Richard Siddle

The Buyer | MS student Harnil Mathur on the demands on a sommelier in Asia Raised in Gujarat in India and in a culture where drinking alcohol was a taboo, Harnil Mathur has had to work harder than most to find himself now nearing the pinnacle of the sommelier world, training...

Raised in Gujarat in India where drinking alcohol is taboo, Harnil Mathur has worked harder than most to become head sommelier of a top Hong Kong restaurant group. He explains his passion for wine & the demands of training to be a Master Sommelier www.the-buyer.net/people/somme...

#WineParis should rebrand itself as Drinks Paris such was the huge diversity of wine & spirits based drinks at the show. The Buyer analyses why drinks industry is in a new era of 'anything goes' driven by likes of @kylieminogue.bsky.social attracting new consumers www.the-buyer.net/insight/wine...

The Buyer | Helen McGinn on why she had to write a supermarket wine guide “I’m asked for wine recommendations every single day. When the idea of this book came along, I knew I had to do it.” That’s how Helen McGinn describes her new book - The Supermarket Wine Guide - that ...

“I’m asked for wine recommendations every day. When this book came along, I knew I had to do it.” HelenMcGinn on describes her new book #TheSupermarketWineGuide the natural book to write for an ex supermarket wine buyer turned wine critic on BBC's SaturdayKitchen www.the-buyer.net/people/helen...

The Buyer | Cramele Recaș on what it believes are the key trends to invest in Romania’s biggest and most definitely most influential wine producer, Cramele Recaș , also acts as a barometer for what is happening in the wider wine category, always on top of the latest trends and...

Romania’s biggest wine producer @CrameleRecasEU is a barometer for what's happening in the global wine category always on top of latest trends. @AbbieBennington pays them a visit to hear about lighter bottles, its push into local grapes & new markets www.the-buyer.net/people/produ...

The Buyer | Cherie Spriggs on breaking barriers for sparkling wine at Nyetimber It’s no over exaggeration to say that without Cherie Spriggs, head winemaker at Nyetimber , alongside her husband, Brad, and visionary owner of Nyetimber, Eric Heerema, English sparkling wine would n...

Who better than celebrate the achievements of women in wine to mark International Womens's Day than @Nyetimber's Cherie Spriggs 2x winner of International WineChallenge Sparkling Winemaker of the year & only woman to win it as she shares their story on The Buyer www.the-buyer.net/people/produ...

The Buyer | Chuck Cramer highlights the best of Terlato & what California can do A lively masterclass at Smith & Wollensky with Chuck Cramer, sales and marketing director, EMEA & Asia, T erlato Wines , offered a deep dive into three Terlato family-owned California producers - T...

A great masterclass by Chuck Cramer gave buyers & somms an insight into Terlato Wines Californian producers Rutheford Hills, HANNA The Federalist all paired with a great @smithwollensky burger reports @harryjcrowther for @TheBuyer11 www.the-buyer.net/tasting/wine...

The Buyer | What Wine Paris' success now means for the future of ProWein For the thousands of buyers, suppliers and producers walking through the halls of Wine Paris this month it felt like the place to be. Where the energy, buzz and excitement in the air was in stark cont...

Last month's record breaking Wine Paris by @vinexposium puts new pressure on @ProWein to attract international buyers & producers. @TheBuyer11 analyses what it means for the two shows and just how ProWein can now compete with the Wine Paris express www.the-buyer.net/insight/what...

The Buyer | Yiannis Karakasis MW on the evolution & revoution in Greek wine The pace of change across the Greek wine industry has been so fast and widespread that is unrecognisable to where it was 15 years ago. That’s the view of Greek wine consultant, writer and educator, Yi...

The pace of change in the Greek wine industry means @ykarakasisMW has published the 3rd edition of his Greek Wine Explained report where he analyes the country's move from “discovery to consolidation” & what challenges & opportunities there are now www.the-buyer.net/people/yiann....

The Buyer | How Witchmark Distillery wants to make its mark on English spirits “From day one, the goal wasn’t to rush whisky to market, but to do things properly: grain-to-glass production, patient maturation, and spirits that genuinely reflect the land they come from.” That’s h...

“From day one the goal was to do things properly and make spirits that genuinely reflect the land they come from.” Jon Carson, co-founder explains the ethos behind the growing Wiltshire-based English craft spirits business #WitchmarkDistillery www.the-buyer.net/people/produ...

The Buyer | Drake & Morgan and Jeroboams: True collaboration & partnership “We don’t see Jeroboams as just a supplier,” explains Louise Carreras Cortes, operations director at Drake & Morgan, the restaurant and bar group with venues across London and Manchester. “They ar...

“We don’t see @Jeroboams as a supplier. They're a partner,” says @drakeandmorgan Louise Carreras Cortes who explains with Jeroboams’ Lucie Parker how that works & what it takes to make sure their relationship works as collaboratively as possible. www.the-buyer.net/people/on-tr...

