Caterer and Hotelkeeper – 6737

The 20th English Wine Festival

PRAISE is due to Christopher Ann of the English Wine Centre in Alfriston, Sussex. He is an enthusiast for English produce and English regional food, and a pioneer in the development of English wine, now so convincingly established as a good-quality product.

This year sees the 20th English Wine Festival for which Mr Ann has been responsible and which he founded.

The festival, which takes place at Alfriston, is planned for Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 September.

More than 5,000 people are expected to attend and there is provision for as many as 50 trade stands, more than half of which are likely to be English wine producers.

For those who still doubt the quality of English wines, the organisers of the festival remind us that last year an English wine from Three Choirs Vineyard - its Seyval Reichensteiner 1990 - won a gold medal at the Bordeaux Vinexpo.

Worldwide, English wines took four golds, nine silvers and 18 bronzes in international competitions.

More information about the festival from Christopher Ann (0323) 870164.

Young winewaiters club

THE best piece of news of the week is the formation of a club for young sommeliers. The president is Yves Sauboua, head sommelier at Les Saveurs in London's Mayfair. It has been set up for "young, enthusiastic, professional sommeliers, keen to increase their knowledge of wine".