A Fife man’s champagne company is celebrating after it won an international award.
Peter Crawford, from Balmerino, launched Sip Champagnes two years ago with business partner Daniel Blatchford.
Peter, who was born in Dundee, is one of the world’s leading authorities on champagne. He has more than 20 years’ experience in the industry.
He launched the business after helping to supply champagne for his friend Daniel’s wedding.
Fife man ‘incredibly proud’ of award win
Sip Champagnes has been voted Sparkling Retailer of the Year at the International Wine Challenge (IWC) industry awards in London.
The IWC is seen as the world’s most rigorous annual wine competition.
Peter said he was “incredibly proud” to have won the award.
The 42-year-old said: “We put our success down to our continued focus on quality, as well as sourcing and supplying only the best small-batch, handcrafted champagne.
“With the UK’s largest collection of 60 champagne producers and over 150 individual cuvées from across 25 villages in our range, we only deal with ethically-sourced and artisan products direct from the farmer.”
Sip started with 55 bottles available from 28 producers. It was an immediate success, selling more than a tonne of champagne a month.
Peter added: “Despite a wider industry decline, UK consumers have certainly not lost their taste for small-batch and handcrafted champagne sourced straight from the grower.
“Champagne lovers are also willing to pay a premium for a unique, artisan and quality product, including our collection that they can’t buy anywhere else in the UK.”
Sip Champagnes ‘will go places’
Sip Champagnes was selected for the accolade by a panel of expert judges.
They said the firm has “an impressive range” and “excellent year-on-year growth”.
They added the co-founders have “an obvious passion that will undoubtedly make this a business that will go places.”
Sip Champagnes has also been recognised with the UK champagne and sparkling specialist award from wine magazine Decanter.
And in May it celebrated its first export deal to the United States.
The business is shipping its products to California, Florida, Illinois and Montana.
