HOME ABOUT PORTFOLIO BLOG CONTACT News November 2021 Champagne Bollinger & The Autumn Nation Series It was great to return to Twickenham Stadium and the Champagne Bollinger tent for this year’s Autumn Nations Series, which has now drawn to a close. As a sponsor of the RFU and celebrating 20 years of Champagne Bollinger’s support of England Rugby, the iconic Bollinger tent was back up and running. We were joined by customers, journalists, and supporters of the brand to watch the game. Nik’s kitchen London were our caterers for the lunches, and in true Twickenham style, the delicious lunches were served outdoors in the Cardinal Vaughan car park with Bollinger parasols galore. The food was paired with wonderful wines from across the portfolio, including Domaine Chanson Chassagne-Montrachet 2018, Bodegas La Horra Corimbo and Delamain Cognac Pale & Dry XO. England faced their World Cup conquerors, South Africa, as well as Australia and Tonga. We witnessed some fantastic play from the England team. Well done to Marcus Smith, Courtney Lawes and Freddie Steward for their Champagne Bollinger Player of the Match awards throughout the series. Bring on the Six Nations in 2022! England vs. South Africa at Twickenham Stadium on November 20, 2021. (Photo by Dan Mullan – RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images) November 2021 Port Season is here and it’s time for Taylor’s At Taylor’s, Port Season begins when the clocks go back and the first leaves start to fall. For 2021, Taylor’s are launching a new digital campaign across Instagram and Facebook that embraces the conviviality and versatility of Port as days get shorter and the nights draw in. Taylor’s have worked with creative agency, Keko London. Spread across several social media platforms, the campaign will focus on Taylor’s LBV, highlighting the wine’s versatility throughout the key moments that make up the autumn and winter Port Season: Autumn, Halloween, Bonfire Night, Christmas and New Year’s Eve. The video has captured the spirit of Port Season in a unique way, creating the notion of coming together through shadow play alongside real elements. It is an invitation to have a glass of Taylor’s throughout the coming months instead of just traditionally at Christmas. LBV was developed as a high quality but more affordable and immediately drinkable alternative to Vintage port to be enjoyed by the glass on everyday occasions. It was initially created in 1970. Andrew Hawes, Managing Director at Mentzendorff, the UK Agent for Taylor’s, says: “Taylor’s new digital advertising campaign will support the brand’s broad trade distribution at the end of a challenging year when family and friends are looking forward to gathering to celebrate. Taylor’s LBV Port is a warm and affordable luxury to enjoy together.” The campaign officially launched on the 28th of October and will run until New Year’s Eve. It is available to watch on our YouTube channel here. November 2021 Celebrating International Sherry Week We’re celebrating Sherry Week with Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana, one of the oldest Sherry producers in existence and widely regarded as the deﬁnitive Manzanilla house. Bodegas Hidalgo is still family-run, currently overseen by the 8th generation of the Hidalgo family, Fermin Hidalgo. Continuity and quality have always been the most important for the company, which today uses only grapes from their vineyards in Jérez Superior. Hidalgo will also be celebrating their whopping 230th birthday next year! Just before sherry week, we hosted a lunch at Brindisa, Soho with Fermín Hidalgo to celebrate this versatile drink. We tasted through the following sherries: Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana Manzanilla, Pasada Pastrana Manzanilla, Amontillado Seco Napoleón, Oloroso Seco Faraón and PX Triana. These were carefully paired with delicious dishes such as Pan de Coca con Tomate, Croquetas de Jamon Ibérico and Gambas al Ajillo followed by PX Triana drizzled over vanilla ice cream. Will Lyons recently included the Bodegas Hidalgo Pasada Pastrana and the Palo Cortado in his sherry feature for the Sunday Times Magazine. He described the Pasada Pastrana, stating, “Manzanilla is similar in style to fino, but produced around the port of Sanlucar de Barrameda rather than Jerez. This maritime climate subtly affects the yeasty flor, creating a less nutty, tangy sherry. Hailing from Bodegas Hidalgo, this has impressive depth of flavour.” About the Wellington Palo Cortado 20 Years VOS, which won a gold medal