The Wine Merchant issue 147

THE WINE MERCHANT.

An independent magazine for independent retailers

Issue 147, June 2025

Merger of regional rivals creates new £5m business

and

TMerchants

wo family-run wholesalers have joined forces in a deal that both companies believe gives them the scale they need to remain competitive.

Banbury-based SH Jones and Frazier’s Wine Merchants, which has a retail warehouse in Solihull as well as its trade operation, now operate as Frazier Jones. The 22-strong team is based in Solihull,

with the Banbury site closed. Turnover will be more than £5m.

William Frazier and Richard Jones are directors of the new firm. Greg Shaw, who comes from the SH Jones team, has been appointed company secretary.

Shaw admits that “there was a little bit of friction between the two businesses historically” given their geographical

proximity, but says relations have been cordial in recent times, and that there is a natural cultural fit.

Frazier adds: “We’re both members of the Merchant Vintners buying group, so that gave us a forum, I suppose, to work together more and more. We started sharing shipping costs and so forth.”

The pandemic was a catalyst for

Dog of the month: Winnie D’Arcy Wines, Cheltenham

SH Jones

Frazier’s Wine

have consolidated operations in Solihull with the creation of Frazier Jones

Faun, the Malvern bakery and café, is opening a second site and this time it's a wine bar and bottle shop. Story: page 9.

4 comings & Goings

Good news stories abound as new indies open and others expand

15 bright ideas

A wine tasting just for the under25s proves a big success

16 david perry

Wedding wines usually send alarm bells ringing in Shaftesbury

17 the burning question

How has your street transformed over the past five years?

30 merchant profile

Off to rural Essex, where Baythorne Wines has made its home

35 focus on italy

There’s a reason why it’s a perennial favourite with indies

46 Portland wine co

Celebrating 40 years of a Greater Manchester retailing institution

51 supplier bulletin

Essential updates from the importers indies love to work with

59 Q&A: neil phillips

The Wine Tipster is the latest victim of our interrogation squad

SH Jones merges with Frazier’s

even closer co-operation. Shaw says: “Initially the conversations were about how we could save costs, and ways we could do things more efficiently. We had a few visits out to producers we had in common in Spain and elsewhere.

“Covid got us moving to a different level of trying to think more strategically and how we deal with the challenges coming along. And I guess we just allied ourselves closer and closer.”

Frazier says the combined business would benefit from SH Jones’s expertise in direct shipping. But he stressed that the new company would continue to source much of its stock from UK agents.

Shaw adds: “The value we add as a business is connecting our customers as closely as possible to our producers. If we can do that much better, that helps us in our logistics, our costs, our pricing, all those things. One of the big cost savings for us is operating out of one warehouse, and not having two sets of costs there.”

Frazier says: “There were no redundancies. Unfortunately, a couple of people who commuted to work by foot or bicycle in Banbury haven’t been able to continue the journey, but everybody else has come along.”

Retail will continue to be an important part of the set-up, but the new company has no plans to open more wine shops.

SH Jones sold its retail arm, Slurp, to Freixenet Copestick in 2017 (which recently sold it on to Waugh Wines) and a non-compete clause in the contract has now lapsed.

Shaw says: “We think there’s an opportunity to try and get more into that business-to-consumer side. It’s not going to happen immediately, but we think there’s more to be done there.

“We had six shops at one point, and it was very hard managing those. With the combined business, not necessarily at this stage, but as things settle down, we’ll have more management resource to put into the retail side. I also think there’s more developments that can happen on the website, though it’s not the immediate focus.”

Frazier adds: “We are servicing more and more independent delis and wine shops. I don’t think it would be a good idea to compete with our customers.

“For our on-trade customers, why should we be the supplier, as opposed to an Enotria or a Hallgarten? We have to demonstrate that we have a scale and ability to meet your demands before you put your trust in us.

“We’re not selling to Pizza Hut or whatever. We’re still a mom-and-pop business who sell to mom-and-pop businesses who in turn serve families.

“The real strategy behind the deal is to increase the size of the business so we can have [a wider] range and offer a diversity of products.”

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COMING DOWN THE LINE

By WSTA chief executive Miles Beale

A thawing in EU-UK relations

Last month saw the first EU-UK summit since Brexit and the agreement of a new strategic partnership.

The Agreement of a new EU-UK Security & Defence Partnership, a framework for closer co-operation on security and defence, was the least controversial outcome of the summit.

More controversial was the agreement to work towards a common sanitary and phytosanitary area and therefore remove the requirement for certificates or physical checks on the movements of animals, animal products, plants and plant products.

The UK has largely maintained inherited animal and plant health rules since Brexit – rules which are based on recognised international principles – so the commitment to maintaining alignment will have little practical effect, although it has been criticised by some as ceding power to the EU.

So what does this mean for the movement of wine between the EU and UK and vice versa? At first reading the partnership agreement changes little, if anything. Wine is not currently subject to veterinary or plant health checks so won’t benefit from the SPS agreement. And the partnership agreement maintains the UK’s status as outside of the common customs area and single market – so import and export declarations will remain.

That said, with fewer checks on other goods moving to and from the EU, the movement of freight should be easier, so wine shipments may move more quickly at the border. And with the possible access to EU e-gates for passport control, this may further improve transit times.

But as ever the devil will be in the detail, and we are waiting to see the fine print, and that may take a little while. In the meantime, it has to be a good thing that the UK and EU are engaging in meaningful dialogue and trying to find areas of common understanding.

In other news, some of you made it to see us for a drink at the end of day two of the London Wine Fair. With so much change in the air it was good to hear what’s on your minds. But it was also just one night. If we exchanged numbers then we will be in touch; if we didn’t, then drop us a line. And if you weren’t around, email us at indies@wsta.co.uk.

Find out more at wsta.co.uk

Lewes indie is also for village people

After nearly six years running retail operations at Bolney Wine Estate, Zoey Walters has opened her own wine shop in her hometown of Lewes, East Sussex.

Maggie’s is based in Western Road, a hilly 15-minute walk away from the town’s other wine shops – Symposium and Harveys – as well as Waitrose.

“I saw that a space had become available next to a brilliant butcher’s shop and thought that the time was right to branch out,” she says.

“I’m in year two of my WSET Diploma and wanted to drink more than just English wine, really.”

She adds: “I’ve only been trading for a month, but I’ve got lots of regulars already, and everyone’s been really, really positive. People are pleased that something’s opened in this end of town.”

Walters describes the range as mainly

organic. “I’ve tried to get stuff that you can’t get anywhere else in Lewes – that’s the point, really,” she says, adding that sherry and vermouth – both personal favourites – are often open for curious customers to try.

Gonzalez Byass, Hatch Mansfield, Top Selection, Top Cuvée and Good Wine Good People are among the suppliers Walters is working with.

The business is named after her late grandmother. “I loved my nan,” she says. “She loved wine. And she was such a big supporter of me when I was younger, growing up.

“She was brilliant person. She loved to party and she always had a bottle of fizz on the go. She lived in Spain half the year and she got me into cava. I’ve got fond memories of her and some nice photos to go up of her sitting next to empty bottles.”

Eventually Walters is hoping to run wine and food events, both in Lewes and the nearby village of Barcombe, where she now lives.

Zoey Walters previously ran the retail side of Bolney Wine Estate

Hot topics that could impact independent wine merchants

Picture: Helen Chesshire

Restaurant and bottle shop branches out in Folkestone

May has been busy for Pomus in Margate. The business, owned by Ryan Jarovides, has celebrated its first birthday, and created a cult-like following with customers and staff tattooing themselves with the logo (see page 28).

In addition, May also happened to be the month that Jarovides collected the keys for his new venture in Folkestone.

Pomus Folkestone will have the same offer as the original Margate business, which is a wine bar, restaurant and bottle shop, but “there will be a lot of local nuances”, says Jarovides.

“There’ll be different local beers and products. The menu will be a collaboration from the chef that we’ve taken on locally here and our chef back in Margate, plus

we’re going to have a bit more of a lunch offer here as well as a lot of other events out on the terrace, where we can do some big barbecues.”

The building has the best of both worlds with the original iconic Victorian tiles on the exterior giving away its original incarnation as a pub, but it’s already been modernised inside.

“It was the Brewery Tap until the late 90s and for the last 20 years it’s been an art gallery and creative pop-up space,” he says.

“There’s this listed fascia, which has been the same since 1890. It’s as close to having my own pub as possible! There’s still the original pub floor inside, but we’ve got big sliding doors out to a courtyard and a really nice blank canvas.

“We’ll maintain the integrity of the building by hosting art trails out in the garden and continue to do some of the things that the building has been doing for the last two decades.”

There is capacity for 60 covers, almost twice the amount of space at Margate, and Jarovides expects he’ll be splitting his time equally across both sites.

“I’ve got a really good support team. From a chef perspective, we’ve got a great team so maintaining food quality is the least of my worries,” he says.

“I’m going to be dedicating a lot of time to getting this bedded in, but I’ve taken on a new general manager in Margate who has been on the Margate food scene for years and is very well known.”

Ryan Jarovides: “It’s as close to having my own pub as possible”

Wine will play big role in new deli

Juniper & Vine in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, is the second shop for Clare and Gareth Johnston in an expansion plan that will see their deli and grocery store grow to include wine retail.

“Our first shop, The Gourmet Grocer, is predominantly fruit and veg,” explains Clare, “and we also have a bakery section and a fridge full of pre-cut cheese.”

The addition of Juniper & Vine just a few doors up the road has allowed for the installation of a cutting and deli counter so the couple can extend the range of homemade goods.

The company is working with Frazier Jones on its wine range and sourcing wines direct from local vineyard, Brook Hill.

“I guess we’re a café and a deli shop by day and three nights a week we’re a cheese and wine bar,” says Clare. “People want us to sell more wine and that’s what we’re going to branch into next by upping our wine range so we can retail it as well.

“We’re only four weeks in, and we’re already thinking about getting rid of one of our fridges and keeping our big fridge on the deli side, so we could maybe put in a bar.

“It’s funny because the other day, we had a lady who had to wait probably half a minute in The Gourmet Grocer while we made a coffee for someone to take away, and she mumbled as she was going out the

door something like: ‘gone are the days where a shop is a shop’.

“I didn’t hear her, annoyingly, because I would have said to her, ‘gone are the days where a shop on the high street can survive just by being a shop’.

“You have to have so many strings to your bow. Having bums on seats during the day is great and having coffee is lovely, but that’s not enough revenue. People popping in to buy cheese or popping in to buy wine is actually the route that we need to go down.”

Surrey merchant consolidates

The Guildford Wine Company in Shalford, Surrey, closed its doors at the end of May.

The company continues to operate from its Grayshott Wine Company store in Hindhead, which opened in 2018, and has also maintained its delivery service in the Shalford area, where it has been trading since 2006.

Owner Ben Watkins says: “It is my decision and a largely personal one in wanting to downsize after 30 years in the trade and 19 years in Shalford.”

Bacchus

Champagne on ice(berg)

Hallgarten is delighted with its new Champagne (no, not that one – wait for the official announcement). Abelé 1757 may be making its debut with a UK distributor, but it has already had the distinction of being served aboard the Titanic. There’s a persistent rumour that the bottle of Champagne used to launch the ship didn’t smash, a detail that took on ominous significance in the wake of the disaster. But it’s a myth: the Titanic wasn’t launched with a bottle of Champagne, Abelé or otherwise.

Decompress in Majestic

Not all multiples pose a threat to indies. Indeed, one cheerfully reports that he can’t even gain access to his local Majestic. “I needed some vermouth, something that I don’t sell. Getting in there is like getting into Fort Knox. There’s a sort of double door with a kind of decompression chamber. I pushed the doorbell, nobody answered so I couldn’t get in. I just gave up and went to Waitrose instead.”

Politeness pays for Louise

After months away from running with an ACL injury, Louise Oliver at Seven Cellars in Brighton showed no signs of race rust when she chased down a thief outside her shop in a famously hilly part of the city. “It was like a kind of bizarre relay race,” she tells us. How so? Well, it seems that, in the most cordial shoplifting intervention of all time, Louise simply asked politely if she could have her wine back. “He passed me the wine from behind while we were both in motion,” she says. Louise rolled straight back into the tasting she was hosting at the time, after displaying a performance worthy of study by both the police and Team GB.

Ben Watkins

Just a few doors away from the original shop

Former Bristol rivals join forces

Bristol independent DBM Wines has bolstered its wholesale operation with a merger with RS Wines, a former rival in the city established 40 years ago by Raj Soni.

DBM, which has a store in Clifton Village, says Soni is “highly regarded for his knowledge and expertise in supplying West Country on-trade and top-end restaurants”.

The company adds: “DBM are delighted to welcome Raj to the DBM fold and hugely look forward to working with him and supporting the many customers and suppliers with whom he has such strong relationships.

“The combination of Raj’s and DBM’s existing on-trade business provides us both with excellent opportunities, and we look forward to continued growth in the years ahead.”

Soni says: “The move gives me the time to focus on the things that matter: our great customers and our wines, whilst DBM manage the logistics and fulfilment on my behalf.

“I have known Richard Davis, Aidan Bell and Edward Clarke for many years and am excited at the opportunities this new relationship offers. We look forward to a long and happy cooperation.”

Edward Clarke of DBM Wines says: “Raj has been a leading light in the Bristol wine scene for four decades and we have always admired his knowledge and passion, so we are thrilled to join forces and grow our businesses together.”

DBM’s retail business is “holding up”, according to Bell, but facing issues that many indies will recognise.

Bell says: “The key to it has been the work our team are putting into shop events that help continue to grow our customer base.

“There is a significant pedestrianisation scheme being constructed outside our

shop this spring which is disruptive. When it settles the streetscape will be smart, but it does of course change the dynamic of vehicle access to our shop which in itself is disruptive.

“Our shop location lends itself to a hybrid model but for the moment we would prefer to support our local wholesale customers rather than compete with them, so we will not move this forward at present.

“Mail order has its ups and downs: in general customers have a nose for a deal and will come on board if it is well priced, rare, mature or limited supply.

“The fine wine end of the market has been hard hit by the Asia slowdown and the disruption of Trumpanomics and the tariffs situation. It will find a balance eventually, but there’s not much sign of an uptick yet.”

Howarth set up the business 12 years ago

Barry’s ready to bow out at 70

Lancaster Wine Company is up for sale as owner Barry Howarth is planning his retirement.

Howarth and his wife Fiona launched the shop on the south side of the city 12 years ago.

“I’m 70 years old next July,” he says, “so

I decided it’s time to retire. If we haven’t sold the business by January or February next year, we’ve got a six-month clause on the lease, so we could just give notice and close it down. We’ve put a lot of hard work into it, so it’d be really nice for it to carry on.”

“I have got a couple of people who are seriously interested in it at the moment. One of them has worked in the wine trade a long while and the other is just very, very keen on wine and wants to relocate from London. He’s not happy with his job and wants to invest in a wine shop.”

Details can be found at Blacks Business Brokers who are handling the sale, or interested parties can contact Howarth direct.

London says goodbye to MILF

Made in Little France has disappeared from London’s wine retailing scene after 10 years of trading in the capital.

Of the three shops originally owned by Maxence Masurier, the Stoke Newington branch will continue as a wine merchant while the fate of the shops in Notting Hill and Clerkenwell remains a bit of a mystery. Masurier claims to have sold the stores to independent businesses but the identity of these had not been revealed as The Wine Merchant went to press.

It has been confirmed that the Church Street store in Stokey will be home to Shrine to the Vine, a third branch for the retail brand from the Noble Rot founders Mark Andrew and Dan Keeling.

