A bit about the Cateys' bubbly…

… and other wines. After a gruelling tasting session held in a banqueting room deep in the bowels of Grosvenor House, select members of the Caterer editorial team slurped and burped their way through Grosvenor chef Charles Mercier's menu, washed down with a happy line-up of wines from this year's chosen supplier, Thames Wine Sellers.

Led by the company's managing director and founder, the affable Julian Kirk, the panel arrived at the decision that the evening would be kick-started with Champagne Royer, from a small family grower in Landreville, deep in the Aube.

Unusually for a Champagne house, it produces the bubbly from grapes mostly grown by itself. Pinot Noir dominates, Chardonnay comes in at 40%, and there is a splash of Pinot Meunier, producing a fresh, lemony nose. All agreed it would get the juices going, with diners poised to dive into the spiced chicken and coconut cappuccino.

There were some problem flavours here, but the 1995 Pinot Blanc from Wunsch & Mann coped admirably. It was a good vintage for Alsace and the fat fruit filled the mouth and weighed in with the soup and the sea bass that followed.

Everyone felt that the organic beef - a bit of a thing with Caterer - should be matched with an organic wine. The final choice fell to Carlo Polidori of Umbria. His vineyards can be found in the upper reaches of the Tiber, near Perugia, and he has used six varieties in the final blend, headed with acidity-generous Sangiovese and a fat dollop of Merlot for upfront fruit.

Topping up limits further was the Muscat vin de liqueur from José Sala in the Midi, a brilliant foil for the baba with nectarine sorbet.

Thames Wine Sellers' strongest areas are the Rhône, Burgundy - "ooh, and Champagne," says Kirk. "And Italy - well, Umbria and the Veneto anyway." The company is a small, independently-owned wholesaler supplying restaurants, wine bars, caterers and a sprinkling of corporate customers.

Kirk has been in the business for 10 years now and puts wine education near the top of the list of services offered.

For more information on the above wines, Kirk can be contacted on: 0171-928 8253.