THE CITY FINE WINE CHALLENGE 2010

by Patrick Sandeman

The Contestants

Two hundred and fifty people, from twenty five of the City’s leading companies attended last week’s City Fine Wine Challenge, at the Royal Institute of British Architects, a fund-raiser for the NSPCC. This is the fifth year that Lea & Sandeman have been involved in what has rapidly become one of the most popular and important fund raising activities in the NSPCC calendar. A champagne reception was followed by an interactive quiz, Patrick Sandeman acting as ‘quiz master’.

RIBA and Patrick Sandeman Quizmaster

The rest of the L&S team poured over 1500 glasses of wine. All of the wines consumed and sold during the course of the evening were donated by Lea & Sandeman in order to help generate a massive profit for the NSPCC.

The L&S team mucking about before the 'off'

Some of the NSPCC team on the night

The event was well supported by the trade, donating prizes for both the business card draw and auction (Charlie Ross acting auctioneer) including jeroboams and large formats of Veuve Clicquot, Taittinger, Pol Roger, Gosset and Niepoort, as well as meals at The River Cafe, Le Cafe Anglais, The Bleeding Heart and Mandarin Oriental.
Prizes, Charlie Ross Auctioneeer, and inspirational speaker Rania de Silva

Other popular auction items included a Vintage Port and chocolate tasting (Lea & Sandeman with Demarquette) and a stay in a Tuscan renaissance villa. The overall sum raised on the evening was in excess of £121,000.00.

2010 City Fine Wine Challenge – The Wines

2009 RIESLING Traditionale Pikes Polish Hill River Estate