Andrew says: “There will be some renovation work to do, and we expect to open in early June, but that could change.

“It will join the other two Shrine shops in helping us share the wines we love and we’re excited about the opportunity to do that in a thriving neighbourhood like Stoke Newington.”

Malvern bar aims to build off-sales

Faun in Malvern, Worcestershire, started life as a bakery but the second site for the business is a dedicated wine bar and bottle shop.

Launched just before lockdown by Jon White and Shona Kelly, Faun was a specialist bakery, patisserie and café.

Adam Lee, bar manager at the newly opened premises on Belle Vue Terrace, explains: “It was so popular so they moved from Church Street to a bigger site in the Worcester Road. Then they started doing Friday night simple suppers, which were meals cooked in-house and paired with natural wines.

“That’s when people started asking for a wine bar. It’s not something that Malvern had before, so Jon and Shona thought

‘right, let’s set up a wine bar’.”

The story may have started with natural wine, but Lee says the range is about getting the best they can from small family producers.

“We’ve got classic wines as well as organic and biodynamic wines. We’re leaning into local producers as well. We’ve got a couple of wines from Coddington Vineyards and from Astley’s up near Stourport. There’s a micro-winery in Gloucestershire called One Another, and he uses grapes from Essex.

“We’re going to have events and tastings, and we’ll get Astley’s to come down and chat through their range. We really want to showcase what English wine has to offer.

“We have local mead as well as local cider. We have a good relationship with Little Pomona.”

Faun is also working with Les Caves de Pyrene, Wine Freedom and Tanners.

“Jon and Shona’s passion is making great tasting and interesting food using ingredients from local producers and we’re all coming together to make sure that the wine range reflects that,” says Lee.

“Everyone’s been good at understanding what we want to put together here, and really happy that there’s something in this area that they can be a part of.”

The ratio of bar sales to retail is 90% to 10%, but it’s early days. “We're going to do more work to towards increasing the retail,” says Lee.

“We have about 100 wines by the bottle available to take away or drink in, and we have about 10 by the glass that we rotate. We can seat 25, so it’s quite cosy.

“We are highlighting fresh, tasty wellmade food through cheese plates and charcuterie boards and we don’t want people to rush. We want it to be very casual and more thoughtful.”

The new Faun branch on Belle Vue Terrace

Welsh indie hopes for more footfall

Wnco Mwnco, the independent wine merchant in Cardigan, is set to move to new premises.

The business has been operating within the Welsh town’s Guildhall since Matthew Jones started the business 11 months ago. Now a nearby premises has been found that he hopes will generate more footfall and allow the business to become a hybrid wine shop and bar.

“I’ve seen market halls that are absolutely thriving all over the country,” says Jones, “and I thought this one would be something similar, but it’s just never going to be that.

“I had a licence to sell on and offpremise, but it never became a place where people might actually want to sit and enjoy a glass of wine. It was always a bit tumbleweeds.”

Jones acknowledges that he didn’t move to west Wales from the “hustle and bustle of working and living in Manchester” to work bar hours. But he says he would like the option for the business to grow and allow him to employ someone to work those later hours.

“The market hall would only ever be open until 5pm anyway, so it was kind of a moot point,” he adds.

The new premises is licensed until 10pm should he need it, and as well as being twice the size, there’s a terrace at the front for tables and chairs.

“It’ll be good to have some proper shelf space for the things that I’ve bought in already – I’m a bit compulsive so I’ve been buying things I don’t have room for – and there’s definitely scope for more shelving and more lines.”

Existing Wnco Mwnco customers won’t have to go far to find him: “that guy over there” (the translation of the business name) will be just a 200-metre walk away at Pendre Corner.

Above: Matthew Jones hosting a hen night event Below: Wnco Mwnco’s new premises

Indie finds perfect site in Whitley Bay

District Bottle Shop will open in Whitley Bay this summer. It took Philip Richardson over two years to find the perfect premises on Park View, a location so popular that there were bidding wars on vacant sites.

While he was on the lookout, Richardson spotted an article in The Times proclaiming the north east coastal town as one of the most desirable areas in the UK.

“That was a bit of a double-edged sword,” he says. “It’s great to know that Park View has become one of the hippest streets in the country, but I was still trying to find somewhere to open my shop. There were 15-plus people all going for the same premises.”

By November last year he’d secured a site and licensing was granted by New Year. Now he is joined by Laura Parker, who was previously working at Majestic in Gosforth.

“A lot of my wine friends have worked at Majestic at some point,” says Parker, “because it is such good training and a great place for your foundation knowledge.

“My grandfather was a wine merchant in London and he passed that knowledge on to my mum and she always taught me about wine, so I think it’s in my genes anyway.

“I’ve made my passion my career. I think it’s going to be really exciting [working for an independent] because while Majestic is great for a certain type of market, we’re trying to introduce the lesser-known regions and it’s all about education and having fun.”

Richardson expects District Bottle Shop will open at the end of this month or, failing that, July. He’s envisioning the business will be a 50-50 split between retail and onpremise drinking.

“We’ve got space for about 35 covers and we’ll be doing 12 to 15 wines by the glass and we’re aiming for about 400 lines for retail,” he says.

Richardson is already working with about 10 suppliers including Enotria&Coe, North South Wines and Gonzalez Byass.

“Those three were easy for us to choose because we know those reps really well and they have great portfolios,” he says. Indigo, Wanderlust and Passione Vino will also see their wines on the shelves.

When Richardson lived in Newcastle, his friendly neighbourhood wine merchant was Carruthers & Kent. “I lived around

the corner from their shop and Claire and Mo are really good pals,” he says. “They’ve been out and had a good look around my new premises.”

Philip Richardson spent two years looking for the right location

Laura Parker previously worked at Majestic

Former Vineking shop is thriving

The East Molesey branch of The Vineking is now owned by Rachel de Lange, the previous manager.

Five months on from the sale, the rebrand is complete and The Vineking’s Eric Laan says he thinks de Lange is “doing a cracking job’’ with the site he had for nine years.

“We always loved running that site,” adds Laan. “It was great, but increasingly it became more and more on-trade led. I just couldn’t dedicate the time to be up there

and help out in the evenings to make sure it was all working as best we could.

“I was chatting to Rachel, and she said she was interested in possibly doing something herself. So we sold it to her and I think it worked out for both parties really well.”

Now trading as The Wine Room, de Lange is fully embracing the hybrid model with a calendar full of tastings, including a BYOB (“bring your own baby”) tasting event.

“From mums with babies to a romantic date night, we want to create a space that welcomes everyone to enjoy the world of wine,” says de Lange.

Meanwhile, The Vineking has

consolidated with two shops in Reigate, although Laan admits future expansion isn’t off the table. “We’d love to get back up to Weybridge at some point, but now is not the right time,” he says.

Smiling Matt is off on his travels

The Smiling Grape Company in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, closed earlier this year to enable owner Matt Ellis to concentrate on his low-cost beer website, a venture which he says “dwarfed everything else”.

Last month, he received “a nice offer from a local businessman” to buy the beer website, so now Ellis is completely free to continue his wine tour business, which initially launched in 2018 as Smiling Grape Adventure Tours.

The first trip he did was a wine tasting in the Chernobyl exclusion zone and many visits to ex-Soviet wineries followed, along with a world pub crawl taking in eight countries, four continents and 25,000 miles.

Under the newly formed company, Tipple Tours, which he’s running with Andy Biddle, the pair will be hosting a trip to Moldova before embarking on some beer tours through America.

• Amathus has opened in Oxford. The city centre store is the 14th retail outlet for the group.

Andy Biddle, left, with Matt Ellis

The East Molesey site is a natural fit for on-premise sales

DUNCAN MCLEAN

Northabout

Our shop is steeped in history. But which version of events shall we go with?

If you’re launching a new enterprise you have to discover or invent a story to draw attention to yourself and attract customers. “I was a City trader earning millions, but my passion for qvevris made me give it all up for 10 square metres in Hackney Wick …” “The north west Highlands were entirely starved of kombucha, I had to fill the gap …” “On honeymoon in Tahiti, we discovered some amazing Muscats. And they weren’t imported into the UK! Best of all, we get two vintages a year …”

If, on the other hand, you’re the latest custodian of a long-running business, the challenge is different: which of the dozens of stories you’ve inherited from years past are you going to construct your own story from? Which version of tradition are you going to invent? For me, even saying when our shop first opened requires some invention.

The signs outside say “Kirkness & Gorie: Whisky, Cheese and Wine, since 1859”, which is a neat rhyme I’ve long believed to reflect the truth. But recent research by former proprietor Bruce Gorie has revealed that it’s more complex than that. It’s true, our shop first advertised “WINES! TEAS!! GROCERIES!!!” in the Orkney Herald

There’s been gin smuggling, gasworks in the garden, attempted murder, a boy called Alison …

on May 23, 1859. But our name then was simpler: James Kirkness, Grocer and SpiritDealer. James eventually retired, with his son John taking over the business, but John died young and unmarried, leaving the shop without a shopkeeper. Nature abhors a vacuum, and entrepreneurial families abhor a business without a leader.

So James’s daughter, Mary, persuaded her husband, John Gorie, a 45-year-old solicitor’s cashier, to make a career change. It was in May 1919 that the shop’s name changed from James Kirkness to Kirkness & Gorie, as it has remained to this day.

I knew about the 1919 evolution but glossed over it in our marketing: 1859 rhymes with wine and 1919 doesn’t. Anyway, it was the same business, just with a slightly different name. What was new to me was that the family business actually started several years before 1859: its origins go back to 1845.

James Kirkness didn’t start his enterprise alone: he was supported by his wife, Margaret Copland. In fact, it might be more accurate to say that James supported Margaret. At the very least, it was Margaret

who provided the initial opportunity. She was the daughter of William Copland and Barbara Scott, who had bought the shop premises on Whitsunday, May 15, 1845, for £325. The funds for this came from William’s five years as a cooper with the Hudson’s Bay Company in northern Canada – a frequent rite of passage in the 19th century for Orcadians with nothing to lose and dreams of a better life. In a letter home in 1826 William wrote, “it is my ernest wish if my time was out there is nothing that would keep me in the country it is very disagreeable. I am doing all in my power to save all I can as it is much needing there is no pleasure here at all.”

But maybe 1845 wasn’t the start either, for William returned from Canada in 1829. What was he doing with his Hudson’s Bay savings for those 16 years? Initially he worked as a cooper, but when he pops up in official documents on April 24, 1838, it’s as a licensee. The following year, records confirm he was running a “Shop & premises Below the Bridge”. A near neighbour in Bridge Street was seven-yearold James Kirkness, who would later marry William’s daughter Margaret Copland, who would give birth to Mary Kirkness who would marry John Gorie, who would be the father of Patrick who would marry Minnie Swanson, who would give the world Bruce Gorie and his sister, Ola Gorie, who had a daughter called Ingrid, who I married in December 1994 … and so ended up a sixthgeneration wine merchant.

All this just to get to the starting line. I haven’t even begun to choose which events to thread together into our official story: the gin smuggling, the gasworks in the garden, the attempted murder, the petition to parliament, a boy called Alison, battles with the temperance movement, the crashed US Navy jet and the 1am order for 200 gallons of milk, the smallest bonded warehouse in the UK, the late-night call from Buckingham Palace, bottling Burgundy on the shopfloor …

Too much history! Too many stories! Did I ever tell you about the time I brewed kombucha in a qvevri? On Tahiti!

Duncan McLean is proprietor of Kirkness & Gorie, Kirkwall

Kirkness circa 1860

TRIED & TESTED

Domaine Orion Chablis 2022

Lean, mean and clean with freshly-cut green apples ripping around a chalky, citrus, pithy texture; saline and mineral. Fermented with indigenous yeasts, this is a vivid reflection of the Kimmeridgian soils on which it is grown. The scallops and oysters have been done before … try this with roasted chicken in a creamy lemon sauce.

RRP: £28

ABV: 12.5%

Halo Wines (020 3633 0310)

halo-wines.co.uk

Gerd Stepp Mineralstein

Pinot Noir 2023

Stepp’s ethos is one of freshness and elegance. A fourday cold soak prior to spontaneous fermentation, then gentle punch-downs and old oak ageing creates this shimmering Pinot. Lifted and vibrant with a sappy crunch, it’s all cranberries, raspberries and violets with a tangy line of dried clementine.

RRP: £21 ABV: 13%

Ucopia World Wines (01435 517080) ucopiawines.co.uk

Hacienda Araucano Humo Blanco Sauvignon Blanc 2024

Certified organic and biodynamic from vineyards in the Colchagua valley. Exotic and intensely aromatic with quince, pineapple, lime and bell pepper, it’s extremely refreshing with a mouthwatering acidity and texture from some pre-fermentation skin maceration. Break out your delicate Thai dishes for this one.

RRP: £15.79 ABV: 13%

Condor Wines (07508 825488) condorwines.co.uk

Ignaz Niedrist Girlan Pinot Nero

Riserva 2020

An Alto Adige Pinot that could brush shoulders with Burgundy. A beautiful aromatic profile of violets, spearmint, red cherries, pomegranate and a subtle touch of cedar. It’s got the classy, silky mouth feel that great Pinot must have; lovely waves of red fruit coat every corner of the palate into a long, mineral finish.

RRP: £40 ABV: 13.5%

Vin de Vie (07707 778719) vindevie.co.uk

Marco Lubiana Chardonnay 2023

This is a testament to the range of styles possible in Tasmania. Lubiana’s is rich and generous with an unyielding texture. It’s lemon juice squeezed over Greek yogurt; fleshy golden apples sprinkled with sea salt. Even with 100% malolcatic, the Derwent Valley fruit provides a pleasing rush of acid.

RRP: £49.50 ABV: 13%

LC Selections lcselections.com

Rainoldi Valtellina Superiore Inferno Riserva 2022

Inferno is part of the Valtellina Superiore DOCG, known for the most powerful wines of the region. This perhaps feels more Piedmont than Lombardy; very serious and muscular. It has fistfuls of dense, spicy red fruit at its core and with a subtle scattering of scorched rose petals on top. A wine with a long life ahead of it.

RRP: £30.50 ABV: 13% Wickhams (01803 467547) wickhamwine.co.uk

Matias Riccitelli This is Not Another Lovely Malbec 2023

From limestone soils 1400m above sea level, 50% of the fruit is whole-bunch fermented and the wine then ages in concrete. There’s a cold, dense purity of blueberry fruit with violets and a touch of stemmy greenness. Loads to chew on: an enthralling expression of an often-predictable variety.

RRP: £18.75 ABV: 12.5% Hallgarten & Novum Wines (01582 722538) hnwines.co.uk

Catherine Marshall Clay Fermented Chenin Blanc 2023

Old bush vines from Stellenbosch give the fruit concentration: golden apples, honey glazed nectarines and pear skin. Elgin grapes provide an unmistakable minerality: wet stones on the nose and a granitic tension throughout the palate with a gripping acidity. Amphorae add a touch of sourdough and wet clay.

RRP: £24.75 ABV: 13.5% Seckford Agencies (01206 231188) seckfordagencies.co.uk

In a nutshell: Tackle the perennial question of how to engage young people with wine by holding an exclusive tasting just for them.

Tell us more …

“I do lots of tastings, but it is the same old people who come, which is great, but you want to increase your reach a bit, so I thought I’d focus on a wine tasting for the under-25s.

“Both my daughter, Poppy, and Emma, who is working here at the moment, said that tasting with older people can feel a bit intimidating and that it was important for people to be in a group with their peers, not feel any judgement and be confident that they were all on the same level.”

