Private clients
These include law firms, accountants, wine societies, charities, schools, publishers, and human resources consultants. I also present tastings for Wine Australia, the marketing organisation for Australian wine in the UK.
“Sarah’s clever and funny presentation on surviving sommeliers and matching food and wine made for a perfect client entertainment evening. We all learned a lot while getting to know each other and, miraculously, despite trying ten delicious old and new world wines, clearly ate the perfect amount of matching food with each to stay alert ourselves and to awaken next morning without even the suspicion of a hangover. I would have no hesitation in recommending her to anyone thinking of a different event to bring lawyers and clients together.” Alison Wetherfield, Partner, McDermott Will & Emery Solicitors
“The breadth of Sarah’s knowledge, combined with a distinctly unstuffy approach to wine, make her an ideal speaker at Waitrose Food Illustrated reader events. She pitches her talks perfectly so that they can be enjoyed by a mixed audience of inquisitive amateurs and those with a more advanced understanding of wine tasting. Best of all, she brings a personal note with anecdotes about producers and regions that really brings her subjects to life.” Amber Dalton, Restaurant Editor, Waitrose Food Illustrated
“Thank you so much for hosting the wine tasting part of our fundraising event on Wednesday and all you help with Wines of France. As always you went down a storm. Your great mix of expertise & humour is always just right and you managed to keep everyone in check, too! You also made a very big impact on our Patron Kristian Digby and our other celebrity Dan Gillespie Sells – who both really got into the spirit of the tasting and learnt lot’s from you! Tim Sigsworth, Chief Executive, The Albert Kennedy Trust
“Sarah has organised several tasting evenings for us with our clients. Her approach has always been professional and well-organised and she successfully manages to be both informative and fun. Her love of wine is infectious.” Simmons & Simmons Solicitors
“Thank you for a pleasant wine tasting evening…your knowledge of the Australian wine industry is impressive…we do hope to work with you again on future National Australia Bank wine tasting events.” National Australia Bank
“The competitive element (and the wine!) encouraged lively discussions between team members and the evening was a great success overall. Sarah’s great skill is in making wine appreciation fun and accessible. We have no hesitation in recommending The Wine Detective to others and we look forward to working together with Sarah again in the future.” Stephenson Harwood Solicitors
“I never thought that Chenin Blanc blends from South Africa could taste so interesting, concentrated, complex and yet fresh, with a great backbone of minerality. Just serves as a reminder for me to be more open minded and to actively make new discoveries, like those wines you shared with us last night! Thank you for organising such a fascinating tasting, I always learn so much from your tastings. Mai Tanaka, Master of Wine student
“Thank you for a smashing tasting last night, I have had nothing but favourable comments about the range of wines tasted and the way you presented them. We will invite you up again soon and I hope you will come!!!” Barry Howe, Morecambe Bay Wine Appreciation Society
“Your commentary & insights into the philosophies of the winemakers were much appreciated.” Ian Reynolds, Chairman, Dulwich Wine Society
“Thank you for an excellent evening. The wine tasting was really fun and informative and we had a great time. Several people I spoke to said it was the best wine tasting that they had been to and you certainly gave us a lovely selection of wine. Thank you for all your hard work.” Clare Archer, Partner, Rooks Rider Solicitors
“I’ve been to other tastings and enjoyed Sarah’s the most – good to be given proper advice on what to look for in a wine.” Elsevier Science
“All the members came up to me at some point and said how much they had enjoyed it and how informative it was. So thank you for a brilliant evening!” Liz Allen, Rutland Wine Society
“Everyone who attended has spoken very highly of the tasting and enjoyed it very much.” Andrew Johnson, Partner, Slaughter & May
“Thank you for the excellent tasting last Friday. You certainly know your onions!! I am sure that I speak for all of the members when saying that it was both informative and entertaining.” Jacqui Hall, Derbyshire Wine Society
“Your tasting last week was a great success and Jackie, our chairman, has subsequently re-iterated to me, that she regarded your presentation as one of the best we had received at the club.” Ken Brookes, East Grinstead Wine Society
Trade feedback
I contribute to consumer and trade wine books and magazines and present staff training sessions for wine merchants, restaurants and bars.
“I have been delightedly and directly aware of Sarah Ahmed’s research skills.” Jancis Robinson, The World Atlas of Wine (6th ed.)
“Thank you for your support yesterday – a fountain of great knowledge! I thought all the wines showed extremely well and definitely ticked all those regional boxes, plus your enthusiasm was much appreciated. The course delegates all left Australia House knowing much more than when they arrived.” Charles Croft Director of Sales, Stevens Garnier
Thank you for a great tasting last night. As always, you pitched it really well and I thought it was great! Thank you!” Elizabeth Cook, Events Manager, Wine Australia.
“Attendees came away saying how Sarah had infected them with her enthusiasm and how they had learned so much about the great range of Australian wine.” Eve Magazine, Eve Educates event
“Sarah is an excellent communicator on wine, combining knowledge and enthusiasm in a way that few people do. She is as at ease ta
lking to an expert crowd as to a group of beginniners, and is adept at tailoring her message accordingly.” David Gleave, Liberty Wine
“Thank you very much for your collaboration with Vinho Verde. Your participation in these Vinho Verde events made a significant difference.” Carla Cunha, Directora de Marketing, Comissão de Viticultura da Região dos Vinhos Verdes
“Thank you so much for doing the training. I have had great feedback!!! They should now be experts!” Dawn Davies, Selfridges
“Sarah’s enthusiasm about the wines and vineyards is very infectious and her extensive travel really helps people to relate to what they are tasting. Very clear and concise, she is skilled at using her obvious in-depth knowledge to explain key points and doesn’t over-complicate the message.” Clare Walsh, Sales and Marketing Co-ordinator, Great Western Wine
“I am Portuguese and have a business selling Portuguese wines to hotels and restaurants. I had the opportunity to listen to you at LIWF this year. I was very impressed with your passion and knowledge about Portugal and Portuguese wines.” Antonio Cunha, Ince Wines
“Sarah is a skilled communicator with the ability to process and make accessible the often frightening lexicon of wine. From the wine novice to seasoned trade professionals – Sarah researches, explores and then opens up the wonderful world of wine with skill, passion and dedication. Her commitment to understanding the winemaking process in its entirety is a testament to her broader commitment to opening wine up to a wider range of audiences – whilst keeping the integrity and passion of the wine industry intact. Sarah is erudite, hugely efficient and organised – the consummate professional and a pleasure to deal with.” Valerie Lewis, Negociants UK
“This year is the 5th anniversary of the ’50 Great Portuguese Wines’ tasting. The tasting’s organised by ViniPortugal, an association set up in 1997 to boost awareness in the UK of just how good Portuguese wines can be. Every year a chosen wine journalist – this year, the winner of the 2009 Portuguese Wine Writer of the Year Awards Sarah Ahmed – is asked to select 50 great Portuguese wines and present them to the trade in London. Ahmed, who is the founder of online wine site The Wine Detective, last week unveiled an exciting range, many from emerging wineries.” Decanter
“Thank you for such an informative training session last week, the guys really enjoyed the day.” Steve Edwards, Head of Group Service, ABode Hotels
“Sarah Ahmed has written one of the most in depth reports that I have seen on Australian Rieslings (plus a few from Germany) www.thewinedetective.co.uk – Riesling Rocks” Roger Jones, The Harrow at Little Bedwyn, Decanter Restaurant of the Year 2008
