THE WINE MERCHANT. An independent magazine for independent retailers
Issue 105, August 2021
Dog of the Month: Jasper Ripponden Wine Company
Now we need a rethink on crazy organic import rules VI-1 win galavanises trade in fight against law that will require importers to be audited by organic licensing bodies
H
aving won the battle to scrap VI-1 import forms, the wine trade is
being urged to start campaigning
against plans that will make organic wine importing more problematic.
There are also calls to make the
government change course on regulations
that would make it illegal to bring in wines from the EU without importer details on
the back label – a requirement that did not apply when the UK was part of the single
market but which is mandatory for wines
who, along with David Gleave of Liberty
month when the government finally
Spirit Trade Association, had led the trade’s
from outside the EU.
There was widespread jubilation last
accepted the trade’s argument that VI-1
forms for EU wines would add about £330 per shipment because of compulsory lab tests, deterring many smaller producers
from dealing with UK importers, typically independent merchants.
Daniel Lambert of Daniel Lambert Wines,
Wines, Hal Wilson of Cambridge Wine
Merchants and Miles Beale of the Wine & fight against VI-1s, says the question
of organic wine imports was “the next pressing matter”.
From January next year, any importer
that brings in wines that are certified as
Continues page 2
John Jasilowicz (pictured right with his colleague, Gonzalo Ontiveros) has opened Cambridge Wine Rooms following stints at Oddbins, Planet of the Grapes and Vagabond – and two years in Brazil. Full story on page four.
NEWS
Inside this month 4 COMINGS AND GOINGS
Trade prepares for organic wine fight following victory over VI-1 forms From page one
Lots of indie action on the mean
organic will themselves need to be audited
streets of north London
and accredited by one of the seven UK
10 tried & TESTED Our pick of the wines that we’ve
authorities. In Lambert’s case, this will
cost £750 for a year, but the charges can be much higher.
sampled this month
He describes the situation as “a
14 wholesaling Despite the challenges, it’s big
nonsense” that “the government didn’t think through at all”.
He adds: “To get the licence you wouldn’t
business for many indies
believe what you have to go through. I had
24 just wiilliams Why wine tasting just isn’t the
to go through a full audit as if I was actually growing the grapes in my warehouse – it’s
same on your own
public, and the retailers themselves don’t
need to be certified as organic retailers. It
seems to me that this is a law that has been fudged all the way through.
“It’s in the secondary legislation, like
the VI-1s were, so it can be overturned
quite quickly, as we’ve seen. It’s something that nobody has shouted about because
obviously the VI-1 was more pressing until now.”
Hal Wilson at Cambridge Wine
Merchants (pictured) adds: “I can’t see
why you would want to penalise organic producers who have already paid a
lot to demonstrate
ridiculous.
26 wine freedom Pallets and plants set the scene at this Birmingham merchant
their environmental
“We have gone
credentials. The people
through the pain and
who import their wines
been through a two-and-
are heavily audited and
a-half-hour interview
38 champagne Looking back at a rollercoaster
46 make a date Trade tastings are back – here
49 supplier bulletin
an organic importer, all of
which I think is a complete and utter
year for the category
are some to think about
and paid the money to be
regulated.”
Wilson suggests that, while
the VI-1 battle had essentially
nonsense.
been a trade campaign, consumers could
they are still doing the checks that we are
approach to organics.
“We started this process in February and
we still haven’t got our certificate because going to store the wine correctly.
“None of it is relevant because we are
not customer-facing in terms of the general
potentially be brought on board to help
make the case for a more common sense The requirement of adding importer
details to back labels is expected to add about 9p a bottle to costs.
THE WINE MERCHANT MAGAZINE winemerchantmag.com 01323 871836 Twitter: @WineMerchantMag Editor and Publisher: Graham Holter graham@winemerchantmag.com Assistant Editor: Claire Harries claire@winemerchantmag.com Advertising: Sarah Hunnisett sarah@winemerchantmag.com Accounts: Naomi Young winemerchantinvoices@gmail.com The Wine Merchant is circulated to the owners of the UK’s 963 specialist independent wine shops. Printed in Sussex by East Print. © Graham Holter Ltd 2021 Registered in England: No 6441762 VAT 943 8771 82
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 2
Michelin-star list for indie start-up The Wine Rooms Cambridge opened at the beginning of June on Hills Road. General manager John Jaswilowicz, who
has spent almost 20 years in the wine
trade, starting at Oddbins before stints at Planet of The Grapes and Vagabond, says his new role is a perfect fit for him.
Following a two-year break in Brazil
with his partner, Jasilowicz relocated from London to Cambridge after the couple
realised the capital was no longer for them. “I was a sommelier at Hotel du Vin
before I met Marcus [Edwards], who has a fine wine broking business called Albany Vintners,” explains Jasilowicz.
“He said he was setting up a wine shop/
bar/restaurant with a relaxed vibe but high quality stuff. I thought that was right up my street and so it all fell into place.”
The Wine Rooms Cambridge has two
floors and accommodates 50 covers. The wine list reflects the food focus: “small
menu, high quality, seasonal and changing regularly”.
Wine Rooms Cambridge has 50 covers spread over two floors
Jasilowicz says they were lucky enough
to get the opening range of wines from a Michelin-starred restaurant that was selling off its cellar.
“We want to be unique in terms of
pick great things and put them on straight away with no cumbersome machinations to work through,” says Jasilowicz.
• Jesmond could soon have a specialist
our offering,” he says, “and it just meant
independent wine shop again. The Jesmond
really nice old vintages of things – things
and artisan wine and spirits” from a unit in
Moving forward the business will be
West Jesmond Metro station closed in 2020
we could have our shelves looking very
Wine Company, a local wholesale business,
you just can’t get your hands on these
Clayton Road in the Newcastle upon Tyne
supplied by Albany Vintners. “We can just
after five decades of trading.
different to everyone else. We opened with
has applied for a licence to sell “premium
days.”
suburb. Richard Granger’s wine shop in the
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 4
Bacchus Second site for Shop Cuvée Following the success of Shop Cuvée in Highbury, north London, Brodie Meah and Max Venning will open a second site in Bethnal Green this month. The pair founded Shop Cuvée last
Covid/transport storms blow over. “We are
super busy focusing on our retail, so I think it’s sensible to hold off on importing for now,” he adds.
Batch team go back to basics
summer when their respective hospitality
A craft beer shop in Warrington Market
provision for a wine bar and events space
continue to operate Batch Bottlestore in
floor will be
“We aren’t too proud to admit when
businesses had to close due to lockdown.
closed in July after just four months.
in the basement,
Altrincham, established in 2019.
The Bethnal Green store will have
while the ground
dedicated to retail. Meah (pictured)
says: “We never assumed retail
would be our main focus but we never
forget our roots in hospitality. Wine and food just go hand in hand.”
“We already distribute all over the UK,”
adds Meah, “but what this shop really
means for us is that we can take ownership of that delivery a bit more. We are very
Owners Will Brown and Chris Bardsley A statement on social media read:
something isn’t working for us. Sure, it’s
a bit of a kicker but we’ll chalk it down to some lessons learnt. We’ll regroup and
concentrate our energy in Altrincham for
the time being. Big thanks to everyone who shopped with us.”
Pub group finds permanent shop
keen on using our own bicycle couriers;
Vino Gusto is soon to open a new site in
6km radius around the Highbury store, and
comprising five pubs and a craft brewery,
they are freelance workers but very much
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.
Bethnal Green means we can extend our
Vino Gusto set up temporarily during
part of our team. At the moment we have a bicycle courier radius.
“That service is really important to us
because the delivery is door to door, in our own hands, rather than handing it off to a courier.”
He adds: “We’re not eco-warriors but I
think any good business these days has an
eye on its environmental impact, so we see it as a bit of a no-brainer really, especially in London. I do some bike deliveries
sometimes and I’m surprised that it’s not more popular.”
Meah says that the business has the
capacity to start importing direct, but
would rather wait until the current Brexit/
Owned by Gusto Pronto, a business
lockdown last summer in The One Bull, one of the company’s pubs.
Now the on-trade is fully operational
once more, Gusto Pronto wants to grow
its retail arm, which has proved a success
under the stewardship of Jake Bennett-Day.
Bennett-Day confirmed that the company
has secured the freehold of a building in the town in a high street location.
“Our expectation is that we’ll open in
October or November,” he says. “There’s a bit of work to do to the building. It’s
in good shape, but we’re opening up the lovely cellar to the public and creating a
tasting/training facility on the first floor.”
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 5
Trade calls out Hoggwash
The scrapping of VI-1 forms has put the UK wine trade in its cheeriest mood for some time. But the goodwill does not extend to allowing Jacob-Rees Mogg to proclaim the decision as “another benefit of Brexit”, resulting in “cheaper wine and less red tape”. The House of Commons leader was forcefully put in his place following his vainglorious tweet, which linked to a Telegraph article about VI-1s. This piece seemed to split wine professionals into two camps: those who thought it was dreadful, and those who thought it was drivel. Matt Wilkin of H2Vin, Daniel Lambert, Miles Beale of the WSTA and writer Giles MacDonogh were among the trade names to pop up in Rees-Mogg’s timeline, each pointing out, using a variety of idioms and metaphors, that the Rt Hon gentleman’s assessment of the VI-1 situation was misleading and disingenuous. Perhaps the most succinct and articulate response was offered by Shaftesbury Wines. “Not introducing something that makes wine more expensive is not the same as making it cheaper,” wrote owner David Perry. “Saying it is a benefit is like saying you saved a drowning man by taking your foot off his head. But thank God you finally listened to sense from the UK wine trade.”
Alex gives a shuck
There was intriguing update on the Park Vintners blog in late July in which co-owner Alex Roberts announced a holiday, “following a cry for help from the organisers of the Tokyo Olympics”. “Myself and a crack team of shuckers are being paid just over $1m to save the canoeing and rowing in Tokyo Bay. Our job is to remove all the oysters that have attached themselves to the floats positioned to protect the racing area from waves. So many oysters have attached themselves that the floats are starting to sink. So I’ve packed Muscadet and Chablis, a bit of Albariño, but I just need someone to help me carry the barrel of Guinness – any volunteers?”
Hector’s hopes to fit in naturally Hector’s has now fully opened in De Beauvoir, a residential neighbourhood that “fits snugly between Hackney and Islington,” according to owner Jimmy Stephenson. He initially planned to open the bottle
shop and the accompanying bar at
the same time. But when the lifting of
hospitality restrictions was delayed by a month, he went ahead with the shop launch in June and the bar element followed a few weeks later.
Stephenson, previously at upmarket
Hackney butcher and restaurant Hill &
Customers can choose any wine from the shelves to take away or drink in. Pic: Charlie McKay
Szrok, launched Hector’s with the backing Hill & Szrok’s owner Luca Mathiszig-Lee. He’ll be operating the business with the help of his wife Anna and her younger
brother Josh, who is currently studying for his WSET Level 2.
