The definition of Quality is the standard of something as measured against other things of a similar kind; the degree of excellence of something. It is a word used all the time with regards to wine and spirits and rightly so.
Gone are the days when you would often buy a dodgy bottle of wine in your local off licence or supermarket.
We have some excellent bodies and organisations ensuring our drinks are of the highest standard and quality.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) have been responsible for ensuring EU wine regulations are enforced in England Wales and Northern Ireland. The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) apply the strictest of rules governing the production of whisky, new rules this year applied to the expansion of the range of casks permitted to mature scotch whisky.
The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) is the largest global provider of wine, spirits and sake qualifications. They have led the design and delivery of wine and spirit education for five decades. With four progressive levels of study in more than 70 countries and over 15 languages. According to statistics there are 390 Masters Of Wine working in over 30 countries. They encompass winemakers, buyers , journalists, shippers, business owners, academics and wine educators.
The Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) campaign for a vibrant and sustainable wine and spirit industry helping to build a future in which alcohol is produced, sold and enjoyed responsibly. They represent over 300 companies producing, importing, exporting, transporting and selling wines and spirits in the United Kingdom.
Drinkaware is an independent charity working to reduce alcohol misuse in the UK. They advise on safe and healthy levels of alcohol intake. Sadly there are many disturbing statistics relating to alcohol impairment and misuse which we should all be aware of.
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) was founded in 1947 and promotes worldwide proprietary, industrial and commercial standards. Their quality (that word again) management system (QMS) is an acclaimed framework for quality management, in use by over one million organisations across the world. They also include environmental (EMS) and health and safety ( OHSM) processes and procedural standards, and how important are they to us all these days. Seldom come across in the wine and spirits industry. How good would it be
To know that a wine grower in the Medoc , a wine and spirit importer in Massachusetts and a vineyard equipment producer in Melbourne are all conforming to the same set of best business practices.
Now that would be Quality....