There was much brow mopping at the first day of the London International Wine And Spirit Fair on Tuesday. Had someone forgotten to bring the corkscrews do you think? Had some irresponsible worker, with a responsibility for the sampling glasses, forgotten to put rinse aid in the dishwasher?

The answer to these posers is no. But it is perhaps true that the air conditioning at the fair, had seen so much good wine being spat out in the first hour, that it had gone on strike in protest.

On the plus side, by day two, the aircon had negotiated a deal with management and the assembled thousands at Excel London were able to put their jackets back on and go about their business in a much less moist manner.

The exhibition space at the fair is huge, with representation from just about every wine-producing country, including Israel and Macedonia for the first time. With 1,300 exhibitors, the fair is attended by 25,000 professionals over the three days. What a coincidence then, that quite by chance I found myself standing next to John Hattam, of York-based HC Wines. It seems that we had both decided to sample gewrztraminers from the Alsace at the same time. Expect a good example to be added to the HC wine list in the near future.

Many producers are there to find a distributor for their wines and those with UK distribution are usually showing their latest releases, which aren't on the shelves yet.

Needless to say, a number of the wines I tasted are sure to feature in Tipping's Tipples over the coming months, as and when they become available.

Indeed, I hope that Californian producer Michael David Family of Wines has found a distributor for its wonderfully named Earthquake Zin 2004. A huge, juicy, smooth zinfandel that is all raspberry, plum, vanilla and velvety tannins from the Lodi growing region. Not for those of a nervous disposition, it is almost 16 per cent alcohol.

It was nice to see some Tipping's Tipples recommendations picking up gongs in the International Wine Challenge 2006, which for the first time were unveiled at the show. Among others, there was a gold medal for my Christmas selection port, Taylor's Quinta de Vargellas vintage 1996 and a silver medal for Errazuriz Estate Pinot Noir 2005, which I rated 19/20 a couple of weeks back.

They say it's not what you know but who you know, which might explain why I received an invitation to the Robert Mondavi Winery 40th Anniversary Tasting at the fair, in a room with a view, far away from the madding crowds. The tasting consisted of two whites, a 1994 and 2002 Winery Reserve Fum Blanc, and nine vintages of the Winery Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.

Things were going smoothly as I got my taste buds around the '02 Fum Blanc, it's a blend of three-quarters sauvignon blanc and one-quarter semillon from Mondavi's To Kalon vineyard in the Napa Valley. Things would have probably stayed calm if it hadn't been for the presence of the cycling wine guru, Malcolm Gluck, of Superplonk fame. "Any thoughts on the 2002 Fum Blanc?" came the polite inquiry from Mondavi's master of wine, Mark de Vere, who was showing the wines.

"I think it's repulsive," replied Mr Gluck. By the end of the tasting he had retracted his statement. I think he must have been playing Devil's Advocate but it wasn't the last time Gluck and de Vere agreed to disagree.

For those of you wishing to track down earlier vintages of the Winery Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, you may find some at auction. Mark de Vere tells me that they still have some stock of the 1994 at the winery. If you are visiting California, drop in and buy a bottle, you'll need about 200 dollars, and pray it is not corked when you open it back home.

Mike travelled to London with GNER: advance purchase return fares from York to London start from £19. To book, visit www.gner.co.uk, phone 08457 225 225 or visit any staffed rail station.

Updated: 11:04 Monday, May 22, 2006