“The industry is really struggling at the
moment for staff,” reports Stephenson. “At Hill & Szrok we put people through the apprenticeship scheme. If you can find
youngish people who are happy to learn,
it’s a great way to employ and train people. “Hopefully they stick it out and really
enjoy it. The majority of them really go for it. I want to do a similar thing here with
Josh, but with wine, and hopefully he will fall in love with it.”
Stephenson is working with suppliers
including Vine Trail, Passione e Vino
and Tuto. He says: “My style of wine is
definitely influenced by a lot of natural and low-intervention winemaking but
not dogmatically so.
There’s definitely some more
conventional and
traditional
stuff in there.”
The shop opened with the previous signage still intact. Pic: Charlie McKay
Customers will be able to choose
“It’s nice to give people a list as a starting
anything from the shelves to drink in or
point, too, so they can see the prices and
every single bottle that we have in the
to push it further and ask if we’ve got
take away but there will also be a wine list. “It’s really nice to be able to talk through
shop but that can be time consuming and
overwhelming, so we do have a wine list for people to choose from when drinking in,” explains Stephenson.
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 6
maybe pick out an appellation they know
and we can take it from there. If they want anything special open, that’s great. We
want to make this place really special and
for it to be part of the community for a long time to come.”
Leading suppliers 2021 In our Wine Merchant Top 100 supplement, published with our July edition, there was a mistake in the leaderboard of the competition’s most successful suppliers of 2021. The corrected version appears here, including, in eighth spot, Daniel Lambert Wines, which we inadvertently omitted from the original graphic. Apologies to Daniel and his team and congratulations again to all suppliers who came away victorious in a recordbreaking year for entries. Methodology Three points were awarded for a Top 100 spot, and one point for each Highly Commended placing.
NOT YOU AGAIN!
customers we could do without
© Edler von Rabenstein / stockadobe.com
26. Vince Chisholm … don’t mind me, I’m just browsing ... that’s a big old pallet out there on the pavement … that little lot should keep you going till lunchtime I reckon, heh heh! As I say, don’t worry about me, you keep on unloading, I’ll keep well out of yer way …. bloomin’ hot day for it, don’t slip on that pool of water just by yer feet … you’re right, it could be sweat … what’s this Shiraz like, bit more expensive than the one I usually buy, nice label though … no, no, of course, you carry on, I’ve got all the time in the world and you’ve got all them boxes to worry about … you mind yer back, you don’t want a slipped disc … someone told me the other day that Shiraz and Chablis are the same grape, is that right? Oh, he’s back outside … here he comes … as I say, someone told me that Shiraz is the same grape as … some other one … what was it they was telling me … no, don’t let me interrupt you, you’ve got work to do, heh heh! Look at that silly so-and-so letting his dog piddle all over your boxes … oh, and here’s a traffic warden giving you a blinking ticket, right on bloomin’ cue … anyway, as I say, I was told the Shiraz grape is actually the same as …
Supplier of wine boxes and literature • 12 Bottle carrier box with dividers • 6 Bottle carrier box with dividers • 12 Bottle mailing box with dividers • 6 Bottle mailing box with dividers • 4 Bottle mailing box with dividers • 3 Bottle mailing box with dividers • 1 Bottle mailing box with dividers
01323 728338 • sales@eastprint.co.uk • www.eastprint.co.uk
Congratulations to the five Wine
Merchant reader survey respondents
whose names were drawn at random
AM ANAand TIaMCoravin, GRwho E courtesy of each win
partner Hatch Mansfield. Can you unscramble the our names of these celebrities with wine brands? If so, you win a harvest for the world. Peter Fawcett, Field & Fawcett, York
1. OK, Mini Eel Guy The Wine Centre, Anthony Borges, 2. Hangman Rotor Great Horkesley, Essex 3. Hippos Fled Chilli Zoran Ristanovic, 4. Obtain Ham City Wine Collection, 5. Cardiff Racoon's London Plop Daniel Grigg, Museum Wines, Dorset Riaz Syed, Stonewines, London
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 8
TRIED & TESTED
Tringario Ludopata Marselan 2020
Domaine des Tourelles Vieilles Vignes White 2020
Jose and Trini Gonzalez established their winery in
Not just old vines, but ancient varieties too. Merweh,
edition Colchagua Marselan, fermented in concrete
unevenly. Obeidi, grown at altitude on pergolas, sounds
which makes up half of the blend, is a hardy grape that
2015 with the aim of demonstrating “what Chile is
likes the wild living on Lebanon’s mountains but ripens
capable of when the shackles are off”. This limited-
marginally less problematic. Together they make an
eggs, is fresh, light and juicy, with appealing raspberry-
exotic, herbacious wine with lots of appley notes.
like fruit and a cranberryish tang. RRP: £17.99
RRP: £16
ABV: 14.5%
ABV: 11%
Boutinot (0161 908 1300)
Propeller Wine propeller.wine
boutinot.com
Enate Chardonnay 234 2020
Giant Steps Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2020
Chardonnay is probably excluded from the list of white varieties grown in Spain that we’re supposed to get
It wasn’t a vintage everyone in Australia recalls with
exotic fruits (and a touch of banana Angel Delight) for
smaller and tighter, and you can taste that here, though
excited about, but this is an example to win over any
doubters. Mountain freshness and minerality vie with supremacy in a delicious and affordable wine that’s proving to be a consistent performer. RRP: £15.99
ABV: 14.5%
Daniel Lambert Wines (01656 661010)
much fondness but the Yarra got off more lightly than
most. Yields were down and Chardonnay bunches were that acidity and edge of sourness is leavened by a hint of tropical fruit and a gentle leesy cushioning. RRP: £22
ABV: 13%
Liberty Wines (020 7720 5350)
daniellambert.wine
libertywines.co.uk
Balfour Winery Blanc de Noirs 2018
TerraNoble Gran Reserva Carignan 2018
Winemaker Fergus Elias sees this as a yin and yang
The alluvial terraces of this part of Maule can only be
and oyster shell characteristics so often found in our
concrete eggs and untoasted foudres before bottle
wine. “Traditional ripe Blanc de Noirs flavours of red
apple and blackcurrant combine with the linear citrus vintage wines,” he says. It’s firm and arresting on the palate, but with a creaminess to round things off. RRP: £35
ABV: 12%
Balfour Winery (01622 832794)
cultivated by horses, and picked by hand. After open-
top maceration and soft extraction, the juice splits into ageing. The natural freshness and greener edges
contrast with the inky depths and ripe-fruit aromas. RRP: £15
ABV: 13.5%
Vintage Cellars (0207 630 6254)
balfourwinery.com
vintagecellars.co.uk
Esk Valley Artisanal Collection Merlot/Cabernet/Malbec 2019
Carminucci Belato Offida Pecorino 2020
The winery’s first Malbec-led wine from Gimblett
Carminucci started out in 1928 and is still run by the
in oak barrels for 18 months. It’s as juicy and intense
natural honeydew sweetness of the once-forgotten but
Gravels starts with its constituent varietals being
fermented in open-top concrete vats and then aged
as you’d imagine, with a herbal undertow. A perfect partner for the hearty stews we require in, er, July. RRP: £19.25
ABV: 14%
Hatch Mansfield (01344 871800) hatchmansfield.com
founder’s son, Piero, who has earned a great deal of
acclaim in Italy for his organically-farmed wines. The
now beloved Pecorino grape makes this a real crowdpleaser, but there’s a lovely orchardy tartness too. RRP: £13.75
ABV: 13%
Hallgarten & Novum Wines (01582 722538) hnwines.co.uk
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 10
REPS REPORT BACK whippets!” But the wine trade has changed,
My role is to understand who my
much more inclusive and dynamic place
new portfolio so whatever my customers
the north has got some fantastic businesses
customer is and I am working really hard
now.
are after, I can help them. I started off as
James Mitchell On the Road
JAMES IS THE NEW ACCOUNTS MANAGER FOR NORTHERN ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND AT ALLIANCE WINE. HIS NINE YEARS AS A REP HAVE INCLUDED ROLES AT TANNERS AND INVERARITY MORTON
I love the north of England; I’m from Manchester. Driving through the Pennines or the North York Moors on a day like
today, there’s nothing better. It’s a great
life being out and about and seeing people and I love that every day is different. I’ve got customers in Northumberland, so
I might be there and then down to the
centre of Manchester, and I am taking over
I worked in wine shops for 10 years and I know how hard it is. The hours
are long and you have to think about staff
issues, all the finances and a whole host of mundane but vital things. However, there
was nothing better than selling a bottle of
wine to a customer for them to come back
a week later to thank you and ask what else you recommend. It was a thrill. I get the
morning and then 5Live. I find commercial radio a bit too much. You can start singing the jingles and still be singing them when
you get home. The children look at me like I’m an idiot!
There’s plenty going on in the north. I
think in the past perhaps there could be a sniffy attitude from the south. In my 20s if I was at the London Wine Fair I would always feel that the thinking was, “oh,
here he comes with his flat cap and his
You become very good at understanding people, very quickly.
I’m always blown away by just how fantastic the shops are. They are full of
wines to recommend next time around. I’ve missed all the tastings that my
customers host. Seeing the end consumer and answering their questions is always
A chat with a rep can reassure you and help get a good idea of what is going on with other people, to keep everything in perspective
our customers on the day, but also
and sports. James O’Brien on LBC in the
a laugh with or wants to be left alone.
and there are always loads of different
meet everyone.
In my car, I listen to the radio – news
deciding if a table is one you could have
this diverse portfolio I can do the same,
a great chance to see how the wines are
different kinds of people. I can’t wait to
a waiter and that has set me up very well,
same feeling now I am a rep. Working with
Alliance’s Scottish customers too, so it’s
really exciting and so diverse with so many
on unearthing all the little gems in this
received by the people that drink them. It’s great insight and I enjoy helping
understanding their customers better. It’s
all about being supportive, and at those key times of the year when tastings can really make a difference to a business, boosting
the sales. It’s nice to know you’ve played a small part.
If you’ve been stuck in the shop over the last 18 months and you haven’t been to any tastings and had those normal connections with people in the wine
trade, I like to think a chat with a rep can reassure you and help get a good idea of
what is going on with other people, to keep everything in perspective.
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 11
enthusiastic staff who know their stuff,
they are always looking to innovate and try new things. There’s a whole new
generation of people coming through
who are much more interested in funky
wines, and labels, and they are looking for a story too. I am itching to get in front of
customers to show the array of wines I can
sell. We have so many cool labels that really leap out at you, and great stories for people to learn too. I know those wines will fly
off the shelves and make a real difference
to the bottom line and the end-customers’ satisfaction.
