If drinking your way through football-fields of the world’s best wine sounds like your ultimate Nirvana – then have we got great news for you!

One of the most influential wine shows on the planet, Vinexpo, is happening this week – and The Wine Wankers will have a front row seat reporting on every sip and spit!  Sadly Neal, Conrad and I couldn’t attend, which is why we’ve recruited Sarah Phillips, a writer from Melbourne who is now based in Bordeaux, to ruin her liver on our behalf.  Catch her daily Vinexpo Diary, starting from today on The Wine Wankers.

And please make Sarah welcome with a friendly hello if you see her swanning around!  Her favourite hobby is to be invited to swanky soirees!

Cheers, Drew

‘Twas the night before Vinexpo…

And all through Bordeaux town, stands were finally assembled and the guests had touched down.

There has been a good show of hustle from the hosts this year in the lead up to the fair. International press conferences, a shake up of format and an embrace of the digital space– hell, they even made sure the new tramline was finished (don’t worry, no doubt they’ll be on strike soon enough).

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It’s not a wine show, or more correctly a French wine show, without a full calendar of extra-curricular soirees in which all shades of red paint are on parade. I’ll endeavour to cover as many of these as possible under the guise of professional responsibility of course.

Word on the street says there were a few warm up events on the go today- one of which was a relaxed BBQ/croquet tournament hosted by Miss Vicky Wines. One can report the wine was far too enjoyable, with the 2008 Fleurie and new release Beaujolais Blanc looking the goods to accompany a wonderfully ripe cheeseboard. The outcome on the croquet match is irrelevant (as history is told by the winners).

Righto, onward into the scrum we go, remembering the golden rules for a successful Vinexpo:

-Don’t wear white

-Don’t forget to spit (accurately)

-Bring snacks

And, for god’s sake don’t lose your tasting glass…again.