Shortlisted

The shortlist for the IWSC communicator of the year has been released today (text taken from the press release):

Chris Scott
Reasons: Chris established Thirty Fifty in 2002 with the vision of educating and entertaining consumers in their own homes with an innovative approach to wine tasting. Since then Chris and the team have been face-to-face with approx 15,000 consumers. In 2006 Chris launched a weekly podcast called The UK Wine Show. Podcast features news and interviews with member of the wine trade providing listeners with a unique window on the world of wine and is the number 2 food podcast in the itunes charts. Each podcast is accompanied by information published on the website. Chris is making effective use of new media to speak to a new generation of wine enthusiasts as well as delivering a personal and professional service to consumers.

Tim Atkin MW
Reasons: For producing perhaps the most argumentative and appealing wine column in the national papers today. Tim is also always ready to champion the less known wine communities and is nominated particularly for promoting Spain in the press in 2006, maybe even being seen as voice of Spanish wine in the UK? Tim communicates wine to a wide audience, whether novice or wine expert, in a very fun enthusiastic and educational manner, appealing to all. He leads a great number of consumer tastings through ‘Taste-in’, The Wine Show and his own series of lectures.

Sarah Jane Evans MW
Reasons: Tirelessly bringing wines and wine knowledge to a wider audience than the majority of her peers in a friendly, open and interesting way. Sarah’s expertise is apparent through such indicators as her newly awarded ‘Master of Wine’ status but she is anything but aloof in her communications, which speak warmly and openly through the foodie magazines by BBC of ‘Olive’ and BBC Good Food’. Sarah also now has embraced the world of freelancing over the last twelve months, which has added to the breadth of her readership.

Jamie Goode
Reasons: For his energy and expertise in writing & speaking on the world of wine and the science behind it. He publishes wineanorak.com and as anyone who has tried to keep up with his blog will appreciate, the man is prolific, entertaining and incisive. He is also the drinks columnist for The Sunday Express, and writes miscellaneous articles in Decanter, The World of Fine Wine plus trade publications and leads numerous talks on wine. He can pitch at the most professional or simple level and that makes him a great communicator.
Last May, Jamie’s first book, Wine Science, won the Glenfiddich Award for Drinks Book of the Year. It was also short-listed for the Andre Simon Memorial award.

Matt Skinner
Reasons: Matt was close to winning in 2006 and he has carried on the good work in 2007, as he engages the public in a new and innovative style. The impact of his new annual guide ‘The Juice’ has seen a new, younger audience reaching out to embrace wine as an interesting drink, untainted by a wilderness of tradition and expected understanding. His TV appearances on Saturday Morning Kitchen, also showed a lively, enthusiastic ambassador for the world of wine, spirits & beer or as he would say, ‘juice’!

Natalie Maclean
Reasons: Award-winning wine writer and accredited sommelier Natalie MacLean's first book, Red, White and Drunk All Over has received stellar reviews from wine-world insiders, book reviewers, and wine drinkers. This tome was featured in the Top 100 books of 2006 by Canada's national newspaper, The Globe and Mail. It has also won a Gourmand World Cookbook Award for Best Wine Literature Book of 2006.
In addition to her evocative prose and sparkling humour Natalie has a special talent for seamlessly marrying complex, sometimes technically challenging information with vivid, engaging storytelling; all of which can be enjoyed on her dedicated website.