Feature sponsored by Alliance Wine For more information, visit alliancewine.com Call 01505 506060
© fotografci / stockadobe.com
selling great selections of wine and it is a
Life Outside Wine I was a child actor and I was in the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang film with Dick Van Dyke. I was one of the child slaves – I was in it for some months and my brothers were in it too. When they were filming the Battle of Britain scene I remember running up the bridge at Pinewood and we’d see the Spitfires flying over and they had explosives going off in the banks to look like they were bombing. It was a wonderful experience seeing the car going up in the air – kind of spoiled it when you realised it was on hydraulics.
When I was 45 I applied to a number of drama schools and I got into Bristol. They have 30,000 applications for about 80 places. I spent two years there and then it got quite serious with the RSC and the Old Vic. About seven years ago it went really quiet. I got a part-time job in a supermarket doing beer tasting. That progressed to doing events and eventually I got my shop in Glastonbury. I still subscribe to Spotlight, so if any acting work comes up I’ll be ready, but I’m not pushing for it. The job I enjoyed most was a production of Henry V. There were five of us doing an abridged version of the play in an hour and a half. I think I had 38 costume changes
An occasional series looking at the pastimes and sidelines of independent wine merchants This month: Acting with Mark Ross of The Green Room, Glastonbury
and played eight characters in that time – it was insane. We toured around the country and it was great fun. When I finished the season at the RSC I was offered another chance to tour Henry V but I was concerned that casting directors would wonder why I’d gone from the RSC to small-scale fringe and so I turned it down. That was a silly thing to think, in fact. I should have just enjoyed it and rocked on. Mark Rylance is wonderful to work for. I played a small role in his production of Much Ado About Nothing but I was also an understudy. About a day before we opened Mark called me and asked me how I felt about going on as someone was ill. He said, “I would never want an actor to go on stage if he didn’t feel ready,” and that he was prepared to go on with the book rather than me go on unprepared and get bad reviews. He was so considerate. It’s not wrong for a director to demand you go on – as an understudy that’s what you’re paid for and if I wasn’t ready that would be my failure. A couple of years ago I was put up as a judge in a crime drama. Unfortunately when you cover my grey hair with a wig, I
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 12
look about 10 years younger and too young to be a judge. When I was at Bristol people always said, “you’d be great for doctor, solicitor, accountant, policeman,” but it’s kind of crazy that I never got invited for any of those roles, even though The Bill, Holby City and Casualty were still going at the time. I was in a music video for Professor Green. I had no idea that he was a rap artist. During the audition I actually asked what sort of professor he was! Turning up for a music video was like turning up for a major feature film. The trucks and crew … it was huge. No expense spared. It was very sad because my big scene was meant to be where I break down as I react to Professor Green rapping, but on the third day of shooting when it was time for that scene, Steve [Manderson] got taken to hospital with an abscess so my scene got cut.
I think everyone in commerce should have some exposure to drama training. Just to make them a bit more extrovert and stretch their boundaries. It’s invaluable. I’m doing a tasting in September, and it doesn’t faze me; it will be a delight. I’d love to start a YouTube channel featuring cooking with wine, and food and wine pairing.
© Jacob Lund / stockadobe.com
ANALYSIS
T
he return of the on-trade is bringing
a mini-boom in wholesaling for many
wine merchants – though the ongoing
uncertainties caused by the pandemic are making things anything but plain sailing.
After the delays caused by Brexit earlier
in the year, the summer Covid wave’s
impact on the haulage industry and staff shortages in hospitality have brought further headaches.
“The biggest issue since the on-trade
reopened has been trying to get enough
stock,” says Dafydd Morris at Cheers Wine Merchants in Swansea. Argentine Malbec and New Zealand Sauvignon have been hardest to keep flowing.
“We’re being told by suppliers they can’t
cap
get enough hauliers,” Morris adds. “I had a
delivery from a bond yesterday that turned up in two separate white vans that would normally come in a single lorry.
“It helps when the national press run
stories on haulier issues because accounts are willing to accept they won’t get
everything they want and that there are delays, and that it’s not just us fobbing
Restaurant-goers seem to be trading
them off.
“It’s been such an unusual time,” adds
Morris. “We thought Brexit and lockdown were bad enough but coming out of it has been just as mad.
“Our wholesale business is normal in
terms of volume and better in terms of value.
“House wines are normally a huge
percentage of wine list turnover but there’s definitely a move towards better quality.
“I think people have got used to drinking
On-trade’s back on t
Despite some challenges, many indies are seeing increasing business with their restaurant cli
slightly better wines through lockdown
also just a huge appetite for hospitality
months, let’s just go for it’.”
weeks and weeks.”
from shops and when they go out are thinking, ‘we haven’t been out for 18
W
holesale accounts for 85% of the business of Regency Wines in
Exeter. “Since June we’ve been
trading above 2019 levels,” says director April Marks. “We’re in the west country and everyone’s staycationing. There’s
and people have missed it. Some of our customers have been fully booked for
Marks says she feels recent decisions
by larger wholesalers, including Matthew
Clark and St Austell, to increase minimum order sizes have brought benefits.
“We’ve picked up new accounts,” she
says. “Some of the larger wholesalers
have increased their minimum orders
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 14
and people have come to us. Their service levels aren’t as sharp as they used to be, and I think we’ve gone the other way. “We’ve definitely seen an increase
in customers since lockdown without actively going out there and targeting
new business. They want to support local
businesses and they’re not being serviced properly by their larger suppliers they were using.”
While the changes to major wholesaler
executive John Colley said in the spring that
have gained efficiency. “When wholesale
in Cornwall, has also been courting new
“Once wholesale started up again we could
prospects in wholesale.
Charles Wharton, at Ellis Wharton Wines
accounts.
“We took on a sales rep for the first
time three months ago,” he says. “That
has helped us pick up quite a lot of new business.
“We’ve had a good handful of customers
approach us, but we’ve been actively
turning on a light switch and a question
of just making sure we had enough stock to push out the door and keep everyone happy.
“The last two weeks the pinging from
track and trace has affected us. I reckon
others may find competition intensifying on a localised basis.
Majestic is using some of its recent
bigger store openings as commercial
hubs to serve both retail and wholesale customers.
The company ramped up its commercial
sales team before the easing of this
year’s lockdown, securing over 100 new
commercial on-trade accounts, and chief
routes. It made that all more efficient.”
E
dward Wilson, at The Wine Press in
Stourbridge, says that “wholesale has come back with a vengeance”.
He adds: “We’ve found quite a few
that.
build-up to the summer season. It was like
T&Cs have aided some smaller operators,
tie in the on-trade with our retail delivery
running at 140%-150%. It’s gone from one
extreme to the other. There was no gradual
ients, reports Nigel Huddleston
we did home deliveries,” says Fitzpatrick.
venues utilised lockdown to refurbish and
been operating on 40%-50% of normal, or
he agenda
was shut and we were just doing retail
chasing business.
“For the last seven months we’ve either
up from house wines, reports Dafydd Morris at Cheers
On the upside, Old Chapel’s own logistics
he was “very optimistic” about the chain’s
we’re 20%-25% down on previous weeks. “A couple of accounts with staff
shortages have shut their doors for a week and others have gone from seven days to four or five days a week, which suddenly takes a third of your potential turnover away from that account.
“From the highs we’ve had, the heat’s
been taken out of it a little bit.”
L
ouisa Fitzpatrick at Old Chapel Cellars, down the road in Truro, says on-trade
business has recovered to 2019 levels.
“It felt like the year started again once the on-trade opened in May,” she says.
“Orders were really healthy and places
were busier than we expected. People
can’t travel abroad, so the holiday trade in Cornwall, even before the school holidays, was significantly increased.”
Staff shortages within hospitality have
caused some problems. “It’s been tricky when a restaurant that orders regularly
has to shut because of staff shortages,” she says. “There’s a bit of to-ing and fro-ing.”
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 15
start afresh, so we’ve managed to secure some good new on-trade accounts from
“The ones doing well are those with a
good outdoor area, because I think people are still quite cautious.
“It’s been more of a struggle with smaller
indoor restaurants. Before the restrictions lifted completely, they were a good 30% down.”
Morris at Cheers says his business
managed to hang on to all its regular ontrade clients from before lockdown.
“We kept in touch with them all the way
through lockdown and offered them any help we could give,” he explains.
“Some were doing takeaway to keep
ticking over, so we were able to help them with dribbles of wine.”
Morris is unaware of major players’
moves on drop sizes but adds: “We’ve
picked up some new accounts just because they were getting wind of how good our service was – and the fact that we’ve
actually got some stock, because I know some people haven’t got much at all.
“We’ve picked up a few small restaurant
chains in London. They’re paying upfront so I’m not really worried on that score.
“We supply two wedding venues locally,
and they just kept pushing back the dates,
which means one now has a wedding every day bar two for the next three months.
Between them they have 170 weddings in
that time, which is enough to keep anyone going.”
Rising Stars
Ernesto Angulo Bedales, Borough Market, London
‘Wine and emotion are tied very closely together’
A
t a time when hospitality staff are rather thin on the ground, Mario Sposito, wine director at Bedales, is happy to celebrate the excellence of his front of house team, in particular wine specialist Ernesto Angulo. “He came to us with some wine knowledge and a wealth of hospitality experience,” Mario explains. “Ernesto has a real passion for wine and I guess when you have someone who is already very interested in the subject, it is much easier to work with them to increase their knowledge.” Ernesto now hosts training for other members of staff and over lockdown he ran some of the Zoom tastings set up by Bedales for its customers. “He is probably our strongest wine person in the frontof-house team, not just in terms of knowledge but it’s the joy he has when he talks about wine – it’s infectious,” says Mario. “He always says to me, ‘I’m really happy when I can share what I learn with colleagues and guests. That is when I feel fulfilled.’ “You cannot train someone to have that connection with guests. He has a natural ability – he is amazing with customers.” Colombian-born Ernesto has been working in the hospitality industry for the past 13 years in London restaurants and private members’ clubs. “I was working in cocktails in Colombia, so I have always been orientated towards hospitality,” he says. “I developed my knowledge of wine because I think it plays such an important part in how people connect and enjoy themselves and create memories. “It is really important for me to understand the atmosphere at the table and what is going on. Are the guests in the mood for a heavy red or do they want something light? That is the fun for me. Wine and emotion are tied very closely together.” When asked to consider any long-term goals, Ernesto’s thoughts turn to the educational side of things. “I love historical and geographical facts about wine, and its social history,” he says. “I would love to do some research into the origin of winemaking and blends in Europe. “I would like to travel to Languedoc or eastern European countries, like Georgia, and create a documentary or a guide of some sort.