Did you choose a theme?

“I really just did the basics: a fizz, a red, white, rosé and a dessert wine. I only charged £10 as I wanted it to be a very low barrier for entry. We went a bit off-piste in places as there were a couple of Australians there, so obviously we had to open an Australian wine as well. But we were in the shop, so we could open extra things.

“We put in a few stories, and explained that it wasn’t just about the soil, climate and grape variety but the people behind it and that made it more interesting.”

What can you tell us about the people who attended?

“Emma was the youngest there, at 22. I’d

Charlotte Dean Wined Up here, Norbiton, south west London

say most were about 23 and there were a couple of 25 year-olds. There were lots of trainee lawyers, and I think that’s interesting, because at some point they will probably be entertaining people for work and will need to know how to negotiate a wine list. So that might be quite a good subject for another wine tasting.”

How did you get the word out to people that the event was happening?

“It was all word of mouth and mostly their parents are my customers. So the mums sent them along. They told their friends and we ended up with about four or five groups of twos and threes. It was a really enjoyable evening and they all said they wanted to come again.”

What did you learn from the event?

“Emma said that it’s typical for that age group to go for the cheapest wine because they think that a ‘nice’ wine is inaccessible and super-expensive. She thought this was a really good way to break down that misconception. You can have a really nice wine with a really good story, and it doesn’t have to break the bank.

“We provided a welcoming environment: we had bread and cheese and people could just chat. It was informal, there was no pressure, so I hope if they wanted to go on and do a WSET course, they’d feel more confident and prepared.

“We know what a lovely world wine is, and we just want to pass it on to the younger generation.”

Charlotte wins a WBC gift box containing some premium drinks and a box of chocolates.

Tell us about a bright idea that’s worked for you and you too could win a prize.

Email claire@winemerchantmag.com

The tasting featured one example of fizz, followed by red, white, rosé and dessert wine

DAVID PERRY

Irregular Thoughts

I’ve got wedding day nerves. And it’s not even me that’s getting married

Ishould be delighted when a couple come in and announce they are getting married, but my heart sinks. Not because I think that it’s a bad idea – I’ve done it twice – but because I know it’s likely to be a huge hassle for relatively little return.

A professional wedding planner can explain the reality and manage expectations, but many couples prefer to do it themselves. It is unlikely they will have any experience of organising their own wedding. If they do it is likely to be a simple event. The issues come when they sit down and work out the budget, especially if, in their innocence, they haven’t factored in the £20 a bottle the venue expects as corkage.

The initial conversation usually begins with negotiating a price for hundreds of bottles and then expecting the same price once they have realised that they only need

and can afford two dozen. Sometimes they expect to be able to taste a dozen wines for free before deciding which ones they may want two dozen of. That is generally the point where they begin to understand the reality.

Inevitably we remember the bad ones. They make better stories. Of course some are delightful, but who goes home and tells their partner that a lovely couple made a sensible decision and were no problem at all? An easy but memorable one was an older chap who pulled up in a mucky

A price is negotiated for hundreds of bottles ... they then expect the same price when they realise they only need and can afford two dozen

Land Rover and bought two magnums of Champagne because he was getting married the next day. It was memorable because he paid in pound coins. He explained it was the egg money from the honesty box by his farm gate. I don’t suppose he had much spare time to plan a lavish wedding, but he got my blessing.

Another time a posh-looking lady stood by the cider and asked what I could do for her daughter’s wedding with a budget of £5. “Per person?” I asked. “No, per bottle,” she replied. “Oh, sorry – were you thinking of cider?” Apparently not.

My younger daughter Rosie got married last summer in Yorkshire. Luckily she is super-organised. She collected all the wine months in advance from me in Dorset. She had Furleigh Estate English sparkling (seven for six at the time from Thorman Hunt) after the ceremony at a venue owned by Leeds Council. They were charged the non-Champagne corkage of £12 instead of £25.

At the reception we had Bernard Robert Champagne (also seven for six from Thorman Hunt) and Saint-Véran (yup, seven cases for six too) plus a decent Rhône (20% off ship-to-order offer from Daniel Lambert Wines). The reception venue was owned by Rosie’s friends so there was no corkage. It proves that you can do it well without it costing the earth. Well, for nothing if your dad owns a wine shop.

In contrast, at about the same time, we were asked to provide wines for a local wedding. Although living in south London, they had fallen in love with a venue on a farm near here. Their guests were coming from London and Southampton, mainly by train. The venue is about four miles from the train station and there are no buses or taxis. I knew from the start it wasn’t going to be easy.

The order started generously and quickly got whittled down to about £250 but could they pay the £2,000 rate? Initially it was to be delivered the day before to the venue but at the last minute they needed it delivered to the caterer who could chill it. The caterer needed to receive it at 7am on the actual day at her premises in the

Don’t forget to add on £20-a-bottle corkage

middle of nowhere. We did it but vowed to never get involved in weddings again … until the next time.

We are currently dealing with a wedding order for a couple of months’ time which is giving me a few sleepless nights. The mother of the bride is a customer I met when we first opened. She has been a good but irregular customer since. Irregular because she has an apartment in a stately home near here but her main home is in Hong Kong (and also Canada and the French Alps). She is charming so when she visited in January with her husband, asking if I could do the wine for their daughter’s wedding, I agreed straight away. They bought samples of Champagne and red and white Burgundy.

Last week they emailed from HK asking for 200 bottles of each. They liked the Champagne but wanted more expensive Burgundies – a lot more expensive. The ones they asked for would have to be shipped to order, if they were available. There is still plenty of time.

I know I should be thrilled with such a big order (roughly four weeks’ normal turnover) but can I cope with it? Dealing with the super-rich requires a specialism I have yet to develop. At about 3am it struck me that I cannot easily receive or store 100 six-packs in my little shop. And also the weight, about a tonne, is above the limit for my little van (I said I could deliver!) It was starting to get complicated. Another issue was that I knew the venue could cater for a maximum of 200 people. Even for the two-day event it was three times more than they were likely to drink.

It’s almost sorted now. They revised the order down a bit on my advice. Patrice, Daniel Lambert’s man in Burgundy, has checked availability and confirmed the price. And Daniel has offered to deliver it directly to the venue, bless him! I have the Champagne ringfenced when the next shipment lands in a couple of weeks. They have acknowledged that they can’t return any and they have also agreed to pay well in advance! What could go wrong?

I’ll let you know.

? THE BURNING QUESTION

How has your street changed in the past five years?

�There has been a demographic shift on the south side of Glasgow in general. We have had more young professionals move into the area which has meant bakeries, coffee shops etc springing up. We have also found that the demand for good quality wine is coming from an even younger customer base, who are looking for quality over quantity and are keen to be educated.”

Dayton Joline

Curious Liquids, Shawlands, Glasgow

�There has been quite a bit of change. The town now seems to be dominated by coffee shops and eateries, with several new ventures opening up. It’s a shame that a few of the smaller more specialist shops have closed, which definitely brought locals into the town. The biggest impact on the high street has been the introduction of parking meters, which puts a lot of people off popping to town due to the added inconvenience.”

Heather Smith

The Solent Cellar, Lymington, Hampshire

�The biggest change has been the arrival of a Gail’s. This is the first chain to have landed in our little enclave, and it was met with much consternation. In reality, it’s been a blessing. It has forced other businesses nearby to either up their game or let other entrepreneurs have a go. We’ve also recently gained a greengrocer, and the ‘posh Spar’ a couple of doors up now has a superb butcher’s concession. All things seem to point to an appetite for local independent specialist retailers, which is brilliant news for everyone.”

Mikey Studer H Champagne winner H Hometipple, north London

�There are fewer shops and more beauticians, hairdressers and estate agents popping up. Sunday used to be a vibrant night for hospitality, but not so much now. Monday and Tuesday we see fewer women and mostly men out and about enjoying a drink. We wonder if people go out to eat in the week anymore, as that seems to have dropped off in the area too. Weekends are still busy but patterns are more unpredictable.”

Nick Robinson, Kilo Wines, Loughborough

Champagne Gosset

The oldest wine house in Champagne: Äy 1584

in Dorset

David Perry is the owner of Shaftesbury Wines

SPARKLING

FAMILLE MOUTARD CHAMPAGNE

GRANDE CUVÉE BRUT

Champagne – Côte des Bar

RRP £30

The signature cuvée from Famille Moutard, this expressive Champagne delivers a generous blend of black cherry, candied pink grapefruit and classic brioche notes. Crafted from 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay from 20-year-old vines, it’s elegant yet approachable with a refined mousse and well-balanced palate. Aged with care to enhance richness and finesse, this cuvée is available in formats from half-bottles to jeroboams – a flexible and characterful choice for any independent range. Famille Moutard has made wine since 1642 and Champagne since 1927.

BALLANCIN PROSECCO SUPERIORE CONEGLIANOVALDOBBIADENE DOCG

Conegliano-Valdobbiadene, Treviso, Italy

RRP £12

A refined Prosecco Superiore from one of the region’s historic family producers. This Extra Dry style offers a vibrant nose of lemon zest and wild strawberries, with delicate hints of toast and honey. The palate is creamy and structured, thanks to time on lees, with refreshing citrus and red berry fruit balanced by a fine bead and long finish. This wine reflects the family’s generations of vineyard work. Founder Lino Ballancin bought the land in the 1960s, and his sons Sergio and Antonio now continue his legacy of quality and care.

FAMILLE MOUTARD CHAMPAGNE

PINOT BLANC

Champagne – Côte des Bar

RRP £33

A rare, refined Champagne, this 100% Pinot Blanc cuvée shows the grape’s full potential in sparkling form. Expect lifted aromas of white blossom, orchard fruit and brioche, followed by a crisp yet creamy palate of apple, pear and citrus, finishing with minerality and toasted almond.

Crafted by winemaker Benoît Moutard, the blend combines 70% from the 2022 vintage with 30% reserve wine, and spends 20 months on lees. Malolactic fermentation is used to enhance freshness and structure. A refined, food-friendly Champagne that stands out for its rarity and elegance.

47 ANNO DOMINI FRANCIACORTA DOCG BRUT

Lombardy, Italy

RRP £22

An elegant Franciacorta that shows the finesse and complexity of Italy’s top sparkling region.

Fresh green apple, citrus blossom and toasted brioche lead the aromatics, followed by a crisp palate of lemon zest, pear and almond. Fine bubbles and a creamy texture offer a sophisticated mouth feel, with a clean, mineral finish.

Made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc, this Brut spends 24 months on lees to build depth and finesse. An ideal alternative to Champagne for customers seeking Italian sophistication at excellent value.

TREVISANA BIO RABOSO FRIZZANTE

Veneto IGT, Italy

RRP £11

Vibrant, juicy and organic, this ruby-red frizzante is a fresh take on Raboso – a native Venetian variety known for its bold character. Aromas of wild berries and Morello cherry lead into a dry, fruit-forward palate with great structure and acidity. Served chilled, it’s a delicious aperitif and equally at home with charcuterie, cheese or fruity desserts. Made by a small organic winery in the heart of Veneto, this wine is sustainably produced using solar energy and traditional practices. Equalitas certified for sustainable viticulture, this is a quality fizz with eco credentials and shelf appeal.

TOMMY BACCO 0% SPARKLING WINE

Veneto, Italy

RRP £7

A standout alcohol-free spumante with real sparkle and personality. Made from premium grape must, Tommy Bacco retains varietal character and freshness through a specialised low-intervention process. The wine is straw yellow in colour with a lively mousse, and aromas of ripe apple, white peach and acacia flower. The palate is gently sweet, well-balanced by fresh acidity and a persistent finish.

Crafted in Veneto, this 0% fizz is a great option for sober celebrations or daytime occasions. Perfect for display in mixed sparkling selections or as part of an alcoholfree edit for independents.

Sponsored feature Find out more at lanchesterwines.co.uk

ROB HOULT

Another Thing

My sense of smell comes and goes. There are days when my nose knows nowt

Iburned my toast this morning. Now that may seem a trivial thing, but the issue is more: how did I burn my toast?

The bakers I normally get my bread from are on holiday for a couple of weeks so I’ve had to get my mid-life crisis hipster sourdough from another place. It apparently doesn’t need as long in the toaster and so, instead of being lovely golden brown, it was charcoal. I only noticed when the toaster began thinking it was taking part in the selection of a new pope.

Why didn’t I notice the toast was burning before the appearance of tendrils of smoke? Surely I should have been able to smell the early signs of singeing – but, alas, no. My nose was not working. There are days when my nose knows nowt.

It’s five years since the whole Covid thing and, as weird and destabilising as it was for everyone, it was certainly a good time to be a wine merchant. Hectic, uncertain and exhausting, but very profitable, and we’re still seeing the benefit now.

But at some point I must have got Covid. I never tested positive, and we tested a lot. In the autumn of 2020, I noticed that I couldn’t smell anything. I wandered round the kitchen opening jars of spices and sniffing furiously in a vain hope of reawakening my olfactory bulb. It didn’t stop me drinking but it certainly removed a major part of the enjoyment

Then one evening in February 2021 I put my nose in my glass and suddenly sat bolt

upright. I could smell! I ran into the kitchen and grabbed a jar of ground cinnamon. Wowzers! What a smell. I was overjoyed, giddy and, most of all, relieved. My nose is my secret weapon, my superpower: it’s had years of training, allowing me to be a moderately mediocre wine peddler. The sense of relief was palpable; I may well have opened a few more bottles, just to be sure. My joy wasn’t to last, though, because my body has decided to play a trick on me. My sense of smell comes and it goes. I don’t know when I wake up in the morning whether today will be a good day or a bad day and it’s rather frustrating, to say the least.

In this trade we rely heavily on our sense of smell. But the wider public don’t seem to attach quite so much importance to it. Imagine if you occasionally woke up completely blind. I’m sure if you went to the doctor they would start to run a barrage of tests to work out the cause. I’ve asked them about my predicament and been told that this does sometimes happen: “You could try a regular smelling regime to try and get it back.” This is the equivalent of telling a blind person to “look a bit harder” or suggesting to a deaf person that they “try listening a little more”.

It’s a tough thing to admit, particularly to your peers, but there are times when I am not capable of doing a very important part of the job. I’ve had plenty of long thoughts about whether I should pursue a different career. I could go back to my previous job, making maps of sewers – my predicament would become a benefit there. My wife, however, has told me that I am not allowed to stop doing this job. Luckily Bridget has a terrific palate so I guess I’m not really that important in the scheme of things anyway. It’s good to know your place.

I have felt rather Proustian while this has all been going on. Overthinking my relationship with the smell of things and the emotions it creates. Yes, I have cried whilst eating: it was a cake baked by my sister-in-law to a recipe my late mother used to make, even though said cake was heavier than an elephant and quite stodgy, but it was a perfect recreation of a Sunday afternoon classic and it just shows how important our sense memory is.

My problem has increased my appreciation of how important so many seemingly mundane smells are, and I think that’s a good thing. Crikey – these days, when my sense of smell is in gear, I actually get giddy when the dog farts.

On a less stomach-turning note, as an inquisitive so-and-so with access to the internet, I have obviously Googled this issue and pretty much been given the same advice as noted previously, and even the purchase of a full Le Nez du Vin set hasn’t helped.

The spectacular Canigou mountain, visible from all across Roussillon

I could go back to my previous job, making maps of sewers – my predicament would become a benefit there

The only thing I have found that seems to work is exercise. A tough hour with my PT in the gym, a solid 10-mile run or a HIT class on Peloton seems to flick the switch back to full smell-o-vision. So maybe it’s not all bad; maybe it’s my body figuring out a way to balance out the rather excessive drinking I do. If I really want to enjoy wine, then I’m going to need to earn that enjoyment through good old-fashioned sweat and hard work. Darwinism at its finest.

