Bartholomew Broadbent
Bartholomew Broadbent | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 11, 1962 United Kingdom |
| Occupation(s) | Wine expert, importer |
| Known for | Expertise in Port and Madeira wines; revival of Madeira wine in the US; founder of Dragon's Hollow and Vilafonte wineries; resident wine specialist for Into Wine; "Wine Guy" on KFOG radio |
Bartholomew Broadbent (born 11 January 1962) is a distinguished British authority on wine, with particular expertise in Port and Madeira. He is the son of renowned wine critic Michael Broadbent and sibling to Dame Emma Arbuthnot. Currently, he lives in Virginia alongside his spouse and their two children. He is occasionally referred to by the moniker Bollew.
Career
Broadbent played a pivotal role in 1989 by spearheading the revival of Madeira wine within the United States, restoring a category that had nearly disappeared following Prohibition. He champions clear disclosure of alcohol content on wine labels and actively supports the elevation of Virginia wines to international acclaim.
Broadbent Label
Under the Broadbent brand and through Broadbent Selections, he offers an extensive range of wines, including Portuguese Port and Vinho Verde, Argentine Malbec, Austrian Grüner Veltliner, as well as various Madeiras. He holds the distinction of being the foremost importer of Madeira in North America.
Wineries
Broadbent founded Dragon's Hollow in Ningxia Hui, China, marking the region's inaugural winery with an international orientation. Additionally, he launched Vilafonte in South Africa, recognized as the first collaborative wine venture between South African and American partners.
Media
As the resident wine specialist for Into Wine, Broadbent frequently contributes to their web-based television platform. He is also known as the “Wine Guy” on KFOG radio station based in San Francisco.
Awards and honors
In 2013, Broadbent was ranked number 48 among the Into Wine 100 Most Influential People in the US Wine Industry.
Back in 1997, Decanter magazine identified him as one of “the fifty most influential figures in the wine world…the faces to watch in the new millennium.”
In 2008, Wine & Spirits magazine included him among ten global leaders “driving the most revolutionary changes in wine.”
His enterprise, Broadbent Selections Inc., was shortlisted among the top five wine importers by Wine Enthusiast magazine in both 2005 and 2020.
He was honored as a Cavaleiro by the Confraria do Vinho do Porto in 1989 and has held a directorial position at Steven Spurrier’s Académie du Vin. Moreover, he co-established L’Academie du Vin located in Toronto.