“I am very happy to continue my career in hospitality and at Bedales I have been given the chance to explore. From all the places I have worked, the variety and the menu choices at Bedales are very much an interpretation of my taste.”
Ernesto wins a bottle of Staglin Family Vineyard Estate Chardonnay 2017 If you’d like to nominate a Rising Star, email claire@winemerchantmag.com
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 16
ES OF
I TA
G
AT BR E R
W I N E S O F G R E AT B R I TA I N
IN
TRADE & PRESS TASTING 2021
RHS Lindley Hall
IN
Elverton Street London | SW1P 2PB
Tu e s d a y | 7 S e p t e m b e r 10.00am - 5.30pm
W
To Re g i s t e r : Visit WineGB.co.uk/trade
O P E N O N LY T O B O N A F I D E T R A D E & P R E S S S t r i c t
s a f e t y
m e a s u r e s
w i l l
b e
a p p l i e d
t h r o u g h o u t
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 17
INTERVIEW
. T H E D R AY M A N .
Beers that don’t need a label
H
ybrid ale must surely take the prize for the worst
imperial sour IPA. It’s a collaboration with the New Zealand
beer category description of all time. It was coined
Beer Collective, brewed with grape juice and New Zealand’s
because nobody could come up with anything better
Nelson hops, noted for their grape-like character.
to describe a glut of light tasting, creamy ales that came on the market in the mid-1990s, most notably Caffreys.
Its appealing tartness and fresh gooseberry aroma make it a beery version of half-decent New World Sauvignon Blanc.
In some ways it was the perfect category for the Britpop
Northern Monk’s OFS043 is an India pale lager that combines
era, a beer that looked to the past while promising a bright
the lime and coconut character of Citra and Sabro hops in a
new future. Like Britpop, it briefly looked like it could achieve
clean, refreshing, summery beer.
world domination before everyone realised it was dressed in the emperor’s new clothes. These beers – there were others, but the names have faded from the memory, the Menswears of hybrid beer, if you will – were intended to traverse the boundaries between ale and lager, drawing fans of the latter into the former, though as they were mainly made by producers of big lager brands anyway it seemed like a futile process. It’s hard it imagine the fuss this all caused back then, but those were different times, when beer drinkers were more firmly rooted in category tribes, and beer snobs – and they were often snobs – in particular saw ale as pure and righteous, and lager as the work of the devil, or Scottish Courage as s/he was otherwise known. You can still buy Caffrey’s today – it’s picked up an apostrophe along the way – but it’s marketed simply as premium Irish ale, any pretensions to crossover status consigned to history. Yet
the
process
of
blurring
boundaries between beer types is more prevalent than ever, with smaller
The process of blurring boundaries between beer types is more prevalent than ever, with enticing beers that meld elements of saisons, stouts, IPAs, fruit beers, sours and more
brewers experimenting with enticing beers that meld together elements of saisons, stouts, IPAs, fruit beers, sours and more.
What both these achieve is, like great winemaking, a harmonious balance between their disparate elements, rather
You’ve got to tread carefully. It
than a chaotic battle for domination; the smooth finish of a
doesn’t always work, with clashes of
master cabinet maker versus a set of shelves knocked together
style frequently leading to Masterchef-
by a novice DIY-er.
style “too many things on the plate”
They’re hybrids, but not so as you’d notice, and thankfully, in
moments. But when the brewer has the skill to pull it off the
these more tolerant beer drinking times, they don’t need a label
results can be sublime.
that draws attention to their difference. They are just good beers
Aberdeen’s Fierce Brewing’s Lots of Nelson is billed as an
in their own right, and that’s all that matters.
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 18
br
ight ideas 25: impactful window displays on a budget Rachel Heaton Tiny’s Tipple, Chorlton
In a nutshell … Put your best Blue Peter skills to the test to create a cardboard model of your own high street. It makes an excellent window display and when it’s time for a change, you can monetise it for charity. Tell us more. “The window needed changing so I thought I’d try something new. I wanted to recycle as I’m not keen on waste and there’s no shortage of boxes in the shop. I think it cost a tenner for the paint, and it took me about a month. I wasn’t doing it solidly and I needed something to do during lockdown.”
Is it really modelled on your own high street? “It’s more representative of the local area. It includes a replica of the public library and the local Wetherspoons. It’s been in the window for a while now and I’ve been able to alter it according to the seasons or just to reflect what’s going on in the area. So I’ve added different houses and when the Black Lives Matter movement was in full swing last year I added little BLM signs in the windows of all the houses. At Christmas I made it a snowy Chorlton and added Christmas trees and fairy lights to make it all dolled-up.” Do your customers like it? “People have asked me to make a model of their house to include, and people wanting to buy the models, so I thought it would make sense to sell them for a local charity. I’m suggesting donations of £10
The display was created with recycled wine boxes
for a house or £15 to £20 for one of the local landmarks. I’m really keen to support Reach Out to the Community – they are a charity who run a food bank and do various things to help people in the area.” Do you think any indie could do this? “It’s an easily replicable idea. I’ve not done anything arty since I was at school and if I make a mistake it’s not a big deal, I can just recycle the box. We are a small local business and we are in the heart of this
little suburb of Manchester. People come to us because they want to shop local and it’s nice to play on that locality.”
What’s up next for the window? “The next theme is football. Obviously we have two big teams in Manchester and my colleague Ed [Gillibrand, the owner] is a big City fan. It’s not going to be City v United but red v blue. I’ve made little players from corks, a burger van and I’ve built a stadium out of pallets.”
Rachel 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 WINE MERCHANT august 2021 19
BITS & BOBS
Favourite Things
The UK government has said it will axe some post-Brexit red tape on wine imports following warnings from the trade that it would cause lasting damage. The move to end requirements for
VI-1 import certificates, which ministers
Tuggy Meyer
Huntsworth Wine Co, London Favourite wine on my list
Not always on our list, because only the occasional case surfaces (and then sells), but Château L’Evangile 1994. It’s not the greatest vintage but the epitome of grace and perfect maturity.
said would save British consumers about
£130m a year, was welcomed by the sector. The red tape was an EU requirement
dating back to the 1970s, when it was
introduced to protect European wineproducing regions, such as Chablis or
Burgundy, from poor-quality new world imitations. FT, July 25
Favourite wine and food match
Calissons d’Aix en Provence and vintage Krug. Grand Cru white Burgundy and baked beans on toast. Vintage Champagne and tandoori chicken. Vega Sicilia Unico and ribeye on the bone.
Adeneuer was from another winery 15km away.
Weingut Sermann, in Altenahr, reported
“major economic damage” but also said it
was overwhelmed by messages of support. Local winegrowers have taken a degree
of comfort from the arrival of vineyard
workers from other wine regions – and
people from across Germany in general – to help with the relief effort. Decanter, July 21
US wine imports face tariff threat the US is implemented, a leading wine group has warned. According to Wine Drinkers UK, the
government is considering a 25% tariff on US wine imports as part of a trade conflict caused by Donald Trump imposing a 25% tariff on US steel imports in 2018.
Favourite wine trade person
Roberson was London’s best wine shop and it kept that accolade for many years. In truth, London is better served by great wine merchants and importers than shops. Despite certain criticisms in taste and cost one cannot deny the utter “kid in a candy store” feeling of Mayfair’s Hedonism. You go there to be seduced and entertained.
press. One barrel that washed up near JJ
if a 25% tariff on all wine imports from
This isn’t the best paid profession but we get to travel to the best places in the world. Bordeaux; Burgundy; South Africa; Piedmont … a wealth of different things make them special.
Favourite wine shop
barrels, bottles and even a winery’s
Pubs could be facing wine supply issues
Favourite wine trip
Luigi Fioretti. I first bought Yquem from him at Oddbins 30-35 years ago. Then at Berkmann he was so passionate about his native Italians. A larger-thanlife man with an enormous heart. I have only ever received two e-mails from Luigi in 30+ years. Forget technology, he is a man to look at, to listen to and simply to be in his bonhomie, bon vivant, bon viveur company.
Magpie
Trade welcomes scrapping of VI-1s
Wine from the US makes up around
one in 10 bottles sold in the UK market, The floods killed almost 200 people in Germany and Belgium
Counting the cost of flooding in Ahr Germany’s Wine Institute said it could take weeks to quantify reports of damage to Ahr Valley wineries, which
including some of the industry’s bestselling rosés, the group said.
“It is likely if the government introduces
this tariff, it will make these popular US wines unfeasible in the UK. Simply put,
they will disappear from supermarkets
shelves and pubs,” said WDUK supporter
Ed Baker, managing director at Kingsland Drinks.
The Morning Advertiser, July 28
have seen growing international acclaim
• A bottle of Penfolds Grange 1951 has
for excellent Pinot Noir wines in recent
become the most expensive Australian
years.
wine sold at auction, fetching A$142,131.
Surging flood waters carried away
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 20
Decanter, July 19
Top architects plan mega winery HQ
?
THE BURNING QUESTION
Are you insisting that customers and staff continue to wear masks?
�
Foster & Partners has designed a winery
We're pretty relaxed as regards unmasking, as we are lucky enough to have twin double doors on our shop, which remain open throughout the day. As well as providing good circulation of air, this also permits easy circulation of customers, who consequently don't need to get on top of one another. It’s good to see whole faces again!
for what will become the UK’s biggest single wine producer when its plantings mature. The design is for Vineyard Farms, the
English winemaking business backed by
Toby Webster H Champagne winner H Black Dog Wines, Epping, Essex
Mark Dixon of Château Berne in Provence, who made his fortune from serviced
office firm Regus, and who has stated
his intention to become the largest wine producer in the UK.
The winery will be located near the
village of Cuxton in Gravesham, Kent,
where around 160 hectares of vines are
being planted by Dixon on former organic
farmland, making it the largest single wine estate in the UK.
The Drinks Business, July 12
�
We’re wearing masks but we’re not being draconian about it. We have a big box of them at the counter and people can help themselves. I’d say nine out of 10 people are wearing masks, which is amazing for Seven Dials in Brighton as we have all the anti-vaxxers. I think we have to be very careful about not stigmatising people who have those opinions. We’re still cleaning down everything and we’ve got wipes. We’re continuing to be very fastidious.
”
Louise Oliver Seven Cellars, Brighton
Amphorae found on Roman wreck
�
We’re leaving it up to customers to decide. I love to see people’s faces and see people smile again. We wore plastic visors in the shop rather than masks and, from the point of view that there is no mandatory need to wear one, we don’t wear them now. My view is that we are trying to make a positive step rather than going backwards in fear – that is my personal view. But clearly, many people are apprehensive and I respect that.
An ancient Roman vessel dating back to the second century BC has been discovered in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Palermo.
”
The ship lies 92 metres (302ft) deep in
the ocean, near Isola delle Femmine, and
from the first images taken by a submarine robot it was carrying a copious cargo of wine amphorae.