Rob Hoult owns Hoults Wine Merchants in Huddersfield

With Flying Füchs

1. Which popular white variety from Italy has alternative names including Valentin, Favorita and Rolle?

2. How much does it cost to join The Wine Society? (a) Nothing (b) £25 (c) £40

3. How many wines does London merchant Hedonism claim to have in its range? (a) 6,500 (b) 7,500 (c) 8,500

4. Cold stabilisation, a technique used in white and rosé wine production, removes which unwanted substance? (a) Tartaric acid (b) Dead yeast (c) Sulphites

Club Oenologique wine magazine is associated with which competition?

nswers on page 23

Rising Stars

As Pomus in Margate celebrates its first birthday, owner Ryan Jarovides is also taking the opportunity to thank a member of the team who has been on board since the start.

Interviewing Courtney, Ryan saw beyond her lack of confidence to the potential of the person in front of him. Twelve months later, Courtney has got her first promotion and is about to embark on her WSET journey.

“When Courtney joined us she was afraid to even answer the telephone,” says Ryan. “She had big confidence issues but she was such a sweet, lovely girl. We weren’t sure exactly where she was going to fit in, and we thought maybe back-of-house in more of a support role. But she’s really grown in her confidence to the point that she’s becoming one of our supervisors.

“When you’re running a business, the most important thing is how people interact with your guests and there’s a way you hope your team members will speak to people. Whenever I hear her speaking with customers, it’s exactly the tone and exactly the knowledge and exactly the warmth that I try to put across, so I feel like she embodies everything we’re trying to do.

“I’ve been knocking around for 30 years doing different things and I think probably the one thing I seem to be able to know is if someone’s a goodie or a baddie. I just had a feeling, and it feels like it’s worked out.”

Courtney previously worked as a barista. “I used to watch the waitresses on a busy Saturday and think, ‘I’d never be able to do that’,” she says.

“If I think back to how I was when I first started at Pomus, I was so shy. I’d really have to psyche myself up to talk to people and I would run away from the phone when it rang.

“But everything has been going so well and I’ve been promoted. I feel like I’ve actually got something going for me, with a future in this job where I can progress.

“I hated wine before I started working here,” she admits, “but that’s because I’d only ever tried the bad supermarket stuff and none of my family have ever really been into wine, so as a teenager going out with friends, wine wasn’t really something I was going to choose.”

Now Courtney is looking forward to visiting as many

“Whenever I hear her talking to customers, it’s exactly the tone, the knowledge and the warmth that I try to put across”

local vineyards as she can with the rest of the team.

“I particularly love English wine and my favourite is Nyetimber,” she says.

“The wine scene in general seems to be full of really nice people who get to do really cool things. I think it’d be great to be a supplier, or somewhere in that chain, where you can travel to different places and pick out your favourite wines and show them to people.”

Courtney wins a bottle of Ciacci Rosso di Montalcino Rossofonte DOC courtesy of Mentzendorff

If you’d like to nominate a Rising Star, email claire@winemerchantmag.com

Favourite Things

Vin Van Cymru, Cardiff

Favourite wine on my list

I’m currently obsessed with the Austrian Meinklang Foam Weiss Pét Nat 2021. It’s got this gorgeous peachy colour and drinks especially well in the sunshine. I love the combination of red summer fruits, tangy citrus and juicy stone fruits, all balanced with fresh, yeasty flavours. Yum!

Favourite wine and food match

I’ve been hosting a lot of wine and crisp pairings. We paired a Clare Valley Riesling with Walkers Sensations Lime & Coriander Chutney Poppadoms: it was outrageously good. The zingy citrus in the Riesling picked up the lime perfectly, and the vibrant aromas in the wine made the spices in the poppadom really pop.

Favourite wine trip

I’m in the process of making my way around all the vineyards in Wales, which has been seriously exciting. I’ve met some brilliant characters, tasted some fascinating wines, and learnt loads in the process.

Favourite wine trade person

Hugh from Avant Wine has become a good friend, and I always enjoy bumping into him at trade tastings. He’s got this effortlessly cool, laid-back way of sharing his wine knowledge.

Favourite wine shop

I recently visited Vinomondo in Conwy during a baby-free night away up north, and I had an absolute blast.

Handford buyer snaps up Slurp

Waud Wines has acquired online wine merchant Slurp from Freixenet Copestick, which had owned the retailer since 2017.

The acquisition is expected to boost annual sales to approximately £7m for the privately owned Waud Wines group, which specialises in wine sales, investment, trade, corporate wine tasting, wine tours and online wine sales.

Charles Waud, MD of Waud Wines, said: “Following our two acquisitions in 2024 of Handford Wines and then Wine Walls and Wine Emotion, we saw the opportunity to also have a comprehensive and exciting online offering.”

Harpers, May 15

Champagne sales

losing their fizz

Total shipments of Champagne to the UK in 2024 dropped 5.7% in volume and 12.7% in value in 2024, according to the CIVC trade body.

The figure fell from 25.54m bottles in 2023 to 22.31m bottles, while value dropped from €550.31m in 2023 to €518.73m. The top 12 international marques accounted for 43.6% of this volume, the CIVC year-end figures reveal, some 9.73m bottles.

The Drinks Business, May 27

Poor response to 2024 primeurs

This year’s en primeur campaign has been something of a damp squib, with a “mixed and sluggish” reception, UK merchants have reported, arguing that the market has “never really recovered” from the average 20% price increases seen in the 2022 en primeur vintage.

Robert Mathias of Lay & Wheeler said there was “a lot to like” in the 2024 campaign. But he admitted many of the releases “haven’t fully caught the imagination of the consumer” and the team had not sold “anywhere near the volume that we’ve done in previous campaigns”.

Marc Ditcham of Corney & Barrow said public perception of the vintage was generally poor, and releases had largely been met “with a great deal of apathy”. The Drinks Business, May 27

Bhutan wine sells for $18,750

A 7.57-litre bottle nicknamed The Himalayan sold for $18,750 at the world’s first auction of wine made in Bhutan.

The grapes were harvested in 2023, with the vintage producing a single barrel. The wine is a blend of all the black and white grapes harvested during the inaugural season.

The Bhutan Wine Company was founded in 2018 by Mike Juergens and Ann Cross, who planted their first vines the following year. Decanter, May 8

Sara Hobday

Americans lead wine league table

The US continues to drink more wine in terms of total volume than any other country.

On average, though, people in Portugal drink more wine per person than anywhere else. That’s according to the latest preliminary figures released in April 2025 by the International Organisation for Vine & Wine.

The US consumed 33.3m hl (down 5.8% versus 2023); France 23m hl (-3.6%); Italy 22.3m hl (+0.1%); Germany 17.8m hl (-3%); UK 12.6m hl (-1%); Spain 9.6m hl (+1.2%); Russia 8.1mhl (+2.4%); Argentina 7.7m hl (-1.2%); Portugal 5.6m hl (+0.5%); and China 5.5m hl (-19.3%).

Decanter, May 9

Burglars target Surrey Wine Cellar

A Surrey wine shop was raided by burglars who left bottles smashed outside.

Police said the back door of the shop was forced open.

It happened at Surrey Wine Cellar on Chobham High Street in the early hours of Friday, May 23. Officers are appealing for witnesses to come forward.

Surrey Live, May 23

QUIZ TIME

Answers to questions on page 20

1. Vermentino

2. (c) £40

3. (a) 6,500

4. (a) Tartaric acid

5. The International Wine & Spirit Competition

Park life suits Martinez Wines this summer

Martinez Wines has opened a summer wine garden in the park next to its shop in Ilkley, West Yorkshire.

Owner Jonathan Cocker secured permission from Bradford Council to use the space every Saturday throughout June, July and August. Each week there is a free tasting table hosted by one of Martinez’s suppliers, and a bar where locals can buy a selection of wines and beers. Local food vendors and buskers are also part of the mix.

The wine garden opens in Grove Park on fine weather days from 1pm until 10pm and has seating for more than 100 people.

On rainy days the tastings take place in the shop from 1pm until 5pm.

Pictured (above) Grove Park and (below) the Martinez shop front.

CAT BRANDWOOD

The Long Run

It’s time to say goodbye – and our loyal customers seem sadder than we are

It feels very strange to be writing my goodbyes. After 13 years in Winchester it is time for the business to close.

I know we’re all bored of hearing about last year’s injury – but being unable to lift a box for eight months really did take its toll. Particularly the six months that I was unable to stand for more than a few minutes at a time. The reserves I had –both physical cash and my own capacity to handle bullshit – were depleted by this. Add in the rising costs in various forms that central government has levied on businesses alongside a massive and surprising drop in footfall this year (16% across March and April) and the numbers just stopped making sense. It would be easy to be maudlin about

this, to spend too much time focusing on what went wrong, but I can’t change what has already happened. Instead, I am trying to be grateful for the experience. It really has been a blast.

I’m coming out of this with knowledge that I never expected to have. I have learned so much, and on top of that I’ve also learned that there are a lot of things I don’t know, which seems more important somehow. Perhaps my youthful ego has

finally got back in her box (I think we all know that this is unlikely).

I’ll be taking away many fond memories. I moved to this city to open this business without knowing it – probably unwise –with, as it turned out, a less than capable business partner: definitely unwise. I didn’t know anyone, and now I do. I met all my friends through the shop, they all know each other because of wine (shout out to Sausage Unit for no other reason than they will be thrilled to have been mentioned).

A lot of people talk about the anguish of coming to the decision to close, but that wasn’t my experience. I’ve questioned whether this is something I should do a couple of times over the years and it didn’t feel like the right time then. So much of running the company (here at least) has been about holding my nerve knowing that business goes through cycles. However, it feels like the right time now. The only delay to my decision this time was to check that my maths wasn’t wrong.

The hardest bit of all of this? It’s carrying everyone else’s grief. I have a lot of very loyal customers (just not quite enough of them), and they are distraught. It’s wonderful to know that what the team and I created here really was appreciated and that we built a community, but we have been drained by the last week. The love we’ve seen is so wonderful, but the emotions of customers are difficult to deal with when we’ve locked our own in a box while we sell off our remaining stock.

So, what am I going to do now? Honestly, I haven’t had the chance to think about that. Obviously, other murky corners of the wine trade do beckon, but I’m having a rare moment of indecision. I shall be giving myself a bit of time, having made a very large decision only a week ago. I’d like to see who I am without 13 years of a business that has consumed my every waking hour.

The only delay to my decision this time was to check that my maths wasn’t wrong

Wish me luck. If I end up as a sales rep I promise I won’t turn up without an appointment.

Cat Brandwood is the owner of Toscanaccio in Winchester

“Footfall was down 16% ... the numbers stopped making sense”

Catherine Corbeau-Mellot

Joseph Mellot

Loire Valley

You’ve been running Joseph Mellot for 20 years. Back in 2005, could you have imagined you’d be able to be so successful?

I ran the company as if I was raising a third child: I observed, I adapted and above all I tried to do my best.

There must have been hundreds of challenges.

The main challenge was to adapt to a region that was not mine by birth and to integrate into this environment. I had to lead my life as a mother at the same time and understand the different jobs in the sector.

Tell us about how your wine styles have evolved over the past two decades. Although our wines evolve regularly, they have kept the DNA of the family with character traits that have been refined over time. The knowledge we’ve picked up, by listening to the experiences of others, helps us develop our own expertise. We have kept pace with the way wine culture has evolved across the world.

You make wines in all eight Centre-Loire appellations. Do you have a favourite, or is that not allowed?

We love all our children equally with

Pouilly-Fumé

Domaine des Mariniers RRP £24

This wine’s aromatic complexity comes from a patchwork of beautiful terroirs with an incredible exposure, all facing the Loire. The vineyards were certified organic in 2023. This wine has a beautiful purity with a nice minerality.

their differences and singularities. With our wines it is the same thing: each one is unique and as such deserves the same attention and devotion. We have adapted to the cultivation and winemaking methods. Like our family tree, our estate has grown and expanded in all the appellations of the Centre-Loire. I always say we have a wine for every moment shared.

You’ve made sustainability a focus for the business. What have you been doing? We are observing and working our soils more, minimising inputs as much as we can. Cover crops have been introduced to capture nitrogen and redistribute it to the vines. We’ve planted hedges and trees near the vineyards for biodiversity; we also have beehives. We use lighter bottles. We recycle all the waste from the cellar –plastic, bottle, cardboard, cork, etc – as well as from the vineyard. When you’re aiming for sustainability, the task is infinite. What drives us on is our determination to pass on our land to future generations in the best possible condition.

We think of the Loire as a historic region with lots of tradition. But are you still able to innovate in the vineyard and in the winery?

We are working with a grape variety that is very popular, Sauvignon Blanc, with freshness, finesse and a beautiful aroma. The wines produced in the CentreLoire always have a good balance. They correspond to tastes of international cuisine, and we also adapt to the tastes of new consumers. In terms of pure innovation, we also work on the vinification and ageing of our wines in containers such as wineglobes and jars. Our experience and expertise guide us in our winemaking. We are counting on what has been passed on

Sancerre Blanc

La Grande Châtelaine RRP £38

There’s a lot of emotion with this wine; I saw the vines planted more than 25 years ago on the steepest slopes of Sancerre. Coming from a clay-limestone terroir of Caillottes, the wine has golden reflections and a rich nose, and fills the mouth with elegance and power to reveal a vast aromatic palette.

Founded in 1513 by Pierre-Etienne Mellot, the Joseph Mellot story in Sancerre has always been led by a member of the family. Today, Catherine Corbeau-Mellot watches over it attentively with the hope of passing it on one day to her sons.

Wines imported by Hatch Mansfield

to us by our ancestors while being alert to advances in terms of oenology.

It must be very rewarding to be working in your part of the wine industry. I don’t like the term “wine industry”. We do not make wine; it is the cultivation of a plant that brings us to this beautiful product. All the steps are precious. You have to anticipate, observe the vines, always be very close to nature to intervene at the right time with the work of the soil. There are no longer off-peak periods as in the past. From bud break to harvest, you have to be very attentive to the vine and the weather.

Touraine Chenonceaux

Les Jardins de Diane RRP £20

The latest addition to our vineyard family, certified organic in 2023. The site has a beautiful exposure on the Cher river on a terroir of brown flint, also called Parakeets. It offers a beautiful expression of Sauvignon with its freshness, finesse and complexity. It reflects the serenity of the Loire and the Cher rivers.

a £300 bursary to boost your alsace wine sales

Indies are loyal enthusiasts of Alsace wines, which they appreciate for their distinctive style, value and individuality.

It’s often suggested that Alsace is a secret that the trade is happy to keep to itself. But the wines are so consumer-friendly that, with a little promotional effort and perhaps some expert hand-selling, the category can be commercially successful for indies.

Participating in Alsace Wines' 2025 trade campaign is a great way to re-engage with the region and share the widespread love for the wines with customers.

The Alsace Wines trade campaign is an exciting opportunity to embrace the current strong – and increasing – demand for wines from one of France’s most fascinating regions.

The UK is now the fourth most important export market for all Alsace wines: a reflection of both the wines’ quality and diversity, as well as the impact of marketing efforts. The wines are particularly beloved by independent merchants – and their knowledgeable customers.

This year, Alsace Wines is offering 10 indies the chance to boost their Alsatian sales with an innovative promotion.

