The Wine Trade
Our links to the Industry
Supporting the Industry
Until recently, the Company, with DEFRA, was a major funder of the Wine Standards Board, enforcing EU regulations on wine production and labelling in the UK. The Wine Standards Board is now part of the Food Standards Agency and the Company's involvement has ceased. However, the Company continues to maintain close contact with, and to support, its trade throughout the UK and abroad, and is recognised as the 'Spiritual Home of the International Wine Trade'.
Education
For a long time the Vintners’ Company has been a leading supporter of wine education.
Soon after the Second World War the Company, together with the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, recognised that they needed to improve the standard of education in the British wine trade and to formally certify its most talented members. They organised an examination process for the trade known as the Master of Wine examination which was held for the first time in 1953. In 1955, with funding and support from the Vintners’ Company, the Institute of Masters of Wine was formed by the people who had passed the inaugural exam.
For a long time the Vintners’ Company has been a leading supporter of wine education.
Soon after the Second World War the Company, together with the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, recognised that they needed to improve the standard of education in the British wine trade and to formally certify its most talented members. They organised an examination process for the trade known as the Master of Wine examination which was held for the first time in 1953. In 1955, with funding and support from the Vintners’ Company, the Institute of Masters of Wine was formed by the people who had passed the inaugural exam.
In 1969, the Vintners’ Company provided funding to establish the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) to provide additional support to serve the growing educational needs of the UK wine and spirits industry.
Today, both the Institute of Masters of Wine and the WSET are recognised as world leaders in the provision of wine education.
In 1969, the Vintners’ Company provided funding to establish the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) to provide additional support to serve the growing educational needs of the UK wine and spirits industry.
Today, both the Institute of Masters of Wine and the WSET are recognised as world leaders in the provision of wine education.
Trade Liaison
In 2012 the Company established the Trade Liaison Committee with a remit to assess the Company’s relationship with its trade and to introduce new initiatives where it felt improvement could be made.
The ‘TLC’ is responsible for all grants and support provided by the Company to wine-related organisations, a list of which may be viewed at the ‘Grants & Support’ page.
The International Wine Trade Dinner
One of the TLC’s earliest initiatives was to establish the ‘International Wine Trade Dinner’, to be held every two years at Vintners’ Hall. The inaugural dinner was held in 2013 to coincide with the Company’s 650th Anniversary and it has since become a significant event in the international wine trade calendar, attracting the Great and the Good from the industry the world over.
In 2017, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Gloucester, a Liveryman of the Company, was our guest of honour.
