Dressing up in silly robes … I blame Laithwaites customers

The other evening, they made me a knight. A Spanish knight. I am now a ‘Caballero’. That translates as ‘knight’ I think … not ‘horse’!? I checked the dictionary. Behind my bedroom door now hangs a long medieval-style scarlet robe - more colourful than any of Barbara’s dresses.

It was the Grand Annual Banquet of The Order of Caballeros del Vino. Bit of a blow-out just before Lent. All the Great and Good of the wine world. This year The Observer’s Tim Atkin and I were “rewarded for our contribution to Spanish wine” – but as I told them, it’s Laithwaites customers who deserve the real thanks and congratulations (don’t worry this was no teary, Oscars-style acceptance).

The acting Spanish Ambassador told me he was worried about Spain having no more than 10% of the ‘difficult’ British market. I suggested he shouldn’t worry too much as almost 20% of Laithwaites sales are now Spanish and we have always been a good indicator of the way wine generally is heading.

Something to do with our customers being more ‘wine-aware’ and also more adventurous than most. It is clear to us that Spanish wine is re-inventing itself at a cracking rate. When I look back it is an extraordinary story.

A couple of hours reckless driving takes you from Bordeaux to the Spanish border at San Sebastián. I did that for the first time in 1972. I only went as far as San Sebastián - not really a wine town - but there met a big , friendly, young Basque called Tony Barrero who sold me some nice Rioja and an incredibly cheap table wine from Jumilla called Monte Alegre.

The ‘Monty’ immediately became our top selling wine and container loads of bottles sailed monthly from Bilbao. Which I believe was the first time any volume of Table Wine was imported to Britain in bottles rather than tankers. At last night’s do they first served a lovely Rioja with the beef. But then they capped it with ... yes, a Jumilla (which, after a glass or two can be pronounced ‘Hugh Millya’. )

I had always believed from that first trip - that Spain had far more hidden glories than just Rioja and Sherry. And we’ve seriously dedicated ourselves to discovering more. ‘If it's got a D.O. we’ve shipped it” is our motto. Of course we also do loads of Rioja. It was so difficult to sell in the early days! So cheap, it was. Then the prices doubled and sales rocketed. Crazy world; wine.

Anyway tomorrow is a big Management Meeting. I plan a Grand Entrance in Full Regalia! Got to get more respect from my lot. Maybe if I wear it to Waitrose will I get a discount on my Manchego cheese?