The Buyer | Wine Paris analysis: A changing drinks world looking for answers “There is a wine world out there looking for answers.” Which is how Boutinot’s Mike Best MW succinctly summed up the mood at this month’s pivotal Wine Paris. It’s also probably why there was a recor...

A record Wine Paris @vinexposium was a pivotal show with 63k + visitors looking for answers to wine/spirits global challenges.@TheBuyer11 talks to key producers & suppliers about what the opportunites & challenges they face & what solutions they can offer www.the-buyer.net/insight/wine...

The Buyer | Star Wine List of the Year UK reveals its 2026 finalists A record number of entries into the Star Wine List of the Year UK 2026, in association with The Buyer, has resulted in 66 finalists being announced who will all now go forward to the awards ceremony...

Here are the finalists in the @StarWineList of the Year UK 2026, in association with @TheBuyer11, which saw a record number of entries resulting in 66 finalists with winners being announced in an awards ceremony to be held at London on March 23. www.the-buyer.net/awards/star-...

The Buyer | Rodrigo Soto on Far Mountain’s high elevation Sonoma wines Of all the places in California to make wine choosing an AVA called Moon Mountain in Sonoma Valley, famous for its harsh, isolated, steep, mountainous terrain might not be top of your list. But for Ro...

The Moon Mountain AVA in Sonoma Valley, famous for its isolated, steep terrain might not be top of your list to make wine. But for Rodrigo Soto & #FarMountain it was the exact type of site he had spent years looking for as he explains to @helenfarnold www.the-buyer.net/people/produ...

The Buyer | Why Nebbiolo Day is such a unique opportunity for UK wine buyers Nebbiolo Day is back, after a four-year hiatus, on March 3 with its largest ever event with 91 producers from every Nebbiolo producing denomination - Barolo, Barbaresco, Alto Piemonte and Valtellina....

#NebbioloDay is back after 4 years on March 3 with 91 producers from every Nebbiolo producing area. Here event organiser & Italian specialist, Walter Speller, explains why he is so excited to be bringing the world of Nebbiolo back to London and the UK. www.the-buyer.net/tasting/wine...

The Buyer | How Retribution Distillery is driving English craft whisky in Somerset It has been quite some journey for Richard Lock from homebrewing beer, to trying to distill whisky from his garden shed into building what is now one of the most prominent players in the craft English...

It's been some journey for Richard Lock from homebrewing, to distilling whisky in his garden shed to his craft English whisky #RetributionDistillingCompany as he explains to Paul Abbott of #GrasmereDistillery who discuss opportunies for craft distillers www.the-buyer.net/people/produ....

The Buyer | How The Drinks Trust is industry's hub for financial & industry support It is now just over a year since Nicky Burston stepped up to take the vital chief executive role at The Drinks Trust - the charity that an increasing number of people in the drinks sector rely on fo...

Here @nickyburston explains why @drinks_trust is on a mission to make it the number one drinks industry charity & why it's even more important it gets the financial backing from businesses of all sizes to enable it to take its support to another level. www.the-buyer.net/people/suppl...

The Buyer | Ant Moore & Mt Beautiful on putting their UK hopes on Condor Wines When Condor Wines decided it was the right time to expand its business outside South America, where it has made its name and built its reputation, it knew it had to make some tough and important dec...

Here we talk to the two New Zealand wine producers that Condor Wines have chosen to champion their move into the country for the first time - with Ant Moore from @AntmooreWines & Robert Watkins of Mt Beautiful Wine & why they wanted to work with Condor www.the-buyer.net/people/produ...

The Buyer | How Society of Vintners serves its members & on-trade customers With a business turning over £21 million and selling over 4 million bottles a year the Society of Vintners is a company to be taken seriously and well deserving of its reputation as one of the UK’s ...

With a £21m business selling 4m+ bottles a year the #SocietyofVintners is well deserving of its reputation as one of the UK’s most respected wine distributors. But how much do we really know how it operates and who its members are? Here we find out www.the-buyer.net/people/suppl...

The Buyer | Winnie Chen on the daily discipline needed to be a Master Sommelier “This journey isn’t just testing my wine knowledge; it’s testing my resilience, focus, and commitment. But I know that if I want to reach this level, there are no shortcuts. Just daily discipline, one...

"If I want to reach this level, there are no shortcuts. Just daily discipline, one step at a time.” 1st in a series interviewing Master Sommeliers across SE Asia focuses on Winnie Chen who runs 30+ restaurants at #GrandLisboaPalaceResort in Macau www.the-buyer.net/people/somme...

The Buyer | Leona De Pasquale on delivering award-winning wine services “Coming to wine later in life, and from a non-wine-producing country, I felt I had to work twice as hard to catch up with those who had grown up around it. “ But it has not stopped Leona De Pasquale b...