at this year’s Decanter World Wine Awards, he commented, “This has a glorious amber hue and a complexity to match, with notes of walnut skins and an almost oily texture. A fine aperitif that works well with tapas.” November 2021 Winner of the Ayala SquareMeal Female Chef of the Year Award announced Last night, the winner of this year’s AYALA SquareMeal Female Chef of the Year award was announced. This prestigious prize was awarded to the highly deserving chef, Sally Abé. 2021 winner Sally Abé follows in the footsteps of past winners Angela Hartnett in 2018 and Skye Gyngell in 2019. After hanging up her Head Chef hat at The Harwood Arms (with a Michelin star already to her name), Abé took up the role of consultant chef for the Conrad St James, operating four F&B outlets within the hotel. The latest addition is The Pem, which takes its name from suffragette Emily Wilding Davison, whose family affectionately gave her the pet name ‘Pem’. Caroline Latrive with Sally Abé This major industry award was first launched in 2018 to celebrate the huge contribution female chefs are making to the UK restaurant industry. The Female Chef of the Year award aims to shine a spotlight on those women whose achievements are proving an inspiration to everyone involved in this vibrant sector. In Champagne, only 5% of the Chefs de Caves are women and Caroline Latrive, Cellar Master at Champagne AYALA, is one of them. Commenting on the Awards, Caroline said: “We are so proud to be part of the AYALA SquareMeal Female Chef of the Year Award. We want to shine a light on the outstanding work female chefs are doing both in their kitchens and in the community at large. We are delighted to congratulate Sally Abé for winning the Award this year, not just for her superb work at The Harwood Arms and now The Pem, but also for her charity work, support for the NHS and her commitment to creating a female-led team”. Abé was presented with her award at a Champagne reception, held for all shortlisted chefs, at Petersham Nurseries in Covent Garden. There, they served Champagne Ayala Le Blanc de Blancs 2014 en magnum. The full shortlist of chefs can be found here. Congratulations to all of the incredibly talented chefs who took part. The 2021 shortlisted chefs Earlier news Archive November 2021 Champagne Bollinger & The Autumn Nation Series November 2021 Port Season is here and it’s time for Taylor’s November 2021 Celebrating International Sherry Week November 2021 Winner of the Ayala SquareMeal Female Chef of the Year Award announced October 2021 Taylor’s Sponsor of The Golden Vines Diversity Scholarships October 2021 Brian Croser Awarded WCA South Australia Legend of The Vine 2021 October 2021 Champagne Bollinger 007 Bar and Limited Edition Campaign September 2021 Mentzendorff Autumn Portfolio Tasting September 2021 New Champagne Releases September 2021 Ayala Wins Gold in the Drinks Business Sparkling Masters 2021 July 2021 Alentejan Cartuxa brand joins the Mentzendorff Portfolio July 2021 Medals galore July 2021 Guy Kennaway wins the 2021 Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction June 2021 Hambledon Vineyard celebrates English Wine Week at Van Gough Alive June 2021 We bid farewell to a key member of the Mentzendorff team May 2021 Château La Fleur de Boüard joins the portfolio April 2021 Hambledon’s partnership with The Southern Vipers, and victory for the Red Roses! March 2021 Bollinger R.D. 2007 looks back to its roots February 2021 Mentzendorff, On-Trade Distributor of the Year January 2021 The Global Masters 2020 – Medals Galore! December 2020 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2020 December 2020 The Pig Cut Wines with Tenuta Fertuna November 2020 Taylor’s Very Old Tawny Port – Kingsman Edition October 2020 Champagne Bollinger Special Cuvée 007 Limited Edition September 2020 Mentzendorff Wheelers “Everest” for The Hemel-en-Aarde Valley Pre-School July 2020 Champagne Bollinger PN VZ15 – Pinot Noir with a Sense of Place July 2020 The Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize 2020 July 2020 Jean-Luc Colombo Rhône wines join the Portfolio June 2020 Akitu Pinot Noir Blanc June 2020 Mentzendorff and Hambledon Vineyards June 2020 20th Anniversary of Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize marked by exciting and eclectic shortlist May 2020 “A pulse-quickening sherry” Matthew Jukes April 2020 The Fladgate Partnership Vintage 2018 April 2020 Spring Snows in the Douro Valley March 2020 Mentzendorff & Coronavirus March 2020 Mentzendorff Announces New Agency Partnerships