UK Importer:....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
14. Number of bottles produced:.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
15. Available in the UK: Yes

No

16. Retail Price in Japan (in Yen):........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
17. If available in the UK, UK retail price per bottle (£ inc. VAT):...........................................................................................................................................................................................................
18. If available in the UK please state your principle UK stockists:....................................................................................................................................................................................................
19. Principle stockists outside of the UK:....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
20. Bottle size: 1500ml

750ml

720ml

500ml

375ml

Other please specify:......................................................................................................................

21. Barcode number:.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
22. Type of closure used (screwcap, etc.):.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
23. Glass colour:..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
24. The sake entered is: Organic

Biodynamic

Sustainable

Conventional

9.......................................................................................................................................

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DISPATCHING YOUR SAKE

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY – THE IWC GLOBAL SHIPPING AGENT HAS CHANGED
i.	The freight charges will only be
paid if the entrant ensures delivery
is received by Hellmann Beverage
Logistics in Japan by 13th March2013.
ii.	It is the responsibility of the entrant
to pay all delivery charges up to thepoint where their local Hellmann
Beverage Logistics approved
shipping agent receives the
samples.
iii.	The entrant is responsible forcontacting their local Hellmann
Beverage Logistics approved
shipping agent to arrange asuitable date of delivery that allows
sufficient time for the samples tobe delivered and received by 18th
March 2013.
iv.	Boxes containing sake samples
must be clearly labelled on theoutside. Submitters must use theaddress labels sent to them by
Keisuke IRIE.
v.

 ubmitters using a Hellmann
S
Beverage Logistics agent for
shipping their samples will have toattach 5 copies of the airway billprovided by Keisuke IRIE.

vii.	Late arrivals will not be accepted
and neither credits nor refunds will
be issued if the forms or sake fail toarrive on time.
viii.	The alcohol level must be included
on the entry form/s as this figure
is used to calculate duty levels.
Answer question 12 on the entry
form on page 9.
ix.	If you choose to use your own
carrier service you are full
responsible for all transportation
costs including taxes, duty andstorage.
x.	BOXES MUST BE LABELLED
WITH INTERNATIONAL WINE
CHALLENGE 2013 OFFICIALLABELS. These will be sent to you
after you have submitted your sake.
IMPORTANT:
If you choose to use your own carrier
service you are fully responsible for ALL
transportation costs including taxes,
duty and storage. The IWC will not
be responsible for your shipping andcustoms charges.

PAYMENT OF DUTY
The commissioners of HMR&C require
evidence of payment of duties and VAT
as enshrined in The Alcoholic Liquor
Duties Act 1979 and enforced by The
Customs & Excise Management ACT
1979. Procedures to achieve this are
stipulated in the Customs Tariff andPublic Noticed covering alcoholic
products. It is an offence to avoid
payment of these taxes on samples.
Further guidance may be obtained
from HMC&R National Advice Service –telephone +44 (0)845 0109 000.
To arrange shipping your wines
please contact Keisuke for details:

SPAZIO IDEA CO.,LTD.
入江啓祐／Keisuke IRIE
154-0011
東京都世田谷区上馬2-9-8-107／
2-9-8-107
Kamiuma Setagaya TOKYO.
090-4222-1759/Mobile
03-6804-0027/TEL
03-6880-1551/FAX

vi.	No sake deliveries will be acceptedat the William Reed Business Media
offices in Crawley, West Sussex.

Deadline to receive your samples:
18th March 2013.

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The International Wine Challenge
Broadfield Park, Crawley, West Sussex, RH11 9RT
Tel: +44(0) 1293 610416 Fax: +44 (0) 1293 610499
facebook.com/internationalwinechallenge

Email: iwc@wrbm.com
www.internationalwinechallenge.com

twitter.com/winechallenge