The Guardian, July 28
• The cost of topping up the government’s wine cellar in 2019-20 rose from £46,906 to £73,000. The average price was £17.25 a bottle, and 73% of the wine bought was English or Welsh. Purchases included 1,440
Kevin Durrant BeerGinVino, Haddenham, Bucks
�
Everyone who works in the shop wears a mask. We are no longer insistent that our customers do, but we encourage it. We also restrict the numbers of customers in the store at any one time. We’ve been doing that since the start of Covid and customers are very patient and understand the rules. I think it has benefitted the business – it has encouraged people to come to the store because it is a safe environment.
”
Martha Rudd Ake & Humphris, Harrogate
bottles of Chapel Down Bacchus. In total, 4,045 bottles of wine and spirits were drunk on government business in 2018-19, and 3,336 in 2019-20.
”
Champagne Gosset The oldest wine house in Champagne: Äy 1584
The Guardian, July 15
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 21
ANALYSIS
Winebuyers reboot raises questions After collapsing in April with debts of £1.6m, Winebuyers was bought from liquidators for just £145,000. The new business features a familiar name, and some familiar problems, as Nigel Huddleston reports
O
worthwhile because the profit from the
who would have been heavily dependent
profile. For a monthly flat subscription fee,
on it, so let’s treat is as a marketing
ploy, piggyback on their SEO and get the
them,” it said.
n the face of it, the chance to sell
wine through the Winebuyers online platform seemed to be a low-risk
opportunity to generate extra revenue and
suppliers and retailers could list an agreed quantity of wines on the site.
Winebuyers would provide a marketing
medium for their wines, capture the orders and pass on the revenue, leaving the
importer or store to fulfil the orders.
This model was designed to keep costs
down and offer consumers competitive prices.
“We were involved with them pretty
much from the beginning,” says Daniel Grigg, managing director of Museum Wines in Blandford Forum.
“We always wondered whether it was
subscription fee just about wiped its face. “We decided we weren’t losing money
Museum Wines name out there a bit more.” For a while, things went well, but last
year the wheels started to come off, as
payments from Winebuyers to Museum
Wines, and other companies who placed their wines on the site, began to dry up.
The Argentine wine company Alpasión
outlined details of its dealings with
Winebuyers in an online post and said Winebuyers founder Ben Revell had
admitted that the company hadn’t been paid for “several months”.
So too did the bag-in-box specialist More
Wine. “We are another supplier who has not been paid,” it said. “We are owed for
goods supplied to Winebuyers’ customers dating back to September 20 [2020].
“Have sent numerous emails and letters
all to no avail. Recommend avoiding this company either as a customer or as a supplier,” the post continued.
Master of Malt said payments from
Winebuyers were behind as early as 2019. It eventually suspended trading with the company in mid-2020. Winebuyers founder Ben Revell
“This was a critical time for many
businesses – particularly the smaller
producers which Winebuyers worked with,
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 22
on the online sales, including those they thought Winebuyers was generating for
Things came to a head in April this year
when the company – full name Winebuyers Ltd – was placed into liquidation. A
liquidator’s report detailed £1.6m of debts, including £1.3m to trade creditors.
Among the bigger creditor claims
were H&H Fine Wines (owed £120,018);
Enotria&Coe (£96,643); Great Wines Direct (£64,863); Spanish online wine retailer Decántalo (£70,591); and Atom, owner
of Master of Malt (£35,725). A company
called Urban Massage was owed £2,282.80.
T
he company handling the liquidation, BM Advisory, says none of them are likely ever to see that money again.
But some of those owed money are
angered that the site is trading and that
Winebuyers Ltd’s founder and principal shareholder Ben Revell continues to
be involved. Winebuyers Group Ltd, a
company set up by a consortium of bigger Winebuyers Ltd shareholders, excluding Revell, bought the assets, including the website, for £145,000, to carry on the business of Winebuyers.
Despite assurances to the liquidator
from the new company that Revell would
© DavidPrado / stockadobe.com
Grigg says Winebuyers also agreed to
pay revenue from transactions upfront,
before Museum dispatched any wines, but that the old payment issues resurfaced under the new arrangement.
“It was the same problems,” he adds.
“Sometimes they were a week late, sometimes a month.
“Ben’s excuse initially was that there
was a technical glitch on the payment
system. That was resolved but then all the other payments after that were late. He
blamed that on one order that was lost by a courier. I don’t really understand how one order being lost means you can’t get paid for the ones that haven’t been.
“It’s not fair and doesn’t make sense.
I’ve never heard anything like that and it sounds like another excuse and dodging the reason why they haven’t paid.”
I
n all, 14 county court judgments
Many customers have been exasperated by Winebuyers’ service and left scathing reviews
be neither a shareholder nor director of
When the payment problems began,
the new company, he was signing emails
some suppliers asked for wines to be
Wine Merchant his role was to “assist the
continued to receive orders.
to suppliers as late as mid-July as CEO of
Winebuyers Group. BM Advisory told The [new] management with the transition”.
G
rigg at Museum Wines says: “I
wouldn’t have harsh feelings if it
had been legitimately taken on by a
consortium of shareholders and was under new management, but from what we’ve experienced so far it is not.
“The only person in a senior position I’ve
had contact with is Ben Revell who signs his emails as CEO, so it does very much
feel like he’s wiped out £1.6m of debt, put
two fingers up to the creditors and is now
carrying on as before, just with a different limited name.”
taken off the site, only to realise that their requests had been ignored when they
“There’s a danger of guilty by association
when people don’t fully understand that
Museum Wines weren’t being paid and that was the only reason they weren’t getting their orders,” says Grigg.
“We had people contacting us, obviously
being fobbed off by Winebuyers. They were saying suppliers had stock issues, or this
and that, and putting the onus on innocent suppliers who just wanted to be paid.”
Museum finally came off the Winebuyers
website last month having initially
agreed a deal for the new company to
continue listing wines, while waiving the subscription fee to offset against the old company’s debt.
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 23
against Winebuyers have been made
since December 31, as suppliers seek
recompense.
Grigg points out that similar payment
problems aren’t experienced through other marketplace-style sites.
“We are on Vivino and everything is done
through Stripe,” he says. “The money goes into our Stripe account and then into our bank account a couple of days later, and
then we pay Vivino a commission based on net sales at the end of the month.”
Negative reviews continue to stack up
and the company is still inviting suppliers to sign up with the promise of “no
commission charged on sale, no mark-up on prices, no hidden fees”. Grigg warns others against taking up the offer.
“We’re off the platform and thankfully no
longer affiliated with them whatsoever.
“It was never really worthwhile being
on there – even when they were paying on time.”
• Ben Revell was approached via various media for comment, but did not respond.
JUST WILLIAMS
Back to the old routine An enforced break from trade tastings has given us all time to reflect on what’s good and bad about these industry rituals. Does that mean the future is digital? Not entirely, says David Williams
T
he emotional consequences of
returning to a relatively normal daily life after 18 months
of restrictions and existential dread
are, I think we’d all agree, somewhat unpredictable.
I can’t say I enjoyed my first ride on a
packed London tube (freaked out might be a better way of putting it), but, to my
surprise, I barely noticed the first time I
was served by a mask-less shop assistant
(my wife pointed it out after we’d left the
shop), and my first visits to the local library and gallery felt immediately like I’d never been away.
Clearly, it’s going to take time, and
patience, plus plentiful supplies of mutual tolerance and respect, to get the hang of
post-pandemic life (even using that term with something resembling confidence makes me feel a little dizzy and glib). No doubt, we’ll all have different
responses at different times. Some of us will swing back into our pre-pandemic
lives with barely a second thought. Others may well wonder if there aren’t some
aspects of the past year and a half that
might be worth conserving or that, at the
very least, pose a few questions about our previous assumptions and priorities.
This is, of course, true of the specific
ways we go about our business in the
wine trade as much as any other part of our lives. Many of the things we used to
take for granted have been proved to be
rather less indispensible than we thought. Some of the temporary solutions found,
in extremis, during Covid, have proved to be more efficient, if not necessarily more enjoyable, than the things they replaced.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in
the field of the large-scale trade tasting.
Like many readers of this magazine, I used to devote an enormous amount of time
to attending these events: whole days – whole weeks in the spring and autumn tasting high season – spent navigating
interchangeable circuits of white tableclothtopped trestle tables, waist-high communal spittoons, and winemaker sales spiels.
I did it because I thought it was the best
way to discover new wines and vintages
and to assess the current state of play in a region, country, supplier or retailer, while picking up news and gossip and – let’s be
honest here – meeting up with friends and acquaintances.
But the abrupt cessation of pretty much
all public tasting activity in spring 2020 gave me plenty of time to consider the
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 24
value of these events: a cold-eyed, cold-
turkey assessment of their place in the (or
at least, my) wine world that can be boiled down to the simple question: do we really need them?
I
t’s a question brought into sharp relief by a quick scan of the WSTA Trade Diary for September and October,
which is in full back-to-school mode, with two, three or four events each day.
And I’m sure I’m not the only wine
professional to admit to mixed feelings as
I imagine the effects that those weeks will have on my life: all the trains and tubes
taken, all the hours of “real paying work” lost (at the desk in my case, in the shop
for many readers), all the queasiness at
however many expectorations-per-minute in a room filled with 100 or more tasters. Beyond such personal concerns,
however, there’s debate about the merits
of doing your tasting in public versus the
Covid-era necessity of doing it at home or in the shop.
On the positive side of the ledger: for
sheer range of choice, and number of
wines tasted, the old trade tasting model
wins hands down. There are thousands of
© K.Decha / stockadobe.com
Whole weeks can be devoted to navigating the trade tasting high season
samples to choose from at the larger trade
tastings. Multiply that by, say, two a day for four days and you’re looking at a logistical impossibility to replicate at home or in even the largest shop.
On the other hand, most of us just taste
better – more attentively, but also more naturally – when we’re away from the
bustle and distraction of a busy tasting.
Certainly, my own experience of tasting
during the past 18 months has been of a
narrower pool of wines, but a much deeper engagement with the wines in that pool. I may only taste on average 25 wines a day
at home, rather than the 100+ that I would
“in the field”. But I would really get to know those wines, spending time with them,
and even drinking the best examples with dinner.
T
his way of tasting is much closer to the experience that people
outside the trade (ie 99.999% of
all wine consumers) have of wine – it gives a much “truer” picture of a wine’s merits
For so many winemakers, it’s so much more efficient to host an event online than take a trip to the other side of the world than the snapshot judgement of the mass tasting.
As for the social element, well, I’ve
probably spent more time listening to
winemakers chatting over Zoom in the
past year than I would have done at trade
tastings. More than merely plugging a gap,
they’ve offered a lifeline for journalists like me looking for stories, or for producers in
need of something resembling face-to-face contact.
