The Nomacorc Top 100 Tasting will be the high point of the London International Wine & Spirits Fair (LIWSF), which opens at ExCel in the Docklands on Tuesday, May 16. It will feature wines from the top hundred wineries from ten countries chosen by five wine writers from the UK, namely, Susie Barrie, Stephen Brook, Jamie Goode, Anthony Rose and Matt Skinner.

The judges chose the wineries on the basis of overall quality, consistency and value for money as well as their ability to demonstrate the typicity of origin.

The tasting will feature individual tasting pods from the 10 countries, namely, Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain and the US. "We launched this feature in 2005 to celebrate our 25th year and due to its overwhelming success, we have re-created it under the banner of the Top 100 Tasting, to make this an annual activity," says Exhibition Director James Murray. "We are delighted with our panel of experts, who have chosen an intriguing and eclectic selection of wines which will be revealed at the Fair."

At another end of the exhibition grounds, six Champagne producers located in the Vallée de la Marne will come together to create the region's first generic pavilion at the LIWSF. This is part of their long-term plan to develop exports.

Exhibiting under the banner of the Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie de l'Aisne and l'Agence d'Exportation de Picardie, the six Champagne houses are Dehu, Baron Albert, Fleury et Fils, Serveaux et Fils, Leclerc-Mondet and Olivier Père et Fils. All are located in Vallée de la Marne, near the town of Château-Thierry in the departement of Aisne.

"We are thrilled on two counts," said Murray. "First, that the LIWSF is considered by these Champagne producers as the gateway to Europe. And second, as this is the first time Champagne producers have taken a generic pavilion at the Fair."

The LIWSF this year has also doubled the space dedicated to spirits producers under the banner of the Spirits Quarter. "We have grown this feature of the Fair partly in response to our visitor audience, which is seeing a year-on-year increase from the on-trade, but also due to the demand from producers in this constantly evolving sector," explained Murray.

Central and South American spirits are dominating the wave of producers showing for the first time, and they include agave-based spirits, Jaral De Berrio, and two tequilas - Impulsora Rombo and Herradura - all of which are from Mexico. The Anglo-Peruvian Trading Company will launch three brands of Pisco at the Fair.

Carlos de Martis, a director of the trading company, said: "We want to create as much awareness as possible in the UK and the European Market about the wines and piscos from Peru."