Each approved participating merchant will be awarded £300, allowing them to put in place a promotional strategy that best suits their customer base and business model. Retailers are free to list any AOC Alsace wines to best complement their broader range.

To be considered for the £300 bursary, you must:

• Have very few, or no Alsace wines currently on your shelves, and be keen to develop the range.

• Commit to providing full details, along with photographic evidence, of the new Alsace wines in store.

• Provide evidence of any promotional activity that takes place, such as social media posts, window displays, in-store tastings – the more the merrier.

CALLING INDEPENDENTS: apply for your bursary today

If you can fulfil the criteria opposite, you can apply for your £300 bursary straight away.

Email charlotte@winemerchantmag.com with your full details including business name and address.

You must have a bricks-and-mortar shop in the UK to be eligible. The final decision on the 10 bursaries will be taken by Alsace Wines, based on information submitted by participating merchants.

Approved merchants will be contacted to say they have qualifed for the bursary. Money will be transferred once the promotion is complete, and after a report has been sent decribing how it went.

Email charlotte@winemerchantmag.com to apply for one of the 10 bursaries of £300

In Margate there’s a growing number of people sporting the same tattoo: a pretty symbol of a Greek tree, which happens to be the logo of Pomus.

But why are the locals queuing up to get inked with the branding of their favourite wine merchant?

Owner Ryan Jarovides explains: “It started when our whole chef team got the tattoo without being prompted.

“They were all acting a bit sheepish one day when I came into work and then they showed me what they’d done. They’d also bought me a voucher to get one for myself. It was my first ever tattoo. I had to do it, otherwise that would have been quite bad if everyone else had and I hadn’t.

“As part of our first anniversary celebrations, as a bit of a joke I said if anyone wants to get our logo tattooed, I’ll give them free wine for a year. So many people want to do it that I’m going to pick three names out of a hat as I can’t afford to do it for 50 people.”

One of the three winners will receive a bottle of wine a week for a whole year and the other two will get a glass of wine a week. The £100 cost of the tattoo is also included in the prize.

To qualify, the tattoo also has to be somewhere visible. “It needs to be somewhere they can easily show when they come in, so let’s hope people keep it decent,” adds Ryan.

“It’s all a bit cult-like and I guess it means I’ve got them for life. I think we’re doing something that has got a bit of a heartbeat, and we’ve had really good support over the last year. I’ve opened places all around the country, and I’ve never felt the sense of community, and experienced the amount that people really root for you, as I do here. It’s been overwhelming.”

‘IT’s all a bit cult-like. I guess it means i’ve got them for life’

The Kent independent where staff have tattoos of the company logo

Essex is a far more beautiful and bucolic county than many people realise, a fact which becomes abundantly apparent once you exit the M11 and wend your way towards Baythorne Wines near Halstead.

This is a landscape of pastel-coloured thatched cottages, hump-back bridges over tinkling streams and neat little pubs draped with wisteria, where the signposts tempt you to places with names like Duck End, Stocking Green and Steeple Bumpstead.

Just when you think your satnav has let you down, Baythorne Hall inches into view at the end of an A107 hedgerow. A series of black-painted

“The day we opened the café, suddenly I had people enquiring about the other retail units”

weatherboard farm buildings, now repurposed as magnets for the disposable income of north Essex, is your cue to indicate left and park up. Tarka’s Café, Morgan’s Butchery, Ben & Ella’s Farm Shop and Maison de Clements (a homeware and gift shop) await. As does Baythorne Wines, owned and run by George Unwin, whose family have lived on the site for five generations.

Readers of a certain age will shift a little in their seats to see that surname mentioned in relation to a wine business. It turns out that there is a connection with the founder of the Unwins offlicence chain (1843-2005), but the uncle involved

is this the way to steeple bumpstead?

To get to Baythorne Wines, you need to head off the beaten track and into the heart of rural Essex.

George Unwin’s family have been farming here for generations, but now one of their revenue streams is the thriving retail development they’ve created from redundant agricultural buildings.

The site’s wine shop is one of the centrepieces. Graham Holter pays a visit

is so great as to be barely related. There is a more direct link to the Unwins seed business (third cousins). But none at all with World War II Spitfire ace George Unwin (“whenever I Google my name, he comes up”).

George worked for 10 years at The Wine Company (now Mr Wheeler) in Colchester before returning to the family farm. He briefly considered planting a vineyard but instead opted to create a wine shop and now-defunct cookery school, which provided the spark for neighbouring farm buildings to be reimagined.

“We’ve sort of grown it from there,” George explains. “The day we opened the café, suddenly I had people enquiring about the other units. I run the wine business and the café in-house. But the others are tenant businesses.”

We’re drinking coffee in the newly opened extension to the café, which will double up as a space for wine events. “Actually this Thursday is the first winemaker dinner we’ll have done here for about five years,” George says. It seems like the wine business, far from plateauing, is ready to go through the gears.

Where exactly are we, in relation to the rest of civilisation?

We’re about equidistant between Cambridge, Bury St Edmunds, Braintree and Sudbury, all reasonablesized towns about 25 minutes away from here.

We sit in the middle of quite an affluent rural area. We’re still just about within the commuter belt to London. There are small towns, like Haverhill down the road, which has a population of 35,000 people.

So on a typical Tuesday or Wednesday morning, are you likely to get passing trade?

We get drop-ins. People who have been to the café pop in, but weekdays can be quiet in the wine shop, definitely. Friday, Saturday and Sunday are our three biggest days. There are plenty of days when we use the time to get other jobs done. There’s always something to be done.

What kind of contribution to revenue does the website make?

It’s a constant challenge because we don’t have a big budget to spend on it. There’s just two of us really working in the business day to day. And OK,

we’ve got some basic knowledge that we’ve had to learn as we’ve gone along. It’s a constant challenge trying to get the website to link seamlessly with our EPoS and our stock system, and all that means some quite clunky add-ons. So you never have the perfect website unless you start from scratch and really invest in it. I think it’ll probably have a bit of a refresh soon, but based on the same platform. It will just be changing the skin, effectively. It’s 6% or 7% of our turnover.

Do you do any wholesaling?

We do a bit of wholesaling: very local accounts that we deliver ourselves. We’ve got four pubs, a couple of wedding venues and a local brewery, which takes some of our wines for their tap room as an alternative to their beers.

How has your range changed over the years?

It’s always evolving. The great thing about being a small independent merchant is you can try different things. I guess we’ve got about 450 wines throughout the shop, of which probably 250 are core wines that we tend to stick with vintage after vintage. The other 200 or so are interesting parcels we get our hands on, or something we want to give a try.

Is the majority of the range supplied by Vindependents?

It’s probably about 60% of our range, yeah. You can dip in and just order a case or two here and there, which is a joy. The challenge we’ve found

“Vindependents

is probably about 60% of our range. You can dip in and just order a case or two here and there, which is a joy”

with Vindies is managing stock, because it’s not like dealing with an agency where you just think “we’d like some of that – let’s order it”. You’ve got to plan your stockholding a few months in advance sometimes, especially for deep sea.

Do you enjoy the social aspects of being a Vindependents member?

I try and get to all the main tastings in London. I did go to the AGM last year, which was held in Sicily. This year I’ll go to the one in Bordeaux, just to catch up with all the other members as much as anything. It’s quite fun, and two days away, to be honest – trying some interesting wines, getting to see interesting places. I’ve met and chatted with probably only half the members. It’s quite useful to get their views on things from time to time.

What other suppliers do you use?

I buy quite a bit through Les Grands Chais de France. They work really well for me, actually. And then I get bits and pieces through Alliance Wine; Barton Brownsdon & Sadler; Fells; a little bit through Ehrmanns.

The range usually features around 450 wines

For the last four or five months, we’ve been quite settled with our range. We haven’t done much hunting around for new stuff. Lewis [HadleyRoberts, the shop manager] is going to be leaving this month. There’s a new chap starting in June. I think that’ll be a good chance to get a new set of eyes to look at the list. There might be some areas he’d particularly like us to look at. He’s been doing the Majestic management training course for 18 months or so.

You own your own freehold. Does that mean you can get away with slightly lower margins than most?

I don’t like to squeeze margin too much. Yes, I’m my own landlord, so I can be slightly generous, but I’ve got other family members to keep happy as well, obviously. I’m a tenant of the farm.

Our turnover is so up and down. You can be way up one month and way down the next. So I try and make sure we’re making a really sensible margin. Whenever we’re stocking a new wine, the first thing we look at is, can we get 40% as our average margin? That will be our starting point.

Does your range reflect your own tastes or has it been dictated by customers?

I think I always set out to be fairly general; have a little bit of everything. I think it’s fair to say that our range is fairly customer-led. Whenever you go and try new wines, you’re always going to have your customer head on, rather than just your own head. There are probably 30 or 40 wines in our range which are George Unwin wines, wines that I personally love, and obviously you put more effort into trying to encourage customers to try those. But actually, when I started the business, my experience was working with a company which had a very, very broad range. So I had a good idea of what seemed to sell well when I started the business, and I had my shopping list at the start. It’s evolved over time as I try to hit the main categories.

Is there any wine category you don’t hit?

Well, I’ve pretty much given up on Champagne. There are some great Champagnes out there. But we sell so little, because there’s always somewhere doing 25% off six of one of the five big names.

What would be a George Unwin wine?

I suppose I’ve got quite a taste for wines that have a slightly oxidative influence. For example we do a Muscadet from the village of Clisson [Domaine de la Bretonnière] that is aged sur lie for about four years before it even goes into bottle, then it spends another year at the estate. That’s a Vindies wine that I absolutely love.

My tastes have definitely changed over the years. I drink a lot more white wine than I used to. I suppose I got into wine drinking what my dad drank. He was very much a red wine drinker. But as

I got into the wine trade, I guess I discovered a lot more white wines, a lot more variety.

It seems that a lot of people are just waking up to the idea of how well white wines can age. Even wines that we always think should be drunk very young. I mean, this summer we’re going to be doing a promotion on a 2022 New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. I think it’s absolutely delicious, but it was being sold two years ago, and that’s when people probably thought they should be drinking it.

Some of the oaked New Zealand Sauvignons can be really good.

Actually that is the style I love. Some of the white Bordeaux as well. It doesn’t sell big volumes, but we always have one or two to keep me happy.

The company was based in the former granary for its first six years before transferring to the old workshop building

“There are probably 30 or 40 wines in our range which are George Unwin wines, wines that I personally love”

I saw an English wine on your shelf … Tuffon Hall. They’re based five or six miles away, and they’re in a farming partnership with us. We don’t have any involvement in the vineyard side, but of course we sell their wines. There’s a nice local connection there.

The challenge English wine producers all face is selling the wine once they’ve made it. I think more and more people are just selling the grapes now, because it’s a lot of effort marketing and selling your own wine. And actually, over the next few years, there’s going to be an awful lot of English wine out there. And, OK, we sell a bit of English wine, but still very small quantities. It’s a challenge for us independents. We’re competing with the wineries themselves, because they all sell their wine directly in the cellar door, so we need to be able to match that price.

What are you doing in terms of your adventuring and research? Do you manage to get on trips and to tastings?

Very rarely do I go on any trips abroad for wine purposes. There are plenty of lovely wine regions that are quite nice to go to on holiday. If I happen to be there, of course I’ll make use of some contacts and drop in and try and taste some bits. But my wine buying is done almost entirely here in the office with a row of samples, and two or three of us will taste through them together. And I think that’s the best way to do it. You can kid yourself, if you’re looking over the Med with a glass of the local white wine, that it tastes absolutely delicious.

Most suppliers are quite happy with that. They’ll say, “we haven’t done much with you for a while, George – would you like a few sample bottles to try?” And if I say yes, they’re normally quite happy to send them rather than turning up, with you having to taste them while they’re there. It’s quite good to just do it without the pressure of a sales rep standing over you.

Are any of your family involved in the wine side of things?

No, it’s very much my thing. My brother has got his own business, an accountancy firm that he runs from one of the barns here. He is my accountant so it’s quite useful having him on site. But he has no direct involvement in the wine business. I’m the only director. I’m a director in the farm business as well, but I have very little day to day involvement.

If you imagine a scenario in which this site was run by a different entity altogether, and you just rented your shop here, would it be a viable business in its own right?

I think so, yes. I mean, I’d probably pay more rent. But actually, I still think there’s a scope for us, as really a two-person business … I think we could do probably 25% more turnover and still manage it with just two people. There is definitely room to grow without having to take on more staff, which is the big cost. The turnover for just the wine business is in the region of £400,000.

That’s pretty good, isn’t it?

It goes really well, actually. Yeah, I’m really pleased. Because to be totally honest, Covid was the making of the business. I mean, it really moved, especially in that first four or five months, and we retained

quite a bit of that business. We’d been sort of ticking over for five or six years, not quite growing how I wanted to. And it pumped up during that first year of Covid. The annual turnover went up about 80%.

Obviously, the website suddenly became very important. And it just was pure luck that I happened to have spent quite a lot of time in October-November 2019 rejigging the website, so it was a bit more user-friendly.

If you were to put a rocket under the business now and say, right, this is the next phase, what would you do?

“I think we could do probably 25% more turnover and still manage it with just two people”

Well, I think one thing we definitely need to look at as a business is how we market ourselves. It’s not my area of expertise or interest. I’m kind of hoping this new chap who’s joining us, because that’s his background, will be coming with fresh ideas. Because we do rather rely on this site being busy and people organically just walking in, and people finding us online. It’s very noisy out there online. We could definitely market ourselves a lot better and do lot more events. We held our last event just before Covid and we haven’t got back into it until this week. We’ve got 40 people coming for a dinner in here on Thursday, so it will be interesting to see how it goes.

Some of the tenant businesses in former farm buildings at Baythorne Hall

For more than 100 years the Tombacco family has been producing and bottling wines with genuine and intense flavours, following Italian winemaking traditions – and the wines it procures are key Italian classics.

The Rinomata Cantina Tombacco was founded in 1919 by Batista Tombacco and is based in Trebaseleghe, a rural town in the centre of Padua, Venice and Treviso. Tradition and quality are key for Tombacco, which works with producers across Italy to create ranges which celebrate the diversity of the country and its regions.

Today, Cristian Tombacco is at the helm, working alongside his father and brother Andrea. “Our winery is strictly linked to tradition and the whole production system is managed as it always was,” he says. “This is why we have chosen to remain a small company, with 30 skilled employees who love what they do and to focus on quality and attention to detail.

“On the other hand, we are continuously evolving, driven by a constant improvement in quality and technique. Product certifications, organic vines, attention to sustainability and energy saving are the main aspects that drive our business.

“We commit ourselves every day to respecting our land and saving precious resources like water, thanks to intelligent irrigation systems, using solar energy, and reducing our impact on the environment thanks to efficient sewage treatment. Our goal is to refocus on the culture and tradition of great Italian wine, in the most sustainable way.”

Tombacco proudly holds the Equalitas certification, a prestigious mark in Italian wine sustainability. This certification recognises Tombacco’s commitment to environmental responsibility, social ethics and economic viability, ensuring quality wines produced with respect for the land, people and future generations.

It’s a voluntary certification procedure regarding wine sustainability to bring together companies in the wine sector to promote a shared approach to sustainability.

Focus on Tombacco

This old family business offers authentic wines that celebrate the diversity and excitement of Italy’s regions

The Archivio label design is smart and contemporary, offering strong on-shelf presence for independent retailers. The wines inside are equally approachable: food-friendly, varietally true, and very drinkable.

• Archivio Pecorino (Abruzzo): Crisp and floral with aromas of acacia, melon and white peach. The palate is fresh and saline with a whisper of almond on the finish. A lovely match for grilled fish, soft cheeses or Mediterranean vegetables.