Indeed, it seems certain that at least
some tastings will remain online even as
international travel properly resumes. For so many small winemakers, particularly those in the southern hemisphere, it’s
so much more efficient to host an event
online than take an expensive and tiring
trip to the other side of the world. And for retailers who simply can’t find the time
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 25
to leave their shops for a day, “meeting” a producer or supplier online is a very effective, efficient alternative.
But for all that online tastings can
compete with IRL tastings for sheer
volume of human interactions, they just
can’t compete on quality. As an experience, they’ll never match the real human thing. And of course, it is this “real human
thing” that, more than anything, will be
driving me and others back to tastings this autumn.
We’ll go with a new sense of perspective,
fully aware that they represent an
imperfect way of going about our business. And no doubt we’ll be a little wary at first. But we’ll also go with the understanding, sharpened to a fine point during months
of isolation, that wine without people just isn’t the same.
MERCHANT PROFILE
T
here’s an inner-city grittiness
to Digbeth, with its factory and
warehouse buildings in varying
states of disrepair, renovation or graffiti
adornment. But it’s only a short hop from
the main shopping district of Birmingham, a city whose self-confidence has boomed
in direct proportion to the investment that has poured in over recent years.
Wine Freedom’s unit dates from the very
early 20th century. “It was part of the Bird’s Custard factory estate,” says owner Sam
Olive. “Our landlords own about 17 acres worth of Digbeth including pretty much
the whole of the old custard factory estate, which equates to about 25% of those 17
acres. We’ve taken on an old building built by a local engineer called William J Wild
and we have his name above the shutter.
“There’s not much to it and it costs quite
a bit of money to keep it warm in winter.
Alan Irvine, Milngavie, May 2021
But it means we can have people in the building comfortably.
“We were open about seven weeks
between both [2020] lockdowns and it
was an opportunity to show people what
it was like. We had fantastic feedback from customers saying they felt safe.
“We have a nice big airy interesting
Wine Freedom had been going for four years when Sam Olive took the plunge with its first premises, a century-old warehouse in an industrial suburb of Birmingham, once owned by Bird’s Custard. Covid threatened to derail the company’s ambitions, but as life slowly returns to normal,
venue and we are selling online to the
trade and retail, as well as doing tastings and we have a bar set-up. So it’s a multichannel business.”
Wine Freedom started out six years ago,
after Olive finished a five-year stint with Bibendum.
“Initially it was a B2C business starting
the venue’s future looks bright
with the wine club because we had some
fairly solid contacts and a small customer
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 26
base,” he says.
WINE FREEDOM
Custard dreams “I started to try and raise the profile of
customers had closed, and a new venue
customers I was working with previously
consumer contacts we had, which were
the business predominantly online and on social media, and a lot of the trade
started to come out of the woodwork. “I realised there was a bit of an
opportunity in focusing on good quality handmade organic and natural wines,
as that was a USP in Birmingham, or the
whole of the Midlands really. There wasn’t really anyone else focusing on that side of the industry.”
What prompted you to take the business into its current orbit?
which would be very difficult to get out of,
so we just had to pedal pretty hard. All the friends and family, we approached and said, can you buy some wine, please?
The website only had a holding page, so
we had to fast-track that and we launched online at the end of May last year, which was a godsend really. It wasn’t the best
website but it meant we could launch our brand and get something presentable out there.
Like a lot of indies, deliveries became
I’ve got quite a creative background
an important revenue stream for you.
with creative elements is something which
and other customers. I’d had this idea of
and I understand that connecting wine
We had a lot of wine in keg because we
is really beneficial to consumers. So the
“house wine” kicking around for a couple
education, which is a real passion of mine, idea was to create a platform, hence this
new venue, where we could do wine events and wine education.
had prospective business with the NEC
of years. I put it all together and thought.
we could bottle this stuff and have a kind of a milkman service and deliver it all around Birmingham.
We set up a subscription service just
before Christmas and it worked really well. We created a new sub-brand called House
Wine and it’s still going even though we’ve come out of lockdown. We still have about 60 subscribers and the feedback has been fantastic.
It’s been an opportunity to do more
video content as well. The idea was, rather than loads of wine notes and photos of the
winemaker, the customer would get a video of me doing an introduction for the four
wines. It keeps things nice and personal as well as us being able to introduce the context of our venue.
Continues page 28
We took on the lease about two years
ago. I was a little bit reticent – worried,
actually – about taking on a load of new
overheads, rent and new members of staff
until we were fairly sure we could carve an avenue out of lockdown.
What was the initial effect on the business after the Covid outbreak? In February-March last year it looked very rosy for the B2B side of the business. We
had lots of new trade customers coming on and a big amount of growth planned, and then lockdown hit.
We were faced with the very tricky
situation where we had a lot more stock,
nowhere for it to go because all our trade
Customers appreciate the spacious and airy nature of the venue
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 27
MERCHANT PROFILE
From page 27
Talk us through the aesthetics of the venue. You’ve gone big on pallets. We were working with an architect and a friend of ours is a great joiner and he
came up with some pretty cool ideas. The
set-up fee would have been about £70,000£90,000 and I just wasn’t prepared to do that – it was too much of an expense. We had to be resourceful. I did an
interior architecture degree so I know a bit about spatial planning. I thought, how do we create a space that feels comfortable and has some intimacy to it as well, but do it on the cheap? How do we create
something that is flexible so that when
we do start adding bits to it, we can move things around?
So we started looking at ideas with
pallets. The plants are a natural green
backdrop and help to give it a more natural setting. There’s an element of value to
of encouraging more footfall from the
city centre. But there are some big plans. The estate which owns our building has been given planning permission for a
regeneration project so there will be some
upheaval in the next seven years or so, but there is more residential planned.
There is HS2, which is on the Digbeth
side of the city. The construction for that
station started a couple of years ago. A lot of the commerce and new construction
for the city is going to be geared towards
the south east end as opposed to the north west end. Digbeth will be the place to be
in the next 10 years or so and we thought,
It’s 65% trade and 35% what I would call
comfortable.
idea is to keep that split over the next two
backdrop of the warehouse, we have some
clean lines and a fresh white palette which sets off the more rustic elements.
When customers come in it’s a relaxed
aesthetic but we have a team who
have been trained in Michelin-starred
restaurants so you get a really nice glass
and an interaction and conversation that is proper hospitality.
Digbeth is surprisingly close to the city centre. Does it feel that way? The estate has a long way to go in terms
at the moment, he has had many, many job
offers on the table. Luckily he really enjoys working with us, so he wanted to stay.
I think because we have such a diversity
of roles within the business it’s a great place to be if you want to learn rapidly
about how a business works from both the front and back end.
What’s the shareholding structure? myself. The venue is a limited company
and we have another limited company for
‘Digbeth will be the place to be in the next 10 years or so’
area, and work on dividing the space
have pallets and there’s the fairly gritty
because of the dearth of hospitality staff
the online and the events side of things,
Digbeth is a destination spot. You have to
trade, retail, and so on?
things are presented, so even though we
We’ve got a great GM, Dan Bennett, and
have a specific reason to be there.
reasonably priced.
much-reduced budget, to create a retail
I’m a bit fastidious with the way
to work quite well.
Most of it has been investment from
How do your sales break down between
up. We wanted the customers to feel
casual … we have four full-timers. It seems
let’s build a brand now in a unit that’s
having greenery in the space.
We did engage our joiner friend, on a
a team of 12. The majority of those are
B2C, so online, retail and in the venue. The
and a limited company for the trade side of things. It means the different streams
can be protected as we grow and allow for future investment.
When we are in a position to take on
years or so.
further investment for online it makes
Off the back of the pandemic, we see a lot
works quite well.
There are a lot of new restaurants and
new business venues now in Birmingham. of businesses closing, but it’s a lot of the
things cleaner and more simple. So we’ve
carved it up into limited companies and it
national and multinational businesses
It’s about time we talked about wine.
city. We work with the independents who
the crap and do proper wine that is made
that are going to struggle with the big
Everyone wants an authentic experience
operate in the more satellite areas around
sensitively and farmed from good quality
heavy rents they have in the middle of the the city centre.
How big is your team? It’s really just me heading up the trade
side of things at the moment and Taylor
[Meanwell] looks after the venue. We have
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 28
when they open a bottle of wine. We cut vineyards.
We educate in a language that our
customers understand which helps us connect them to the taste of the grape
Continues page 30
MERCHANT PROFILE
comfortable putting them in front of our
From page 28
customers then we don’t have them.
A lot of people don’t like those crazy,
in the vineyard. It means our customers
weird and funky flavours. Some do, but the
become more wine savvy.
majority don’t. So it’s up to us to choose
wines that our customers will like. We have
Does it matter if the wines aren’t
had to send some wines back; they ended
officially certified as organic?
up being a bit mousey. You can’t serve them
No. The terminology behind natural wine
to a customer.
is quite a difficult subject and it’s a bit
I went to the first natural wine fair that
of a minefield for the industry so for the
Doug [Wregg] and Isabelle [Legeron] put
consumer it’s even more complicated.
on about 10 years ago before it split off
The majority of consumers don’t
understand what organic is, and if you
don’t understand that, you can’t talk from
the perspective of organic. You’d be really surprised but lots of people don’t know what sustainable means either. Using the word natural as an
operative term is a lot more useful and
understandable for most consumers. You have to put the language in consumer
terms. We use the word natural perhaps a bit more freely than other merchants and
wholesalers because it makes more sense to our customers.
Once you have them in an educational
environment, whether it’s a tasting or
an event, you can start to pick apart the
differences between how different wines
are made and how they are classified. The majority aren’t classified. It’s up to us as a business to try and choose the wines we
feel represent the best of a grape variety and a region.
Which suppliers do you work with?
Les Caves de Pyrene, Indigo, Swig,
Basket Press and Carte Blanche, amongst others. We have a wide range of different
winemakers. We will, in the next 12 months, start importing our own wines as well. How will you find those wines?
into Raw and the Real Wine Fair. Quite a lot of the wines were faulty and I was really sad about it.
The penny dropped that something
wasn’t quite right even though the
intentions were good and the philosophy was there.
Do you think the quality of natural
I’m very confident with the quality of wines
wines has improved since then?
want to work with.
their wines and they’ve got better.
from certain winemakers, so I already have a shortlist of makers and consultants we I have a friend who has been shipping
wine for a few years and he is particularly good at sourcing really good quality, accessible, natural wines that aren’t
too expensive. If you’re going to start
importing you need some products that
are good on price but still deliver on the quality and values we need.