with Jean-Luc Colombo and Hambledon Vineyards February 2020 Champagne Bollinger La Grande Année & La Grande Année Rosé 2012 February 2020 Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona Brunello di Montalcino 2015 January 2020 The Delamain Cognac Prize – WSET Awards & Graduation 2020 January 2020 Giro di Toscana Wins The Vintners’ Benevolent Award January 2020 Domaine Chanson and Bourgogne Week 2020 December 2019 Co-op & Taylor’s Port Reforestation Project December 2019 Champagne Bollinger & Le Grand Tour November 2019 Port Season is here and it’s time for Taylor’s October 2019 Champagne Ayala SquareMeal Female Chef of the Year 2019 August 2019 Bodegas Hidalgo – La Gitana and the Carreras de Caballos August 2019 Champagne Bollinger & England Rugby August 2019 Britain’s Most British Bike Race? July 2019 Giro di Toscana Charity Ride Raises £35,000 for The Benevolent June 2019 Maison Saint AIX and the Royal Yacht Squadron Members’ Regatta 2019 June 2019 Impressive Medal Haul for Mentzendorff May 2019 Champagne Bollinger and the World’s Leading Festival of Ideas April 2019 Fladgate Partnership 2017 Vintage Port Declaration April 2019 Champagne Bollinger La Grande Année 2008 March 2019 Mentzendorff tackles sustainability at 2019 Portfolio Tasting February 2019 The Summer of ’69 January 2019 The Delamain Cognac Prize – WSET Awards & Graduation 2019 November 2018 Kilikanoon Awarded International Wine Spirits Competition Australian Wine Producer of the Year November 2018 Delamain; Guardians of Time Honoured Cognacs October 2018 The Ayala SquareMeal Female Chef of the Year September 2018 Mentzendorff Announces a New Agency Partnership with Ceretto September 2018 Taylor’s Port & the 2018 Concours of Elegance August 2018 Champagne Ayala & SquareMeal Female Chef of the Year Award August 2018 Champagne Bollinger and the 2018 Brompton World Championships July 2018 Langlois-Chateau & the 2018 Le Mans Classic June 2018 Royal Ascot – A World Like Nowhere Else June 2018 Trophies & Medals Galore! May 2018 The Madame Bollinger Foundation Celebrates 30 Years with the Institute of Masters of Wine April 2018 The Fladgate Partnership Declaration of the 2016 Vintage April 2018 M.Chapoutier 2017 Sélections Parcellaires March 2018 Champagne Bollinger R.D. 2004 – Bold, Brilliant & Generous March 2018 The Annual Mentzendorff Portfolio Tasting February 2018 Mentzendorff Announces a New Agency Partnership with AIX January 2018 Ciacci Piccolomini D’Aragona – 2013 Brunello di Montalcino December 2017 Domaine Chanson En Primeur 2016 November 2017 Champagne Bollinger & the 2017 Rugby Autumn Internationals November 2017 Mentzendorff Announces New Agency Partnerships With Akitu & Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona October 2017 2016 Turkey Flat Grenache wins the ‘Jimmy’ September 2017 Klein Constantia – Still Creating History August 2017 Summer Sports in Support of The Benevolent and The Gordon & Tana Ramsay Foundation July 2017 The Spanish State Visit June 2017 Madame Bollinger’s Bicycle at Eroica Britannica May 2017 Taylor’s takes to the high seas for 325th Anniversary April 2017 Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction 2017 Shortlist Announced March 2017 Secrets of the Cardinal Vaughan Car Park February 2017 British Port Association Appoints First Woman Treasurer February 2017 Mentzendorff Portfolio Tasting 2017 January 2017 Strictly sensational; Taylor’s 1967 Single Harvest Port November 2016 Literary Libations! October 2016 Port and Cheese match with ease September 2016 Knowledge is the foundation for every Bollinger Medal winner September 2016 Happy International Grenache Day, Grenachistas! August 2016 Mentzendorff Kummel wins at IWSC awards July 2016 Henriques & Henriques awash with trophies at IWC 2016 awards June 2016 Dallaglio Foundation Cycle Slam June 2016 Royal Ascot 2016 May 2016 Special Cuvée: What makes it special? April 2016 VdC 2012: A Fresh New Direction March 2016 Taylor’s Release Single Harvest 1966 February 2016 One Great Mentzendorff Tasting! January 2016 Education never gets old December 2015 Mentzendorff & The Dallaglio Foundation November 2015 Mentzendorff on the move October 2015 For Your Eyes Only: Bollinger SPECTRE Limited Edition August 2015 Hidalgo on Horseback! July 2015 Fly Away to Cognac Blues Passions in Jarnac! June 2015 Toughest Mentzendorff Cycle Tour raises £32,000 for The Benevolent! June 2015 Like Nowhere Else – Bollinger toasts Royal Ascot! © Mentzendorff & Co Ltd 2021 Telephone: 020 7840 3600 Email: info@mentzendorff.co.uk