• Archivio Primitivo Rosato (Puglia): Bright salmon-pink with aromas of rose petals and cherry blossom. Juicy red fruit dominates the palate, balanced by freshness and a touch of spice. A versatile rosé for seafood, pizza or spicy salads.

• Archivio Aglianico (Campania): A bold yet balanced red with wild berry fruit, smoky spice and supple tannins. Ideal with grilled meats, slow-cooked lamb or rich tomato dishes.

• Archivio Primitivo (Veneto): Smooth and vibrant, offering ripe cherry, fig and plum, with a lick of liquorice on the finish. Soft enough for solo sipping, but great with hearty pastas or cheese.

Trevisana has been owned by the Tombacco family since the 1970s, crafting authentic, organic Italian wines, rich in flavour and tradition. Nestled in Treviso’s picturesque countryside encircled by the Sile River, Trevisana embodies family, fun and locality.

The Vegan Society-certified Trevisana Bio range is brought to life through its labels, created by artist Raimondo Sandri. Each design features whimsical figures and scenes drawn from everyday Italian life. “We wanted the labels to reflect the character of the wines - joyful, colourful and a little bit cheeky,” says Cristian.

• Trevisana Bio Pinot Grigio: Light, fresh and delicately aromatic, with citrus blossom, pear and almond. A clean, elegant white with real crowd appeal.

• Trevisana Bio Merlot: Ripe red berries, a hint of violet and gentle spice. This Merlot is soft and juicy but with enough backbone to stand up to food.

• Trevisana Bio Raboso Frizzante: A real talking point. Bright ruby red with fine bubbles, and bursting with Morello cherry and wild berries. It’s off-dry, lifted and very moreish. A great aperitivo or summer red, best served chilled.

Sponsored feature Tombacco wines are imported by Lanchester Wines. Find out more at lanchesterwines.co.uk

SICILY’S qUeSt for

Over the past 10 years Sicily has undergone a paradigm shift to favour quality over quantity.

Back in 2013, Sicily was Italy’s second largest producer of wine by volume, behind Veneto. By 2022 it was fourth in that particular league table (with 5.9m hl), even though it boasts the largest area under vine.

Having long specialised in Vino da Tavola and IGT wines for the mass market, DOC wines now represent almost 40% of Sicily’s production, indicating a tangible move towards authentic, terroir-driven wines that truly represent this eclectic island.

There’s no doubt that Sicily is still capable of filling indie shelves at the entry level, whether it be juicy, sun-drenched Nero d’Avola or skinsy left-field Catarratto. Sicily has a knack of offering remarkable value where others can’t.

But like in any wine region, most of the excitement and

pleasure derives from the expressions of terroir, indigenous varieties and human personality. Sicily has all of these in abundance.

The Sicilia DOC has been responsible for pushing local varieties into the spotlight and is a popular labelling choice for even the highest quality wines. It was established in 2011 as a mechanism to showcase varieties like Carricante, Catarrato, Grillo and Zibibbo for whites and Frappato, Nero d’Avola, Nerello Mascalese and Perricone for reds, although international varieties are permitted in the DOC too.

Cerasuolo di Vittoria

Despite being the island’s only DOCG, it would fair to say that Cerasuolo di Vittoria hides in Etna’s smoky shadow in terms of awareness in UK. But the wines, born of vivid iron-rich sand, show what Nero d’Avola and Frappato are capable of. (The

qUaLItY

varieties must respectively account for 50%-70% and 30%50% of the blend.)

The two grapes complement each other well. Nero d’Avola gives body, structure and density, with Frappato providing its trademark sprinkling of shimmering red fruit: the name Cerasuolo translates as “cherry-like”.

The ratio of the two varieties in the blend dictates ageability. Wines with a higher proportion of Nero d’Avola can go on for up to 20 years, while more Frappato-fuelled wines are better suited to early drinking.

Producers use a range of techniques in the vineyard and the winery to craft particular expressions, and recent years have proved Cerasuolo di Vittoria to be a playground for experimentation. Wineries such as COS and Occhipinti have been pushing the boundaries of Sicilian convention with amphora use and biodynamic agriculture.

Once a source of drinkable but often unremarkable wines, Sicily is now harnessing its enviable terroir and putting more of its efforts into DOC production.

Jacob Stokes reports

Etna

Viticulture has been part of agricultural life on Europe’s largest active volcano for centuries. Generations of farmers have battled against the volcanic elements, with vineyards often destroyed by lava streams.

But Etna’s emergence as a region for high-quality wines only began in the early 2000s when farsighted producers began focusing on indigenous varieties on the volcano’s northern slopes. Here vineyards can be found at 1000m and higher. In the years that followed, Etna’s area under vine doubled, going from 5,682ha in 2011 to 11,183ha in 2020.

Everything about viticulture on Etna is heroic: there are 133 single vineyards, or contrade, each with individual variations of volcanic soil and elevations high enough for snowy winters. Centurion ungrafted vines drill their roots

into the pyroclastic earth, while the smoke that wafts from the summit is a constant reminder that Etna is far from dormant. No wonder the landscape evokes visceral excitement among wine lovers.

And the wines live up to the enchanting story. Reds, dominated by Nerello Mascalese and supported by Nerello Cappuccio, feel like the children of Burgundy and Barolo: often haunting, with delicate floral notes dancing around smoke, minerality and crunchy red fruits. They’re tense and serious with excellent ageability.

The whites, made from Carricante, are almost Rieslingesque in their precision and development with age. Often grown on the highest sites, the wines have a spine of piercing acidity with a hard mineral edge. The fruit is often omnicitrus, streamlined and linear. Chablis who?

Tedeschi is a premium familyowned and run winery producing classic Veronese wines, including Valpolicella, Amarone, Ripasso and Soave.

Generations back, wheat was grown between the vines and the grapes were simply used to make wine for the family tavern. But gradually viticulture became the focus and today, Tedeschi is regarded as one of Valpolicella’s most innovative and progressive producers.

The style of wine remains faithful to regional traditions but, as winemaker Riccardo Tedeschi explains, some subtle changes have taken place. The wines are fresher and slightly less tannic than they would have been in the past, thanks to developments in the vineyard and in the cellar.

Tedeschi has always favoured hillside vineyards, “which provide great exposure and excellent ventilation with cool conditions, all of which contributes to the production of wines that are rich in aromas, have good structure, and are always elegant,” Riccardo explains.

In addition, Tedeschi has invested in research that shows that each of its cru wines has a distinct aromatic signature. Although, as Riccardo points out, some of these aromas can be attributed to actions in the winery, and the drying processes of the Amarone wines, there’s little doubt that what consumers are smelling is the terroir itself.

Tedeschi owns four vineyards, and co-ferments the grapes it picks from each one, but is working with the biotechnology department at the University of Verona to experiment with vinifying smaller batches. It’s a continuation of an innovative spirit that has always been part of the company’s ethos.

“We have mapped our vineyards with infrared photos taken from aircraft to identify the less vigorous areas where the highest quality grapes are produced,” Riccardo adds. “We are evaluating both pergola and guyot to determine which training system is best suited to global warming. We are also

Verona persona

Tedeschi has a long history of Valpolicella winemaking – and a track record for innovation that keeps it ahead of the game

experimenting with other training systems as well as rootstocks that consume less water.”

Riccardo says that Tedeschi has “gained more control over the drying process to slow it down and benefit from the positive effects of lower temperatures”.

He explains: “Currently, the process carried out in the main Tedeschi drying facility involves a combination of ventilation and humidity control to ensure maximum integrity of the grapes. We do not force the process but rather manage it carefully.

“We conduct a slow cold withering to avoid excessive alcohol concentration in the Amarone. The production of aromatic polysaccharides and polyalcohols that occurs in the grapes in the last month of drying, and generally lasts 100 days, is slowed down during the drying process with low temperatures, thereby enabling the production of an Amarone that is aromatically richer and more balanced.”

What role can Amarone play in a merchant’s list at a time when many consumers are looking for

wines with lower alcohol content?

“I think that Amarone can be considered a rare, gentle giant,” says Riccardo. “It is a unique wine, and I believe that consumers know and accept that the alcohol content is higher than in other wines. Our aim is to create balance, finesse and elegance, while maintaining an alcohol content of between 15% and 17%.

“It’s a full-bodied wine style that is balanced by freshness and can stand up to dishes that are rich and spicy. Clearly, Amarone is better suited to cold and wet climates and the recipes that go with them, yet we export very successfully in the Far East where the climate is quite humid and hot.

“We have five Amarone wines. The two most gastronomic ones, Marne 180 and Ansari, pair easily with dishes thanks to their total acidity. These are fine, dry wines that are representative of our style. There is no doubt that the Amarone is a wine for special occasions and special dishes. Each of our Amarone wines surprises and provides a unique experience.”

Sponsored feature Tedeschi wines are imported by Fells. Find out more at fells.co.uk

mY map of ItaLY

Southern Italy, and more particularly Puglia, is the heartland of my Italian range. Producers like Paolo Leo (North South Wines) offer great bang for your buck and the riper, richer style goes really well with the customers, even if I wouldn’t personally take it home.

There’s some excellent stuff from the north too. I’m really impressed with the Cantina Lavis range from Cachet Wine who have some more unusual Trentino varieties in their range like Marzemino, which sells really well in the high teens price-wise.

The Kurtatsch wines from Alto Adige are stunning too. We get those from Alpine Wines, and they aren’t cheap. But the Hofstatt Pinot Bianco is made in a Burgundian style and really is good.

Bruce Evans of Grape & Grain in Crediton picks some personal favourites

Primitivo is the most popular and seems commercially powerful, but I think Nero di Troia from Puglia and Perricone from Sicily are really interesting too. The reds obviously dominate from the south, but we also sell the San Marzano Talo Verdeca from Puglia. We probably sell six reds for every white in that area, but the whites are still there and sell reasonably well.

In terms of increasing trends, lighter styles of Italian reds seem to be growing in popularity; people are starting to realise that they don’t have to be overblown and heavy. The Frappato and Valpolicella Superiore we sell can be lightly chilled, and go really well.

We of course keep the standards like Brunello and Barolo, and they are frequently requested, but I have really good alternatives to those wines at more accessible prices too. I love Nebbiolo d’Alba and have found a really good one from Marcato. I do have a range of suppliers for Italy, but Marcato and North South provide a large proportion.

Overall, I’d say defining my favourite region depends on whether I’m talking in terms of sales or pleasure. The commercial viability of the south makes it my favourite for the shop, but I absolutely love the Alpine wines for myself.

A hero of Roero

RMarco

Porello’s Arneis, Barbera and Nebbiolo show why the region justifies the attention of indies

oera is a part of Italy that deserves to be better known, and thanks to producers like Marco Porello it’s heading in that direction.

This hilly region of southern Piedmont is north of the Tanaro river “and therefore on the wrong side of the tracks as far as Barolo and Barbaresco are concerned”, according to Italian wine expert and Winetraders UK owner Michael Palij MW. He admits that his early forays into the region, in the early 90s, left him “thoroughly underwhelmed”.

But that was before Porello was getting into his stride. Inheriting a 20ha family farm that had been involved in grape production for a century, he started building upon the foundations laid by his father Riccardo, who introduced estate

bottling at the start of the 70s. He proved that Roero could make textbook Barbera and Nebbiolo, at a fraction of the price of its southern neighbours. Arneis, an indigenous white variety that has now developed an enthusiastic cult following, thrives here like nowhere else.

Porello’s soils are sandy, with layers of marl and chalk, and he’s made it his business to understand every inch of them.

Some of his neighbours are irrigating, to compensate for the region’s relatively low precipitation and increasingly hot summers. Porello prefers to focus on canopy management (and even nets) to protect the grapes from sunburn, mulching cover crops to add moisture to the soil. He knows that his vines will find the water

they need – and much else – by sending their roots deep into the ground.

“The vineyard is my office,” he smiles, and it’s undoubtedly where his most important work is done. No herbicides are used, biodiversity is nurtured, and technology helps him monitor conditions and pinpoint where things like water stress or oidium might be a problem.

Palij is delighted with how Roero fits into the extensive Italian line-up that Winetraders UK offers. “In Roero you see this varietal purity that perhaps you don’t get elsewhere, even in Barolo or Barbaresco,” he says.

“The beauty of these wines is they’re all well under £20. They’re perfect for the indies.”

Arneis accounts for half of Porello’s production. “It’s a grape that produces a lot of sugar but not a lot of acidity,” he explains. “There are a lot of polyphenols and tannins. Our Arneis is not aromatic – it has delicate aromas of white flowers and white fruit. It has a characteristically salty finish: there is a lot of sapidity in the wine.” Porello Camestri Roero Arneis DOCG, fermented and aged in stainless steel, can comfortably mature in bottle for a decade or more, taking on extra complexity as the years pass.

Mommiano Barbera d’Alba DOC is matured partly in cement and partly in barrique. “Barbera always likes oak because it is naturally short on tannins,” says Palij. “I think Mommiano is really carefully judged, balancing the fruit’s full ripeness just to tame the acidity a little bit and then augmenting the tannins very slightly with old oak. I think it works really, really well.” Porello says that Barbera is resilient in the face of climate change. “The expression is very elegant, very cherry fruity, and very easy to drink,” he adds.

Langhe Nebbiolo DOC is “very elegant, very floral,” according to Palij. Porello says Nebbiolo is a more delicate grape to work with and more sensitive to warming conditions than others he works with. “It’s the first variety to start growing and the last that we pick,” he says. “It needs a long growing season, ending with clear, sunny days and then the temperature dropping down at night.” The wine goes through malolactic in stainless steel before moving to large barrels for ageing. It has notes of violets and wild strawberries.

Sponsored

Ribolla Gialla: Italy’s fastest growing grape variety

Ciao Valerio. Could you briefly explain what Tenimenti Civa is and how you work?

Tenimenti Civa is a winery located in the heart of the Colli Orientali del Friuli, in north eastern Italy. We focus on producing high-quality wines that reflect the unique terroir of our region. Our approach combines traditional agricultural practices with modern, sustainable technology: a true blend of a classic estate winery and a stateof-the-art “Cantina 4.0”.

Would you say there’s a common theme that links the wines you offer?

Absolutely. The defining elements of our wines are the Ponca soil, the salinity and minerality it brings, and the natural freshness typical of the Colli Orientali. This terroir gives our wines a distinct identity, especially our Ribolla Gialla, which really expresses this combination beautifully.

What are the most important things that an independent merchant in the UK needs to know about your business?

We are the market leader for Ribolla Gialla in Italy, and we’re proud to say that we’ve redefined the potential of this variety. Our winery is both deeply rooted in tradition and highly innovative, thanks to our investment in precision winemaking and sustainability. We’re a trusted partner for merchants looking for authenticity, quality and consistency.

Ribolla Gialla Spumante Zero

Dosage Cuvée 12

Made with a very long Charmat method, over 12 months on the lees. Zero dosage to show the quality of the grape, the finesse from long ageing in contact with the fine lees and the salinity of our terroir. The peak of our sparkling production, also made in extra brut and brut styles.

Tell us more about Ribolla Gialla and the work you’re involved in.

We’re currently leading a fascinating project: an experimental vineyard dedicated entirely to Ribolla Gialla. The goal is to study how different clones, rootstocks and vineyard practices can influence the expression of this grape. It’s a long-term commitment, but we believe it’s key to unlocking even more potential from this historic variety.

What sort of wines made from Ribolla Gialla do you personally enjoy the most, and which do you think have the greatest potential in the UK market?