Do you worry about inconsistencies between bottles of natural wine? We don’t like wines like that. If we’re not
‘A lot of people don’t like those crazy, weird and funky flavours. We have had to send some wines back; they ended up being a bit mousey’ THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 30
Over the last 10 years or so I have followed many different winemakers and tasted
Some of them have started to understand
that some of their wines don’t taste as good in the UK as they do in the winery. So how do we bridge that gap? Les Caves as an
importer has looked at this very seriously and tried to make sure their wines are
temperature controlled and that variation from source to consumer is more stable.
There are problems once the wine has
been bottled. How does the retailer keep it and for how long? How aggressive was the journey from A, B, C and D? What temperature is it kept at?
Even if it’s mass-produced, wine is a
sensitive product – and natural wine is
even more sensitive. One wine we get from Carte Blanche is one of my favourites.
Fabien Jouves makes wine in Cahors and every year you can tell they get slightly
better, slightly fresher. He’ll come to the UK and he’ll taste his wines in situ and he’ll take feedback and learn from it.
WINE FREEDOM
Tell us about your keg wines. I really see the value of KeyKeg, especially with natural wine, because it’s a very
stable environment and it cuts out a lot of
the potential issues and problems you have with shipping wine in bottle.
There are some problems that might
occur but, because it’s a much more
reductive, stable environment, when
it comes out the tap it’s much fresher. It’s cheaper and much better for the environment, so it’s a real win-win.
We’ve got eight KeyKegs and will likely
increase that to another four to six over the next year or so.
Every month we have four new wines
we present to our House Wine subscribers. The guys in the bar have their favourites
now so we want to keep a few of those on. There are a few venues around town
that do wine from keg, some of whom we
supply, like the guys at Grace & James. We
work with Rupert [Taylor] and the guys at
Uncharted and we act as a kind of regional wholesaler for them.
Is there anywhere in the world you find particularly exciting for winemaking? Where would you like to visit? I would love to go to Georgia, purely from a
historical winemaking perspective. I nearly jumped on a trip a couple of years ago.
I think Greece as a country with all of its
islands is fairly untapped and there’s more potential there. There is still more quality stuff to come from Spain.
I’d like to go back to New Zealand. I was
there with my wife about 15 years ago. I’d like to see how the industry has evolved
and changed there. The natural wine side of things is starting to take off.
What’s next for the business? It’s education – that’s going to be the core driver for us. It will be how we build the
business for the future. You get business off the back of educating people. With
Pallets were a lower-cost alternative than the first design, but still required a joiner’s expertise
trade, you speak to chefs and say, if you’re
the wine parties soon because we are
We have a customer base that is really
educational things online. We want to
bothered about what goes on the plate, you should care what is going in the glass.
thirsty to learn more. The venue will allow us to put on various different educational experiences; tastings or big wine parties for 150 people. We’re not going to do
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 31
conscious we need to keep things safe.
We need to get better at building the
build products in Birmingham that are
interesting, compelling and scalable that we can put out to the wider national market.
I
all wrong and, frankly, interior all wrong.
n the land before Wine, in the cold
Top comes somewhat predictably Waitrose
bleach smell of Cheesetime, I had
(generous Grana Padano use) equal with
a serious sandwich habit. The
the progenitor of Caesar wraps: Tesco’s,
daily sandwich was a “Clatty Pat”, the
the daily wrap from the summer of ’99
affectionate nickname of the niteclub across the road, Cleopatra’s, the Last
Resort, which had a giant ballet mirror and barre and no clientele except on
doctors and nurses night, meaning that
post-Cheese, post-pints-with-fags-indoors (lest we forget), we would leap our not
inconsiderable monger-heft through the disco lights and dry ice. The amazing
restorative next-day sandwich was toasted
10. SANDWICH Phoebe Weller of Valhalla’s Goat in Glasgow recalls her sandwich years and the pre-salad days that turned out to actually be her salad days.
when I was counter-intuitively filling my
sixth-form sketchbooks with the thoughts which (hadn’t) gone into making my
Sound and Fury graffito triptych. Tomato tortilla, generous garlic mayo splurge, some kind of white fibrous chicken
breast approximation with a couple of
Marlboro Lights chaser on the Castle Sands (cigarettes also taste like turnips now, go
figure, another occasional pleasure ripped
ciabatta, smoked melted cheese, ham,
from my crooked, ageing hands). Laurie
coleslaw (plus kiwi-lime Snapple). Now
had one of these yesterday (the wrap,
that coleslaw has been infected by the
not the tabs) and attests to its continued
Turnip Spectre I can no longer have it.
excellence.
That and Cappuccino’s – that mecca of
There was The Big Piece, of course – a
the sandwich; the Dan’s Choice, the
daily 2x1 metre sandwich that you got a
Champion, the Mega Melt – has itself
“piece” of, with “piece” also, in the Glasgow
melted into some shitty sitty roasty
vernacular, meaning sandwich, dig? –
avocadoey place. Everything is in a
cooked up from the brain of that coked-up
constant state of flux, aye, sure. But not Cappuccino’s, surely. Is nothing sacred?
genius in Partick. The filling changed daily with what was going out of date from
No, I am not a sandwicher now but I
the deli-counter but was at its best when
really put in the legwork in my hungover
the open textured bread soaked up the
20s. And early 30s, OK, you got me.
fantastically cost-inefficient fresh pesto or
The “Shredder” from Rottencake:
eye-wateringly expensive Brie de Meaux.
sourdough baguette (topped with
I remember there once being a
Razordough fins), Milano salami,
lobster mayo Big Piece, but that
grated Comte, tarragon mayo. There
whole time’s a bit of a blur, tbh.
were joyous times when Rottencake
Well, OK. I make one annual
have brought us bags full of end-of-day
sandwich now. The coup de grace.
sandwiches, which are surprisingly good
The sandwich to end all sandwiches.
resurrected by microwave on the third day,
Scooped out sourdough. Whole packet of
when all the fat comes pooling out, easing
St Agur coating interior, top and bottom.
the effect of the Razordough.
Mayonnaise, obvs. Rocket, mandolined
In my pre-salad days, which, confusingly,
red onion, tomato and balsamic salad.
were my salad days, many Amazing
Minute steak. Fried garlic mushrooms.
Lunches were Amazing Caesar Wraps.
Completely unwieldy. Amazing. Best
Here I offer my ranking. Bottom, service
served with Riesling.
station Ginsters: ratio of wrap-to-interior © idea_studio / stockadobe.com
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 32
Authentically Venetian: Canella’s Prosecco story Meet a family that can claim to be true pioneers of the Prosecco category – and are proud to stay faithful to their ideas
Explore the Canella range Prosecco Extra DryJohan (20cl/75cl) Kirsten,DOC left,Spumante with co-founder du Toit Made from 100% Glera grapes produced in the high Marca Trevigiana. Fresh, aromatic and fruity, the wine contains 17g/l of residual sugar which is balanced perfectly with its natural acidity. Ideal as an aperitif, but also with light first courses, fish, white meat and fresh cheese. Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Spumante DOCG Extra Dry Millesimato (20cl/75cl/magnum) A vintage wine made from the year’s highest quality Glera grapes in the hilly area of Valdobbiadene. The classic style of Prosecco Canella, excellent as an aperitif or with delicate fish dishes. Lido Prosecco Rosé DOC (20cl/75cl) New to the range, this blend of 85% Glera and 15% Pinot Noir was inspired by the famous Lido di Venezia. With aromas of cherry, wild berries and delicate flowers, Lido is very food-flexible, and goes particularly well with starters, seafood or white meat. Rosé Spumante Brut Martinotti (20cl/75cl) 100% Pinot Nero from Alto Adige. A Martinotti method sparkling wine in which the yeasts remain in contact with the wine for more than six months. With a residual sugar of just 8g/l, the wine is characterised by a pale pink colour and a classic bouquet.
Feature sponsored by UK importer Marcato Direct For more information visit marcatodirect.co.uk, telephone 07900 115372. Visit the Canella website: bellinicanella.com
P
rosecco’s success story in the UK feels like a relatively modern phenomenon. But for the Canella family, the glory years began in the early 1960s. As far back as 1947, Luciano Canella was helping his mother Giovanna at their famous country osteria near Venice when he started crafting a light, fruity sparkling wine that quickly became a hit with patrons. Soon word had spread, a proper winery was built, and Canella wines became known far beyond their native region. Various styles were produced, but Prosecco was undoubtedly the star of the show. Canella has remained a family business ever since, and continues to work with many of its original growers in the famed Valdobbiadene area of the Veneto. Luciano’s grandson, Tommaso Canella, knows the history very well. He says that the Prosecco grape – now renamed Glera – was “almost unknown” to winemakers when his grandfather encountered it. “He was really one of the first to focus on it, and to think of this wine as a great opportunity for the future,” he says. Prosecco styles can, of course, differ markedly but Canella has stuck to its guns from the beginning,
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 33
always preferring a drier style. “Our Prosecco is made the same way we used to make it back in the 60s,” Tommaso explains. “Our extra dry DOCG Prosecco is our main wine because, according to our philosophy, that’s the best style of Prosecco.” Some producers have stripped their wines right back to brut nature levels. But Tommaso does not want to go down the same path. “In Glera we are talking about a grape that is not as rich as a Chardonnay or Pinot Noir, so chemically, when you are losing all the residual sugar, you are losing a lot of flavour,” he says. “We don’t want to lose all that taste – the flowers and the apples and so on.” Canella is also fastidious about the quality of its bubbles, preferring to keep the fizz at a level that allows easy drinking. No doubt the wines have their place in celebratory occasions, but, like his grandparents before him, Tommaso is keen to produce wines that have everyday appeal and authentic Venetian heritage. Many of its wines are also available in 20cl bottles, all with faux mushroom stoppers. As well as encouraging impulse purchases in retail settings, these smaller bottles have been a hit in wine bars and restaurants. The launch of a DOC rosé Prosecco has added another string to Canella’s bow, but this is not a company that believes in innovation for the sake of it. With Prosecco facing commoditisation in some areas of the market, Tommaso believes the long-term future of the business will be secured by focusing on what it always did best in the past: making authentic and consistent Prosecco wines that remain faithful to their original aim of simply giving pleasure.
life’s a peach
If you want an authentic Bellini with a true taste of Venice, anywhere in the world at any time, the Canella family have bottled the secret
T
he Bellini is the classic cocktail of Venice: a blend of sparkling wine
and white peaches that is simple to
describe, but hard to get right.
Luciano Canella, who was one of the
pioneers of Prosecco back in the 1950s, set about solving two problems. “The
Bellini was only available in Venice, and
only during the months of July and August, due to the life of the peaches being really short,” explains his grandson Tommaso Canella. “My grandfather’s idea was for
people to drink a Bellini from the bottle all year round, and wherever they like.”
The family started to organise its own
local peach production, ensuring that it was never short of a reliable supply of
healthy, ripe fruit, which was blended with Prosecco and bottled under the brand name Bellini.