Here @LeonaDePasquale shares her story from how she has moved from Taiwan to become one of the UK’s most influential new voices in wine, culminating in winning three major industry awards in 2025 and running her own wine consutlancy Camellia & Vine www.the-buyer.net/people/suppl...

Ventoux producer #Marrenon in the Luberon has signed a 3 year collaboration with @LeTour #TourdeFrance to promote key wine brands around cycling’s most famous event. Julien di Matteo, export director, explains how the link up is going to work www.the-buyer.net/people/produ...

The Buyer | Chez Bruce & Jeroboams: 30 years of trust, service & shared standards “ Jeroboams is very good at bringing us ideas that make sense commercially and on the floor. That consistency of service is why the relationship has lasted as long as it has.” That’s how Matilda Di C...

“Jeroboams' consistency of service is why the relationship has lasted as long as it has.” So says Matilda Di Cecio, head sommelier at @ChezBruce on how & why they have worked together for 30 years & what she looks for in a trusted wine supplier www.the-buyer.net/people/on-tr...

The Buyer | What London Tasting Awards can offer beers, wines & spirits The  London Tasting Awards  return to London this April, forming part of the wider Armonia group of leading European tasting competitions. Together, they bring a strong focus on rigorous blind tasting...

#LondonTastingAwards returns in April & to help set the scene awards president @AbbieBennington talks to director Lucille Oudard about what sets the awards apart in a crowded awards landscape & why its results continue to matter to producers & buyers alike www.the-buyer.net/awards/what-...

The Buyer | Why Kylie & Elton’s wines are on a level big brands can’t match It might have been a while since Elton John was riding high in the charts, but it might only be a matter of time before his new Zero Blanc de Blanc sparkling wine released into the market this week ...

Here @richardsidddle.bsky.social makes the case for why Elton John 0% sparkling wine on the back of @kylieminogue.music-social.com huge wine success spells more bad news for major drinks brands that have lost their ability to connect with consumers in the same way. the-buyer.net/insight/why-...

The Buyer | Richard Siddle: Why drinks giants’ woes are big opportunity for others It’s hard to imagine any other industry that is being let down quite so badly by its most powerful companies. At a time when the global drinks industry has never been under so much pressure, hit by a ...

The drinks industry is being let down by its most powerful companies unwilling to speak out against all that's against the sector. It's left a vacuum for small to mid sized players to step up, speak out and set a new agenda with new voices & leaders www.the-buyer.net/opinion/rich...

The Buyer | André Morghenthal: "May his legacy be our inspiration" "Unwavering, unselfish and always totally committed to the benefit of all. May his legacy be our inspiration." In this wonderfully written and deeply personal tribute to South African wine consultant,...

"May his legacy be our inspiration." In this deeply personal tribute to South African wine consultant André Morgenthal Bruce Jack captures the spirit of a deeply loyal man who touched the lives of so many & made a huge contribution to South African wine www.the-buyer.net/people/andre...

The Buyer | Isobel Salamon picks the best of the best at Nebbiolo Prima 2025 The type of event the wine industry does best is when producers from a specific region open their doors to allow forensic analysis of their wines. Which is exactly what Nebbiolo Prima has done for the...

#NebbioloPrima is a chance for top wine critics, buyers & wine writers to assess the latest vintages of Barolo, Barbaresco & Roero wines. Isobel Salamon @SlonkWine travelled to Alba in north west Italy to give her personal and professional assessment. www.the-buyer.net/tasting/wine...

The Buyer | How Bolney is being re-invented for a bigger, stronger future It’s four years this month that Bolney Wine Estate was taken over by Freixenet Copestick and brought into its parent company, Henkell Freixenet , to become part of what is the biggest producer an...

It’s 4 years since #BolneyWineEstate was taken over by Freixenet Brands. @thebuyer11.bsky.social talks to Robin Copestick & Rob Hilton about the huge investment it's making to professionalise & modernise the winery & its wines & potential of English rosé www.the-buyer.net/people/produ...

The Buyer | The Drinking Hour's David Kermode on what makes a good podcast If you are reading this then, thankyou…as there are now so many more options and distractions for your time, be it scrolling through social media, watching the latest AI-produced reel, or increasingly...

Hats off to David Kermode who was 1 of the 1st drinks podcasts when he launched #TheDrinkingHour on @FoodFMRadio 5 years ago. To mark his 250th episode @TheBuyer11 talks to him about his podcast journey & what he thinks the key to making a good podcast is. www.the-buyer.net/people/the-d...

The Buyer | How to make the most of Wine Paris' talks and tastings programme If you are busy filling your appointments diary for Wine Paris it might be worth keeping a few gaps in order to make the most of what is a huge programme of talks, debates, masterclasses and special...

Going to Wine Paris? @vinexposium Keep some space in your diary for its huge programme of talks, masterclasses & special tastings taking place across the three days of the show. Here we pick out some of the highlights from the Wine Paris events programme www.the-buyer.net/tasting/how-...