I enjoy both the still and sparkling versions of Ribolla Gialla. Its natural salinity and freshness make it a brilliant alternative to more commercial options like Prosecco and Pinot Grigio. But Ribolla Gialla can also be incredibly complex – take our MonLùt and Cuvée 12 Brut, for example. These are premium expressions with extended ageing that really show the elegance and depth the grape can offer.

What other wines in your range do you have the highest hopes for in the UK?

First, our Friulano – a true symbol of the region, fresh and characterful. Then there’s Schioppettino, a native red grape that surprises everyone with its spice and finesse. And of course, we also produce Prosecco, which continues to be a favourite

Ribolla Gialla Friuli Colli

Orientali Monlùt

The Monlùt is the name of the low mountain behind the estate, This Ribolla Gialla is made with the most aromatic clone, discovered by Valerio Civa in early 2000. An elegant, semiaromatic wine, and mineral, showing the quality of the Ponca soil and the Friuli Colli Orientali terroir.

Valerio Civa founded Tenimenti Civa in February 2016, though his connection with winemaking started in early childhood in his grandparents’ vineyard. The company is spearheading efforts to revive and celebrate Friuli’s Ribolla Gialla Wines imported by Carson & Carnevale 020 3261 0929 carsoncarnevalewines.com

internationally. For international varietals, our Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are also gaining attention thanks to their precision and freshness.

What’s the next job you have to do once you’ve finished answering our questions?

I need to check in on the production – we’re running low on stock. And then, it’s time to go back home and enjoy some time with my three puppies. They’re waiting for me!

Ribolla Gialla Friuli Colli

Orientali Single Vineyard

Vigneto Bellazoia

Our flagship wine from the best part of our Bellazoia vineyard, with low yields. One third is macerated and aged in amphora, one third aged in 500-litre tonneaux, one third in barrique, then blended after one year. 3,600 bottles maximum per year.

Italian Specialists

A family-owned company that imports and represents a carefully selected portfolio of wineries, each chosen for their heritage, authenticity or spirit of discovery.

We offer nationwide delivery within 1 to 3 working days, with competitively tiered pricing for orders of 10+, 25+, and 50+ cases.

Email: help@carsoncarnevalewines.com

Tel: 0203 261 0929 Some of

74.9% of you named Italy as your best selling region

52% of you named Italy as the most interesting country of production. *Wine Merchant Magazine Survey 2025

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LOREDAN

SAN GIUSTO A RENTENNANO TUSCANY

COSTANZO SICILY

ABBAZIA DI NOVACELLA ALTO ADIGE

MICHAEL WALKER

The Narrow Corner

in Burgundy is planted with Aligoté. It’s therefore more significant than you might expect in this kingdom of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Compared to its famous white counterpart, Aligoté is more acidic and ripens later, which are distinct advantages in hot vintages.

A brief encounter with Burgundy’s other white grape variety

I’ve sometimes wondered if people in Champagne are aware that the name Bouzy sounds funny in English. Probably not. Nor is it likely that vignerons in the Burgundian village of Bouzeron realise that the name has a somewhat comical ring across the Channel.

In fairness, I imagine that very few wine drinkers in the UK have ever heard of Bouzeron, let alone drunk a bottle of the wine. I knew next to nothing about the village or the grape Aligoté when, always eager to learn about wine and practice a bit of French, I signed up for a webinar on the subject run by Vins de Bourgogne.

Bouzeron was only granted AOC status in 1998, becoming the sole village appellation in Burgundy to be dedicated to Aligoté. (There is also a more extensive appellation called Bourgogne Aligoté, which allows higher yields and takes grapes from inferior vineyards on the plains and on valley floors.) Bouzeron covers a small area and is situated next to Rully at the northern end of the Côte Chalonnaise, in a small valley flanked by two ridges. The grapes are grown on marl and limestone on the upper parts of the slopes, with the more

My tasting note for one of the wines, for example, was that it was ‘like sniffing water, or Muscadet’

illustrious varieties planted further down.

There are no premier crus in Bouzeron, I learned, but the appellation does boast 26 lieux-dits. The climate is semi-continental, with southern (méridional) influences. Expositions vary owing to the hills and rifts in the land. Recent vintages (2020, 2022 and 2023) were solar and hot, with the cold weather in 2021 serving as an exception, as in the Rhône Valley to the south.

Robin Kick, the Master of Wine leading the webinar, explained in admirable French that, surprisingly, 6% of the vineyard area

Vins de Bourgogne was kind enough to send participants six samples of wine from Bouzeron in the post, to enable us to get a flavour of the appellation. I can tell readers that Aligoté does indeed have a ton of acidity – not quite at the Riesling or Albariño level, but very significant. The wines also had a lot of weight in the mouth.

At least a couple of the people involved in the online tasting deemed the grape to be aromatic, with white flowers, almond and stone fruits used as descriptors.

Personally, however, I found it something of a challenge to pin down the aromas and flavours. My tasting note for one of the wines, for example, was that it was “like sniffing water, or Muscadet”, with maybe the faintest touch of lemon evident on the nose.

Some of the wines definitely had a saline/mineral edge and the citrus character cropped up more than once in my notes, but that was about it. Either the French are just better at tasting than me, or the grape is in fact pretty neutral. I’ll go with the latter.

The ability of Aligoté to retain its acidity, even in hot conditions, means that we may be seeing more and more of it from Burgundy in years to come. According to one vigneron who spoke in the webinar, it’s also ageworthy, and can be kept for a decade or more. I’m not sure about that. I can imagine it being like the mature Albariños I’ve had, which tasted very similar to the young wines but with less acidity.

At any rate, the future may well be bright for Aligoté in the British market. After all, who hasn’t encountered a customer who can’t stand Chardonnay but loves white Burgundy?

Michael Walker is part of the team at Vino in Edinburgh

Bouzeron is the only AOC dedicated to Aligoté

Indies recognised in LWF buying awards

Independent merchants were among the winners at this year’s London Wine Fair Wine Buyers Awards.

The awards, now in their sixth year, were presented on centre stage by LWF director Hannah Tovey and competition director Chris Losh.

Overall Wine Buyer of the Year was Sunny Hodge of Diogenes the Dog, south London.

The judges said: “Sunny combines a truly original and distinctive vision with trade clout – importing directly, innovating in sustainability, and elevating experience with intelligence and without compromise, making him a game-changer for the ontrade.

“He’s set out to create his version of what venues should be – and is uncompromising in sticking to it.

“This isn’t about having a large range of wines. It’s about being a great buyer. There’s real vision and drive here.”

Other winners

Single Venue Independent

Merchant Wine Buyer (sponsored by Mentzendorff)

Jamie Tonkin, Old Chapel Cellars, Truro

Multiple Venue Independent Merchant

Wine Buyer (sponsored by Mentzendorff)

Nicolas Rezzouk, Reserve Wines, Greater Manchester

On-trade Single Venue Wine Buyer

Sam Weatherill, Etch by Steven Edwards, Hove

On-trade Multiple Venue Wine Buyer

Sunny Hodge, Diogenes the Dog, south London

Supermarket & Multiples Wine Buyer (sponsored by Felix Solis)

Victoria Anderson, Booths

Rising Star Wine Buyer Award (sponsored by Hatch Mansfield)

Zara Cassidy, Majestic

Best On-trade Wine Buying Team

(sponsored by Hillebrand Gori)

Firmdale Hotels, London

Best Off-trade Wine Buying Team (sponsored by Hillebrand Gori)

The Wine Society

Small Business Sustainable Wine Buyer (sponsored by Domaine Bousquet)

Verity Sessions, Palate Bottle Shop, Shoreham by Sea

Multiple Venue Sustainable Wine Buyer (sponsored by Domaine Bousquet)

Joe Olding, Tesco

Sustainable Wine Buying Team (sponsored by Domaine Bousquet)

The Wine Society

General Excellence in Wine Buying Award

Simon Taylor, Stone Vine & Sun, Winchester

Simon Taylor, Stone Vine & Sun

40 YEARS OF PORTLAND WINE CO

Established by Geoffrey Dickinson in Greater Manchester in 1985, Portland has expanded and contracted with the times. At one point it had eight shops, but today, led by Paula Reeves and Mandy Tonge, there are four, plus a thriving wholesale operation. Claire Harries talks to Paula Reeves

Paula Reeves (left) with Mandy Tonge

Are you and Mandy both shareholders in the business?

Geoff is still the owner of the business but he’s not frontfacing anymore, so over the years – I’ve been here since 1990 and Mandy joined the company in 1993 – as we’ve taken on more responsibility, he has shown his appreciation and acknowledged our hard work with shares and bonuses.

Portland Wine has shops in Sale, Marple Bridge, Hale and a fourth in Derbyshire called Goyt Wines. Tell us a bit more about the general set-up. We had up to eight stores at one time, including one in Buxton. We liked the town and it fitted in with who we are.

So we thought we’d test the water with a pop-up and give it a year, and we ended up staying for three. We took on a couple of old Victoria Wines when they went bust, including one in Alderley Edge. We’d still be there now if the landlord hadn’t wanted to redevelop the site.

Several years ago we took on Goyt Wines in High Peak. We’d been supplying them for a long time and the owner kept approaching us to buy and eventually we said yes. He stayed for a while to manage it, and we just felt it was right to keep the name. It’s a lovely shop, right next to the canal, and Vanessa Thorp, the manager there, organises lots of events because it has a big tasting room.

The wholesale operation, headed by Mandy, is run from the Sale store – it has the biggest storage area and enough room to park two vans.

The Marple Bridge shop, managed by Sean Gibson, is probably the smallest size-wise but they are really busy and they don’t have any competition in that location.

And you are based at Hale?

Yes. I refer to it as our flagship, maybe because it’s my favourite, but also because at one point there were five wine merchants on the high street in this small village. We had a lot of competition, but we’ve stood the test of time.

It’s the only one of our shops to have a Wine Emotion and it gets a lot of use. It’s definitely like an extra member of the team. We don’t see it as a money-earning exercise, more as something that broadens people’s experience.

We have three different measures, so you can get a taste of something for 30p. People who are doing their WSETs through home study will come in every few weeks and try the wines we have on. I have a card so if a customer comes in and says they want a wine to go with something they’re cooking that night, I could suggest something from the Wine Emotion and give them a taste for free. If they then decide to buy it they get 10% off the bottle price.

You’ve had some well-known names through your doors in the last 40 years.

We’ve taught WSET since the early 90s and pupils have included [educator] Stephen Rosser and Louis Boutinot. Louis was our Saturday boy at one point. Lots of people who came as Saturday staff and part-time staff whilst they were doing university courses then went on to change the course of their education and work in the wine trade.

We’ve had some amazing team members and there’s been times when collectively we have 350-years’ worth of experience on the books at the same time.

What are the biggest changes you’ve seen?

When I first worked at Hale, there was a lot of old money. People would buy cases of Burgundy. I used to get customers come in on a Saturday morning and say, “we’ve got eight people for dinner, this is the menu, I’ll pick up the wines later”, and they’d leave it to us. People don’t entertain in the same way and there’s not as much money around.

A lot of my customers have ways of buying en primeur, so that has had an effect. Also, while some of our suppliers wouldn’t dream of selling direct to somebody that lived on the same street as us, there are some that continued to do so after the pandemic.

There’s a younger generation coming along, which is quite exciting. I think they’ve grown up in homes where there’s been an appreciation of wine. I’ve got customers coming in now whose parents did their WSETs here in our tasting room years ago.

We did an Albariño tasting late last year and we had 24 people and I’d say all of them were under 30. I was a bit concerned: I was thinking, how successful is this going to be? Are they going to get it? They not only got it, I had something like £1,600 worth of orders from a Thursday night tasting that finished at quarter to nine. It was brilliant.

What’s the secret to your longevity?

I was talking to a chap from Pol Roger yesterday, and he’s looked after us in different roles for different companies for over 20 years. He’s grown up with us like we’ve grown up with him. Good relationships with suppliers, and with customers and staff, are key. It’s so important to be comfortable and to feel trusted.

What will you be doing to celebrate your 40-year anniversary?

We haven’t got anything specific in the diary yet. We always do two big tastings a year with customers and the first was in May, at a beautiful golf club in Hale. It was bigger and better than we’ve ever done before. I have a joint Champagne tasting that I’m planning to do with Roederer and Bollinger, and I’ve also spoken to Pol Roger. The second big tasting is set for November. We’re just planning on doing more – and continue to up our game.

Blended to perfection

Jacob Stokes attends a vertical tasting in London of Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle

Grand Siècle owes its name to the 17th century, one of the most prosperous eras in France’s history. A time of human capacity and innovation; the realisation that man can create what nature cannot.

This philosophy is what inspires Laurent-Perrier’s top cuvée, a wine that challenges the conventions of what a prestige cuvée should and can be. Channelling the very human art of the blend to provide something that nature alone can’t produce: the perfect year.

It’s a brave ambition in an industry that places so much weight on the essence of nature. But this was the vision of Bernard de Nonancourt, the trailblazing creator of the Laurent-Perrier that we know today.

In practice, Grand Siècle has three defining principles. The wine must be a blend of three exceptional years from Laurent- Perrier’s reserve vintages.

Laurent-Perrier cellarmaster Olivier Vigneron says: “Bernard wanted to go beyond the restrictions of a single vintage. He believed that only blending could unleash the highest potential for Champagne; he saw it as the only way to recreate the perfect year.

“Bernard knew nature alone couldn’t give him what he expected for perfection – he was a visionary. Nobody was working like that back then and today the idea remains unique to Laurent-Perrier.”

The wine has to be mostly Chardonnay, complemented by Pinot Noir, sourced from a maximum of 11 Grands Crus within Champagne – the finest sites in the region.

“We really believe in the merits of Chardonnay to achieve our stylistic identity of freshness, elegance and purity,” Vigneron says. “It plays a crucial role in Grand Siècle. Even with the challenges of climate change, Chardonnay retains the freshness that we want."

The wine must be aged for a minimum of 10 years on the lees prior to release, longer for magnums and double that for the Les Réserves range.

“Even though we are blending three complementary years, it is the ageing that allows for the perfect harmony and balance between the three vintages. We have to wait at least a decade for those things to come together,” says Vigneron.

When these three principles come together, Grand Siècle is born. “It’s a wine that should leave a mark, an aromatic journey that displays primary, secondary and tertiary aromas. It is a display of what Laurent-Perrier considers a perfect year,” Vigneron says.

The tasting

A vertical showing how Grand Siècle can evolve in the UK market takes us through eight different Iterations of Grand Siècle, starting with the youngest wine.

First is Iteration 26 in a regular 75cl bottle, disgorged in February 2024. It’s a blend of 2012 (65%), 2008 (25%) and 2007 (10%) made up of 58% Chardonnay and 42% Pinot Noir from eight Grand Cru sites.

It’s astoundingly good: aromas of grapefruit and lemon with twists of spiced clementine zest. There’s gun flint and sourdough, honeysuckle and sea salt. This is really subtle, a wine that demands unwavering attention. There’s so much palate authority and textural pleasure, it’s all about the texture, it fills the mouth with such grace and elegance. And the length ... incredible. What a wine!

Iteration 24 is tasted in 75cl and magnum. The 75cl was disgorged in June 2019 whereas the magnum, with its longer ageing on the lees, was disgorged exactly five years later in June 2024. The difference is stark. The magnum is more vital, fresher and leaner with a more commanding palate, making the 75cl –which is of course a world-class Champagne – feel a little flat in comparison.

