8 minute read
Meet the Maker: Geordie Willis
Founded in 1698, Berry Bros. & Rudd is Britain’s oldest wine and spirits merchant. Its familyowned and run, with ledgers going back to the 18th century, and its customers have included everyone from royalty to Lord Byron. Dream Escape meets Geordie Willis, Creative Director and 8th generation family member.
At Berry Bros. & Rudd you can experience something truly tailored to your tastes, whether you’re into English sparkling wines or Highland whiskies. Dream Escape guests can visit the historic headquarters on St James’s Street for private tastings, tours of the 300-year-old cellars and intimate dinners perfectly paired with wines. You might even meet one of the family while you’re there. Dream Escape caught up with Geordie Willis to find out more.
Geordie, you’re part of a fascinating family business, what can you tell us about your journey to joining it?
While I was always aware of the family business, I don't think I ever felt there was an obligation for me to join. There was probably a little soft influence from my grandparents, but it wasn't my intention growing up. I went into the magazine world originally, working with titles like Harper's Bazaar. I started working for the family business on weekends, just to make a bit of extra pocket money. So, it was sort of through the back door that I came into it.
When I first started, I spent three years working in the cellars. We have quite a strict rule when it comes to family members: you have to work your way up. We actually say that you have to do three years outside the business, ideally outside the industry, before you can come into the business. Spending those years in the cellars meant I experienced things, quite literally, from the bottom up.
What have you brought from your wider career experience to your current role?
Working in the magazine world taught me a lot about understanding the customer. Also being part of Harper’s Bazaar was a very good introduction to the luxury industry and understanding the power of heritage, history and brands.
Whilst the wine-merchant industry is different, you still need to understand that relationship between customer and product. And that all stems from the magazine world.
In a business with such rich history, there must be some interesting stories. What would surprise people to know?
Something I think people don't necessarily realise is that we're bigger than we look from the outside. What looks like a relatively small Dickensian shopfront is actually the doorway into a business that is 12 buildings above ground and the size of two football pitches below ground; it spans all the way from the Tudor period to the modern day.
Also, whilst we're wine and spirit merchants now, the sign outside the shop is for a coffee mill. We started as a tea and coffee merchant; the area around St James’s Street was the absolute epicentre of that world.
Another story is that we lost 69 cases of wines and spirits onboard the Titanic We have the letter confirming this hanging in reception.
Berry Bros. & Rudd offers guests a range of bespoke, unforgettable experiences – is there anything that stands out as a favourite to see people enjoy?
I find that whenever we offer guests an experience with someone who’s a master of their craft, whether that’s a wine producer or a chef, that is always something special. Having that access to the people who are intrinsically involved in production, goes back to the concept of luxury; it’s a one-of-a-kind experience.
I love seeing people with shared passions coming together. In the modern world, where so much is digital, there's something wonderful about breaking bread and opening a bottle of wine. People coming together is becoming a bit of a luxury.
What do you enjoy about meeting guests who visit?
I meet many guests personally, which is nice, because you have the opportunity to pick up on their interests. It’s a conversation rather than a lecture, and the building is more of a theatre than it is a museum, so you get constant feedback from guests.
The most enjoyable thing for me is learning from the guests, rather than the other way around. I had a group in recently who I sat down with for about an hour; some of their questions were so insightful, they really got me thinking.
It’s very much a two-way interaction, the questions that are sparked are often the most interesting parts of the conversation.
What’s the secret to successful wine and food pairing?
The main thing is not to take it too seriously, because we all have very different palates. It can be quite useful to understand the basics, and that could be as simple as saying if you're in an Italian restaurant, then the likelihood is that the Italian food will go quite well with Italian wine. But also, don’t be afraid to push against some of the basics. The classic one is white wine with fish. However, there are some wonderful red wines that you'd have with fish as well.
Be experimental, be open-minded and trust the sommelier when in a restaurant. The sommelier’s sole job is to give you advice. Yet, we all slightly avoid it and maybe feel slightly embarrassed or we’re afraid we’ll get it wrong. But when I go to a restaurant, what I would normally do is say ‘this is what we're eating, and I want to spend roughly this amount, maybe you can make some suggestions?’.
It shouldn’t be any different to asking a waiter what they recommend from the menu. Be vulnerable enough to ask for advice.
You’ve recently opened a spirit shop on the corner of St James's, can you tell us more?
Whilst we've been wine and spirits merchants forever, we've never had a dedicated spirit shop, so it’s been a great opportunity to highlight our expertise.
Our selection continues to grow and evolve. As you might expect, there are plenty of lovely Scottish whiskies, but there are also spirits from around the world and some less obvious spirits like tequila and mezcal, and an extraordinary range of rum.
The joy of spirits compared with wine, is that you tend to have more being sampled; there are more opportunities to try different things. It goes back to the idea of luxury, and the experiential. People can come and learn through tasting and doing, rather than just looking.
Do you have a favourite spirit or cocktail?
I’m very fickle! We introduced a gin called ‘No 3. London Dry Gin’ a few years ago and that was invented as a martini gin. So, a martini, or a negroni is probably my go-to – but I can't have too many of them because they're very strong. We're very fortunate to be in close proximity to the best martini in the world, made at Dukes Hotel across the road from us.
Berry Bros. & Rudd has a vast collection of fine, rare whiskies too – how do you like to enjoy a dram?
I'm a big believer that you should drink things however you want to drink them. However, for me, if I was having whisky, I'd normally have just a drop or two of water just to open up the aromas. But it really is completely the prerogative of the person drinking it.
Whisky is an area that I'm constantly learning about. You never stop learning when it comes to spirits, because there's always something that you haven't heard of or haven’t tried.
What are you most excited about right now at Berry Bros. & Rudd?
The spirit shop is certainly one of our most exciting recent ventures. But what I also find exciting is that there is always something new to experience here. There will be some familiar favourite experiences on offer, but you won't necessarily find the same things every time you come. We're always pushing the team to come up with interesting themes and to highlight exciting wineries that may not have been showing their wines in the market before. Whether it’s our events, or our wine and spirits selection, it's a constantly evolving curation.
DAVID TOBIN - OWNER AND CEO
Berry Bros. & Rudd is not only one of the best whisky and wine merchants in London, it is also one of the nation’s ten oldest family-run businesses, boasting three Masters of Wine as well as two royal warrants, a mark of recognition for tradespeople that provide goods or services to the British royal family. In addition to being one of the oldest shops in the UK, it also offers intimate private dining and entertaining experiences in the cellars beneath its St James’s Street headquarters, all of them capturing the rich heritage of this traditional firm. Excellence is at the heart of what they offer and I can’t think of many places I would rather indulge in a tasting and dining experience.
Words | Francesca Weeks
