UK supermarket chain is wine educator of the year

Wm Morrison, one of the UK’s leading multiple retailer chains, has scooped the Wine & Spirit Education Trust’s ‘Wine Educator of the Year’ award.

The beers, wines and spirits team, headed by Tim Philips, picked up the award at the WSET’s awards & graduation ceremony, held at London’s Guildhall on Monday night (January 18).

The Art Institute of Vancouver (AIV), headed by wine instructor and department head Mark Shipway, was awarded a highly commended award for its efforts educating Canadian students.

The International Wine Education Guild (IWEG), which is based in Toronto and works in partnership with AIV, was given a lifetime achievement award, having pioneered WSET programmes since its incorporation 32 years ago.

Morrison is the first UK company to win the WSET’s prestigious wine educator award for several years.  While multiple retailers dominate sales of wine in the UK, there is rarely a trained, knowlegable member of staff on the aisle itself, to ask about wine selections.

Morrisons is committed training up its staff so that a customer with a query or question, gets helpful advice. Philips said: “We regularly get asked for recommendations for wine to accompany occasions and, through training, spearheaded by the WSET wine advisor courses, our BWS staff can give honest and informed opinions.”

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