The last two wines in the vertical are magnums from the Les Réserves range. Both are longer aged expression of Grand Siècle, which undergoes 20 years of lees ageing before release.

My personal preference is for Iteration 20 Les Réserves, a blend of 1999 (60%), 1997 (20%) and 1996 (20%) made up of 54% Chardonnay and 46% Pinot Noir, disgorged in February 2025. It’s smoky and savoury with caramelised shiitake mushrooms, salted grapefruit rind, toasted brioche and preserved lemons. It’s so tight and precise, still with bundles of bracing freshness despite the intriguing flavour developments.

Each Iteration shows an individual personality, different expressions of what Laurent-Perrier deems as perfection. Perfection is of course subjective, and perhaps some are more perfect than others, if there’s such a scale. But what they all share is a spine of textural class, freshness and persistence. I dare to suggest that some of these are as close to Champagne perfection as I have ever tasted.

Clockwise from top: Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle; cellarmaster Olivier Vigneron; guests at Vintners Hall

The Cynic’s Guide to Wine

In this exclusive Wine Merchant mini-series Sunny Hodge, author of The Cynic’s Guide to Wine, extrapolates a single topic from each chapter of his book.

The book lays out the scientific connections in wine, from soil to fruit to glass, and onwards to our own sensory perception. It references the latest in soil science, viticulture, microbiology and neuroscience to present wine professionals and experts with a go-to book, ensuring what we say about wine is technically and scientifically correct.

Chapter 3: Natural law

The way we farm now is a novelty. Homo sapiens transitioned from a nomadic hunter-gathering lifestyle to settling down in one place around 12,000 years ago – farming was the cause of it. The way we farm across the world has naturally changed over this span of time. As new technologies and advances arise, we instinctively look for ways to increase output and feed more mouths. Much of the way we farm now, such as the use of synthetic agrochemicals, came about from the aftermath of the two world wars.

German national Fritz Haber developed the planet-changing Fritz-Haber process which allowed us to fix nitrogen from the air and use it to fuel an era of growth via the invention of synthetic fertilisers. The discovery plugged food gaps, allowed mankind to grow in population and resolved cases of famine in one fell swoop. His story is a bittersweet one, well worth extra reading, and lays the foundations of conventional farming. It’s a story I feel that we in food should all become well versed in.

People have a lot of time for wine. We spend more on it than most other food and drink; we sit around tables discussing the stuff, recanting tales of vineyard trips, and book tastings to sit in a room full of strangers listening to an expert tell us what to taste. This doesn’t happen with potatoes, I hasten to add. It’s a gift and a privilege to be working in wine, a field of food and drink that much of the general population especially enjoys. It gives us

the opportunity and obligation to make a positive change.

A little more than a century on from Fritz Haber’s discovery, we still battle with the after-effects of these chemical warfare devices, now implemented in our food system. Bee populations, eutrophication and dead soils join the long list of global issues. But it only makes sense to speak about organic, biodynamic and regenerative farming as solutions if we understand what these practices do, and how they may or may not help. In service at the wine bars and shop, it’s apparent to me how little your average punter knows about how we farm and what terms like organic actually mean. This chapter of the book is a real eye opener and establishes the groundwork for understanding if farming makes a difference to our beloved wine or indeed our planet.

For the chance to win a signed copy, my question to you for next month’s edition is: “Why does Gewürztraminer smell so aromatic?” Answers via Instagram to @ sunnyhodgewine.

The Cynic’s Guide to Wine is available online at Waterstones, Amazon, Academie du Vin Library and all good book retailers.

New Bank House

1 Brockenhurst Road

Ascot

Berkshire SL5 9DL

01344 871800

info@hatch.co.uk

www.hatchmansfield.com

@hatchmansfield

Discover Sussex Sparkling Wines from Rathfinny

www.libertywines.co.uk

Established in 2010 by Mark and Sarah Driver, family-run Rathfinny Wine Estate uses only hand-harvested, estate-grown fruit from their single site on a breathtaking southfacing slope with free-draining chalk soils in the South Downs for their traditional method Sussex Sparkling wines. In 2023 they became the third wine producer in the UK to achieve B Corp certification, underscoring their philosophy to put people and the planet at the core of their business.

Rathfinny’s wines are vinified with minimal intervention and low dosage to preserve the purest expression of place and vintage. The opulent and gastronomic Blanc de Noirs is their flagship cuvée. A blend of 86% Pinot Noir and 14% Pinot Meunier aged on lees for 36 months, the 2020 vintage has a vibrant red fruit character and combines delicacy and weight in a way few English sparkling wines can.

The expressive Rosé 2019 is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir, 22% Chardonnay and 18% Pinot Meunier. While the base wine was fermented in stainless steel, a small proportion of Pinot Noir, aged for six to eight months in 225-litre old French oak barrels, was blended for colour and aromatic complexity. After bottling, the wine was aged 36 months on lees. The balance and suppleness that the final wine displays with a dosage of only 5g/l is testament to the quality of Rathfinny’s estate fruit.

roberson wine

21-27 Seagrave Road London SW6 1RP

020 7381 7870

enrico.marcolungo@robersonwine.com

robersonwinetrade

AWIN BARRATT SIEGEL

28 Recreation Ground Road

Stamford Lincolnshire PE9 1EW 01780 755810

orders@abs.wine www.abs.wine

@ABSWines

MASTERS OF RIESLING TASTING

2nd July 2025 • 10:30 - 16:00

The Phoenix Garden, 21 Stacey Street, London, WC2H 8DG

ABS delighted to welcome Weingut Robert Weil to our portfolio - a renowned, family-owned estate from Germany’s Rheingau region and a proud member of the VDP. Join us at the tasting for the first chance to meet Wilhelm Weil who will be presenting 11 wines. We are also pleased to have Sophie Schaal’s wines at the tasting this year at the Julien Schaal table, organic and sustainable wines from the Alsace region of France.

The ABS Masters of Riesling Tasting is a first chance for the trade to taste the newly released 2024 vintage Rieslings & 2023 Pinot Noirs from our top growers including:

Dr Loosen - Villa Wolf - Weingut Robert Weil - Louis Guntrum - Karl H Johner

Dönnhoff - Schnaitmann - Jean Stodden - Fürst - Allram - Julien & Sophie Schaal

For more information or to RSVP call 01306 631155 or e-mail lesley@abs.wine

schenk family uk

Unit 5, The E Centre

Easthampstead Road

Bracknell RG12 1NF

01753 521336

info@buckingham-schenk.co.uk www.buckingham-schenk.co.uk @schenkfamilyuk

vin de vie

Wine rooted in terroir, France and Italy specialist

85 Uxbridge Road London W5 5BW 07707 778719

info@vindevie.co.uk www.vindevie.co.uk

@vindevie

mentzendorff

The Woolyard

52 Bermondsey Street

London SE1 3UD

020 7840 3600

info@mentzendorff.co.uk

www.mentzendorff.co.uk

At the Heart of Pinot Noir Champagne Bollinger is delighted to announce the release of the PN TX20, the sixth edition in the Bollinger PN collection.

Denis Bunner, Bollinger Chef de Cave says: “Bollinger PN is an exploration of Pinot Noir designed to demonstrate the influence different crus and vintages have on a single grape variety. By using each edition to showcase individual crus and years, we are working to highlight terroir’s impact and the direct link between vine and wine. The PN TX20 is a stunning expression of the very best of our expertise!”

For more information, please contact your Mentzendorff Account Manager

vintner systems

The computer system for drinks trade wholesalers and importers

16 Station Road Chesham HP5 1DH

sales@vintner.co.uk www.vintner.co.uk

richmond wine agencies

The Links, Popham Close

Hanworth TW13 6JE 020 8744 5550

Mark Isham, south & London: mark@richmondwineagencies.com

Julia Langshaw, north of the UK: julia@richmondwineagencies.com

Tim Hawtin, south west & London: tim@richmondwineagencies.com

Exciting organic wines from Castilla-La Mancha

After a successful appearance on the RWA stand at the London Wine Fair we would like to highlight the wines of Bodega La Cepa de Pelayo

In the east of Castilla-La Mancha, La Cepa de Pelayo is an organic producer with a history that goes back three family generations, where their extensive knowledge and use of tradition has led to their focus on responsible viticulture and winemaking. They work in a natural way, following biodynamic practices, to ensure wines are made without impacting the environment – and by using technology they can create high quality with each vintage. They also benefit from vines that are 35-60 years old, which allows them to produce such expressive and concentrated wines.

Ole de Passion, Macabeo Organic Ole de Rosé, Organic

Ole de Aromas, Bobal Organic Enjoy chilled for those summer barbecues!

RRP £14.95

109a Regents Park Road

London NW1 8UR

0207 449 1665

orders@walkerwodehousewines.com www.walkerwodehousewines.com

@WalkerWodehouse

Spotlight on Miolo

Looking for a new alternative for bubbles? Miolo from Brazil is famed for its traditional method sparkling wines that offer exceptional quality with real value for money.

Using predominantly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the climate of Campanha offers a ripeness that is perfectly balanced by a refreshing acidity.

The Miolo family’s dedication to viticulture dates back to the arrival of Giuseppe Miolo in Brazil, in 1897, and their innovative spirit continues to this day. A founding member of the Wines of Brazil project, they are one of the main wine exporters in Brazil.

For more information, please contact your account manager.

Fells

Fells House, Station Road

Kings Langley WD4 8LH

01442 870 900

For more details about these wines and other wines from our awardwinning portfolio from some of the world’s leading wine producing families contact:

info@fells.co.uk www.fells.co.uk

@FellsWine

je_fells

LOUIS LATOUR AGENCIES

12-14 Denman Street

London W1D 7HJ

0207 409 7276

enquiries@louislatour.co.uk www.louislatour.co.uk

@louislatouruk

Simonnet-Febvre

Simonnet-Febvre is a renowned winery located in the Chablis region of Burgundy, France. Established in 1840, it is one of the oldest wine houses in the area, celebrated for its exceptional Chablis and Crémant de Bourgogne.

The winery combines traditional winemaking techniques with modern innovation, producing wines that reflect the unique terroir of Burgundy. Simonnet-Febvre is particularly known for its crisp, mineral-driven Chablis, made from Chardonnay grapes, and its elegant sparkling wines.

Acquired by the Louis Latour family in 2003, the winery continues to uphold its legacy of quality and craftsmanship, offering wines that are both authentic and expressive of their origin.

For more information, please contact sales@louislatour.co.uk or scan the QR code.

delibo wine agencies

The Old Pigsty, Rose Cottage Church Hanborough OX29 8AA

07802 405627

orders@delibo.co.uk www.delibo.co.uk

jeroboams trade

7-9 Elliott’s Place London N1 8HX

020 7288 8888 sales@jeroboamstrade.co.uk www.jeroboamstrade.co.uk

@jeroboamstrade

Domaine Jérémy Villemaine: Reinvigorate your Loire range this summer!

The sixth generation Villemaine family are celebrating their century of farming in Thésée in the Cher valley 50 km south-east of Tours.

HVE certified in 2018, the 15 hectare vineyard is en route for full organic certification. The wines range from the zippy Touraine Sauvignon Blanc to the more textured and creamy Touraine-Chenonceaux and organic parcel Le Carroir des Minettes. Jérémy also produces refreshing Gamay, restrained Malbec and elegant Pinot Noir.

To see how Domaine Jérémy Villemaine can work with you, please contact your account manager or orders@delibo.co.uk.

hallgarten

wines

Mulberry House

Parkland Square

750 Capability Green

Luton LU1 3LU

01582 722 538

sales@hnwines.co.uk www.hnwines.co.uk

@hnwines

top selection

23 Cellini Street

London SW8 2LF

www.topselection.co.uk info@topselection.co.uk

Contact: Alastair Moss

Telephone: 020 3958 0744

@topselectionwines

@topselection

We’re excited to share that Bodegas Baigorri is now part of the Top Selection portfolio. Founded in 2002 and B-Corp certified, Baigorri is based in the village of Samaniego, right in the heart of Rioja Alavesa. Their state of the art winery is built around a low-intervention approach to winemaking that starts in the vineyard. With 55 hectares of estate vines, they produce standout, terroir-driven wines that truly capture the spirit of Rioja Alavesa and the Sonsierra.

For further information on the range please contact your account manager or email: info@topselection.co.uk

“As an ex-punk rocker, I haven’t done regrets”

Neil Phillips

The Wine Tipster

Neil began his wine career with Moreno Wines before joining E&J Gallo and then Pernod Ricard. His is now UK Prosecco DOC ambassador and, since 2009, The Wine Tipster – a role that combines his passions of wine and horse racing.

What’s the first wine you remember drinking?

Domaine Tempier’s range of Bandol cuvées including the Classique, Migoua and Cabassaou. My dad was crazy about Bandol, Bordeaux and wines from Torres. My parents joined the Stroud Wine Society in the mid-70s.

What job would you be doing if you weren’t in the wine trade?

No surprises here: a horse racing commentator! I grew up in Stroud and there were horses in the field behind my parents’ house. I connected at a young age with the horse racing coverage on the BBC and Sir Peter O’Sullevan, the “voice of racing”. I would do my own commentaries.

How do you relax?

Running, going to gigs, visiting Treviso and

listening to the BBC Radio 3 Proms Season.

What’s the best book you’ve recently read?

Simon Raymonde’s In One Ear: Cocteau Twins, Ivor and Me. Simon played bass and keyboards and is the founder of Bella Union. I loved the Cocteau Twins and what Ivor Watts-Russell created with This Mortal Coil on 4AD. Away from music, The Diaries of Evelyn Waugh and particularly the sections covering the 1920s and 1930s. I’m a big cycling fan so Paul Kimmage’s A Rough Ride.

Give us a Netflix recommendation. More of a radio/podcast listener. I love watching the Tour de France, though.

Do you have any sporting loyalties?

Yes, to our racing syndicate My Racing Manager Friends as we have had some exciting times including at the Cheltenham Festival. Squash has been very important to me from a sporting and networking perspective, which started as a junior squash player at a county level and took me to playing in the wine trade squash team

matches against other clubs as well as our wine trade squash tournament.

Who’s your favourite music artist?

Personal Trainer, a band from Amsterdam, headed by Willem Smit. They are a brilliant energetic septet who I saw for the first time at the Village Underground in Shoreditch, supporting Pom Poko.

Any superstitions?

At school in the rugby and cricket teams I was always the last player on the pitch and last off.

Who’s your favourite wine critic?

Jancis Robinson. I remember Jancis calling when I had started my first job at Moreno Wines to come to a Ribera del Duero tasting, which was a special moment for me. What a contribution Jancis has made to our industry, and she continues to do so. My favourite wine reference book is Wine Grapes in which Jancis collaborated with Julia Harding and José Vouillamoz.

What’s your proudest moment?

Setting up The Wine Tipster, bringing together my passions of wine, food and horse racing. A special mention for my wife Louise Hill, who runs Phillips-Hill Wine Marketing, and who came up with The Wine Tipster moniker. My Wine Tipster podcast has just come out.

What’s your biggest regret?

As an ex-punk rocker I haven’t done regrets! I do wish though I paid more attention to my dissertation rather than being distracted by all the fab bands In Sheffield.

Who’s your hero?

David Attenborough. His contribution has been immense; we have benefited so much.

Any hidden talents?

I love cooking Indian food, but “hidden talent” is pushing it.

What’s your favourite place in the UK? Cornwall on the north coast, where we always went as a family on our camping holidays.

If we could grant you one wish … ?

To protect our wildlife and habitats, to stop any cruelty to animals and for everyone to recognise the importance of putting environmental issues at the top of the list.