The 2012 Drinks Business Awards winners announced

Drinks brands from across the world were recognised for their enduring hard work over the past year in the drinks business awards 2012, held yesterday at the London International Wine Fair (LIWF).

The awards, organised by The Spirits Business’ sister publication that are now in their tenth year, strive to reward those companies achieving excellence amongst their peers across the global beers, wines and spirits categories.
But the only representative from the spirits category was Master of Malt’s Bathtub Gin, which was praised for its innovative Design and Packaging, leaving the majority of the remaining awards to the wine and beer industries.
Patrick Schmitt, editor of The Drinks Business, said that the spirits campaigns in the past year “just weren’t as strong” as those from wine, but the awards did show “just how much creativity there is in the wine category at the moment.”
“We’re very pleased to see Phipps PR recognised for their imaginative marketing in the difficult German wine category, and also E&J Gallo win both Best Launch for Summer Red and Best Consumer Campaign for Barefoot Wine Beach Rescue Project,” he said.

The winners of the drinks business awards 2012 are:

Young Achiever of the Year
Alex Hunt MW (Berkmann Wine Cellars)

Woman of the Year
Alison Levett (Enotria)

Man of the Year
Sir George Fistonich

Retail Buying Team of the Year
Winner – Laithwaites Wine
Runner up – Waitrose
Special Commendation – Dubai Duty Free

Retail Buyer of the Year
Claire Lorains (Tesco)

Best Trade Campaign
Winner – Wines of Germany: Trial by Pinot Noir
Runner up – Bibendum: Just Add…Bibendum

Best Consumer Campaign
Winner – E&J Gallo: The Barefoot Wine Beach Rescue Project
Runner up – Campo Viejo: Colour Your Kitchen

Best Launch
E&J Gallo Winery: Summer Red

Responsible Drinking Message
Winner – Halewood International: Love Your Liver
Runner up – Diageo: Don’t see a great night wasted
Special Commendation – Wine Press: A Parents’ Guide to Teen Alcohol & Parties

Best Drinks Company of the Year
Winner – Australian Vintage
Runner up – Concha Y Toro

Best Logistics Company
JF Hillebrand

Best PR Company
Winner – Phipps
Runner up  – Dillon Morrall

Retailer of the Year
Winner – Waitrose
Runner up – Sainsbury’s

Independent Retailer of the Year
Winner – The Whisky Exchange
Runner up – Roberson Wine

On-trade Supplier of the Year
Winner – Enotria
Runner up – Jascots Wine Merchants
Best Design & Packaging
Wine
Winner – Stranger & Stranger: VML
Runner up – Copestick Murray Wine Solutions: ‘I heart’ ….
Special Commendation – Barlow Doherty: Signature Style for Wm Morrisons
Spirit
Master of Malt: Bathtub Gin
Beer
Stranger & Stranger: Hopper Whitman