Bartholomew Broadbent
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Known as a lively, witty and informative wine lecturer, Bartholomew is also one of the world’s foremost authorities on Port and Madeira. He is credited for being responsible for the growth of Port consumption in North America during the mid 1980’s and was responsible for the re-introduction of Madeira to America in 1989, instrumental in its growth since then.
Bartholomew Broadbent’s company, Broadbent Selections, Inc., founded in 1996, is the exclusive US national importer for some of the worlds most sought after family wineries, including Chateau Musar, Warwick Estate, Spy Valley, Ferreira, Barca Velha, Quinta do Crasto, Aresti, Louis Guntrum, Domaine Riefle, Montsarra Cava, Pago de Larrainzar, Vilafonte, Dragon's Hollow and Champagne Delbeck. He also produces his own Broadbent Port and Madeira in Portugal. See www.broadbent.com for more information.
Raised in the English wine trade in a formal apprenticeship to his famous father, Michael Broadbent MW [Director of Christie’s and prolific wine author], Bartholomew has also worked in London for Harrod’s [Wine Department], Harvey’s Fine Wine Merchants in Pall Mall and Christie’s. He worked in Australia for Rothbury Estate and for Yalumba Winery. In France, he worked in Cognac for Hennessy and in Paris for L’Academie du Vin. He moved to Montreal to work for Schenley Canada Inc, later moving to Toronto as their Wine Consultant, also responsible for their fine wine sales in Ottawa.
In the United States, he set up Premium Port Wines, Inc. for the Symington family, which he ran for 10 years, before leaving to create Broadbent Selections, Inc in 1996. In 2006 he met David Henderson and set up a JV to launch Dragon's Hollow, the first good wine from China.
Bartholomew Broadbent’s other achievements and honors include the following:
- Named by Decanter Magazine as one of the “fifty most influential people in the wine world - the faces to watch in the new millennium.” (June 1997)
- 50% owner of Dragon's Hollow brand from China
- 50% owner of China Fine Wines LLC
- Broadbent Selections, Inc. was nominated Importer of the Year 2005 by Wine Enthusiast Magazine.
- BroBroadbent Selections, Inc. was named by Entrepreneur Magazine and Dun & Bradstreet as one of the 100 fastest growing companies in 1998
- Nominated as Small Business Person of the Year by the SBA in 1998
- Radio KFOG’s “wine guy”
- On the Advisory Board of Travent (www.finewinetravel.com)
- On the Advisory Committee of the Metropolitan College of New York (Wine and Spirits MBA)
- Director of the Reserve Tastings and Speaker for Food and Wine Magazine’s Classic in Aspen [every year since 1986]
- Lecturer and Member of the Society of Wine Educators
- Past Director of Steven Spurrier’s L’Academie du Vin
- Judge in the 1986 repeat of Steven Spurrier’s legendary 1976 Napa versus Bordeaux tasting
- Founder of L’Academie du Vin in Toronto
- Profiled by the Wine Spectator (1986)
- Profiled by M Quarterly (Japan) (issue 434)
- Profiled by The Wine News (1989)
- Liveryman, The Worshipful Company of Distillers (London)
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- Awarded the Freedom of the City of London
- Cavaleiro; Confraria do Vinho do Porto (1989)
- Commandeur d’Honneur; Commanderie de Bontemps de Medoc et des Graves (1988)
- Chevalier; Confrerie des Chevaliers du Trou Normand (1983)
- Chevalier; Ordre Illustre des Chevaliers de Meduse (1983)
- Past permanent tasting panel member for Bon Appetit Magazine
- International Wine Judge [on numerous tasting panels and at wine competitions around the world]
- Past producer of wine related cable television shows in Canada
- Past contributor to Wine Tidings magazine and Wine Canada
- Past Wine Director for The Sharper Image
- Past instructor in Canada for the Certificate, Higher Certificate and Diploma courses for the Independent Wine & Spirit Education Trust (now known as the WSET)
- Past lecturer on the QEII, QM2, Crystal Cruises and Radisson Seven Seas Cruise Lines
- Auctioneer at numerous Charity wine auctions [debuting at the second annual Napa Valley Wine Auction]
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For more information please visit www.broadbent-wines.com
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