Nicola Bates has spent the past five years as external affairs and strategy director at the Portman Group. It serves as the regulator for alcohol labelling, packaging and promotion in the UK, clamping down on outrageous drinks such as Fok Hing Gin, Ménage à Trois Midnight wine and Cosa Nostra Scotch whisky, which was presented in a bottle shaped like a Tommy gun. She is now looking forward to enjoying some more sophisticated drinks at Wine GB functions.
‘This is genuinely the best job I could ever think of. I go round telling people that I have this new role and everyone is excited about it. It’s the newest market in the New World. It has such an innovative, pioneering spirit.
‘I’m drinking a lot of English wine at the moment. It’s my duty! I grew up in Plymouth, so Camel Valley [in Cornwall] is close to my hometown. It is a brilliant, prestigious, leading brand, so I’ve been drinking that to celebrate, but I’m also tasting wines from all of our wonderful producers.
‘My favourite food and wine pairing would have to be English sparkling wine with fish and chips. There’s a lovely cut-through there, and it’s a proper treat.
‘I remember tasting my first Bacchus recently, from Halfpenny. I love the idea of Bacchus, because I’m a bit of a history buff. It’s an old German variety, but it feels very English in terms of the elderflower that comes through, and it’s talking to a Roman god of