The peaches need to be far riper than
would be feasible for retail sale. But it’s this soft, sweet juiciness that ensures
that Canella’s Bellini requires none of the sweeteners that might be found in other versions of the cocktail.
“The raspberries found in Bellini have
Tommaso recognises that, for some,
had the aroma taken out of them, so it’s
Bellini has a retro kind of appeal. “The
mix just the Prosecco and the peach purée,
idea of 1960s Italy, a great period for our
just the colour matter that goes into the
product,” explains Tommaso. “When you you have a cappuccino colour, so adding the raspberry creates a beautiful pink.
Bellini is the name of a painter who used to paint with this kind of pink.”
Canella’s iconic bottled Bellini has
become an international success. It’s sold
in 20cl bottles as well as the standard 75cl
format, making it a good option for impulse sales as well as by-the-glass service.
At just 5% abv, it also chimes in well with
growing consumer demand for drinks that
don’t pack a big alcoholic punch, especially for occasions like picnics or al fresco lunches.
Feature sponsored by UK importer Marcato Direct
For more information visit marcatodirect.co.uk, telephone 07900 115372. Visit the Canella website: bellinicanella.com
The only other ingredient is raspberry.
product comes from the imagery of la dolce vita Italiana,” he says. “We’re selling the country.”
But as a 26-year-old himself, he’s
confident that Bellini’s cool branding and
authentic flavour credentials resonate with his own peer group, many of whom are fascinated by cocktail culture.
Tommaso says he would “shake the
hand” of anyone with access to ingredients as good as his own who could create their own interpretation of a Bellini. But very few consumers are in such a privileged position.
Bellini made its debut in the UK six years
ago, when the trade response was cautious. Importer Marcato Direct has brought the
product back to market because merchants have been demanding it.
“Worldwide, the consumption of
cocktails is growing,” says Tommaso. “We are ready for this because in the little
world of premixed products we are by far the better quality one.”
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 34
Baron Yukiwa Cocktail Shaker Get your Tom Cruise on and mix like a pro with this cocktail shaker from Japanese brand Baron Yukiwa. Made from polished steel with distinctive gold coloured bands, this three-piece shaker will be a boost to any mixologist’s credentials. urbanbar.com, £55
Sup Insulated wine bottle and tumbler Keep drinks at the required temperature while on the go. Pictured is the newly launched colourway, Peacock Galaxy, which has a tinted soft-touch rubber finish. This stylish set will keep wine cold and fresh for up to 24 hours. Made from double-walled insulated stainless
The Moscow Mule was created in the 1940s to kick-start the career of the vodka behemoth Smirnoff, but don’t let that put you off. It’s a superb, refreshing cocktail for late summer evenings, with a bit of zest, sparkle, sweetness and bite. This twist provides an opportunity to enjoy seasonal fruit alongside other fresh plant ingredients.
steel, the bottles can be used to carry hot drinks too. supdrinkware.com, £39.99 for the set
Advent calendars What could be better than a chocolate behind each advent door? Alcohol – obviously. These can be ready-filled or customers can select their own cans and bottles to fill the calendar.
6cl good quality vodka (doesn’t have to be Smirnoff) 1.5cl fresh lime juice A dozen-ish raspberries Fresh ginger Ginger beer Fresh basil
The larger 24-bottle advent calendar is designed to take a selection of halfbottles of wine, piccolo bottles and 33cl and 50cl beer bottles, as long as they don’t exceed
Muddle the raspberries in a shaker. Add lots of ice, the vodka and lime juice, and shake like a mad thing. Strain into a copper mug for original recipe authenticity, or a Highball or Collins glass for a more practical solution. Garnish with fresh basil and thin shavings of peeled ginger.
73mm in diameter and 245mm in height. The 24-can advent calendar houses 33cl and 40cl cans (max 73mm x 150mm). It also works great with smaller bottles of spirits and pre-mixed cocktails. wbc.co.uk, RRP £13.15 and £12.32 per unit ex VAT respectively. Available from September
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 35
Catching up with Charline Drappier
One of the eighth generation now running the famous family Champagne house, Charline discusses Wine Merchant Top 100 victories for Carte d’Or and Clarevallis, the role of still wines in the range, and why green issues are so important
Congratulations on your success in The Wine Merchant Top 100 this year. Why do you think Carte d’Or Brut was such a hit with our judges?
the UK trade and what are the challenges of making still wines in your region? The Coteaux Champenois Trop m’en Faut (100%
Carte d’Or has a very singular style and expresses the identity of our house. It combines both the vinosity of the Pinot Noir with the minerality from the Chardonnay, in a very refreshing Champagne. It’s the Champagne my grandparents created, and is still very reflective of our family style, but also has a strong personality because of its high proportion of Pinot Noir. Being quite low in dosage for a brut, it still leaves you with a refreshing finale.
Fromenteau, aka Pinot Gris) is one of our three new Coteaux Champenois. It has always been a tradition where we are in Urville. We used to make red wine, then “grey wine” (vin gris), long before Champagne as a sparkling wine ever existed. I believe that when picked with the appropriate ripeness, and vinified with precision, Coteaux Champenois can tell a lot about our region, and can provide the curious buyers with an interesting interpretation of our terroir. However, never forgetting our bubbles, we have also released a Trop m’en Faut as a Champagne.
Clarevallis was also a winner. Again, what makes this cuvée special, and has it been doing well in the independent trade? We are so happy about this win too. It’s a new cuvée, and as such it’s the reflection of the new generation’s taste: my brothers Antoine, Hugo and I. It is quite peculiar because though it’s based on Pinot Noir, it’s a very vibrant and energetic style. It is also made 100% of organic grapes. A process my brother Hugo has been very much involved in. Tell us something about Trop m’en Faut. What hopes do you have for Coteaux Champenois in
Drappier is famously a family business. Why do you think successive generations have retained their expertise and enthusiasm – and kept the house’s reputation so intact? Not all family businesses are so lucky! We are very lucky! However, we (the eighth generation) do not feel we have acquired expertise yet; we consider ourselves very lucky to have our grandfather André and our father Michel to guide us through our family journey. We are very united along our core values, with which we were raised: hard work, long-term vision, always trying to do new things,
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 36
not forgetting where we belong, and reflecting where and who we are. But we still have a lot to do for the future generations! Tell us more about your efforts to move to more sustainable practices and organic viticulture. Do you think it makes a difference to what we taste in the bottle or is this more a question of simply trying to be responsible as a business? I think both, in different ways. There are two aspects in our commitments, that do not impact the quality of wine equally. First, we are carbon neutral, meaning that since 2015, our company has a net zero carbon footprint. We produce 80% of our energy consumption through our photovoltaic panels, and we make every effort possible not to use fossil energy. This holistic approach does not impact the quality of the wine, but will eventually (hopefully) impact climate change. Second, our organic practices and “soft vinification”: this does impact the taste in many ways, from how the soil and plant is being cared for, the lower yields and the absence of filtration in the vinification, to the low use of sulphite. How difficult has it been for Drappier to engage with the UK market since Covid arrived and how have you managed to keep the lines of communication open with the independent trade? We have been surprised to see that Champagne has been enjoyed, with customers engaging
even more with their knowledge of Champagne. We have been able to engage with remote tastings both for the trade, and also for retailers’ customers, through private tastings. Comfortably sat in our “salons”, we go through the history and the wines, which have been sold in a pack in advance, having also recommending some food pairings. It was a wonderful way to chat with British clients. What do you hope to achieve in the foreseeable future – any new developments in the winery or vineyards or perhaps new cuvées? We will keep working on new cuvées, and new variations. For instance, we will release another expression of our Brut Nature Rosé, coming exclusively from Les Riceys terroir. Positioned at the same price, it will give the consumer the choice to choose between one expression or another. On the long run, we wish to stay strong as a family, and pass onto the next generation a house where they can flourish (and have fun!) as much as we do.
Feature sponsored by Champagne Drappier, imported in the UK by Berkmann Wine Cellars For more information visit champagne-drappier.com or berkmann.co.uk
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 37
CATEGORY FOCUS
T
his year marks the 80th birthday of one of wine’s most successful generic marketing groups.
The Comité Interprofessional du Vin de
Champagne (known these days as Comité Champagne) was formed in one of the darkest moments of the 20th century, helping to hold the industry together
throughout the Nazi occupation of France. Since then, it’s helped Champagne
producers weather numerous further
crises, most of them economic in nature. From the oil crisis of 1973, to the Great Recession of 2008, sales of fizz have
plummeted during stormy periods in the global financial system.
But, as that 80th birthday approached,
the organisation had to draw on all of its famed diplomatic ingenuity to weather
what is unquestionably the biggest crisis Champagne has faced since the end of WWII.
In terms of sales, 2020 was, as the
Comité’s director general Charles
Goemaere puts it delicately in his
Context and optimism
Champagne.
is rather open to question, however.
introduction to the body’s annual report, a “particularly challenging” year for
Total sales were down by 17.9% to 244
million bottles in volume for the full year versus 2019, while value dropped by
16.7%, shedding some €845m to leave the total standing at €4.2bn.
The going was especially rough in
Champagne’s four main markets. France, which as the report says, has been in long-term decline, suffered its 10th
consecutive drop in 2020, a 19.9% fall
that consolidated the eclipse of domestic
sales by exports: the French now account for 46.4% of all Champagne sales, versus 47.5% in 2019.
Meanwhile, the largest market by
volume, the UK, lost 21.7% of its volume sales, while the US, the largest by value, was down 18.8% in volume, and Japan
shed 24.5% of its imports compared to the previous year.
How much these bald figures tell us about the real health of the Champagne sector Certainly, the Comité can muster plenty of evidence to suggest these figures are the result of a one-off shock – a drop in
sales that is almost entirely attributable to the unprecedented event of the
world’s bars and restaurants closing for weeks or months at a time, more or less simultaneously.
As the Comité’s annual report points
out: “The closure of bars and restaurants, restrictions on celebrations and the cancellation of numerous events
have curtailed Champagne sales and
consumption, often drastically.” But this is by no means the only story. “The year has
been a roller coaster,” the report continues, “with very sharp falls (April -68%, May
-56%) and equally sharp rises (+50 points between April and June), demonstrating the circumstantial nature of the drop in sales.”
Other indicators point to a deep
resilience in the Champagne market.
The most striking is the performance of Australia, where Champagne imports
soared by a remarkable 11.2%, sparking
reports of a shortage in the country. New Zealand, too, bucked the trend, with no drop in imports versus the previous
year. As the report says, this is largely
attributable to the two countries’ “effective handling of the pandemic”. In other words, in markets where life is somewhere closer to the old “normal”, Champagne thrives. Champagne in the UK
Gosset has opened a dedicated space for visitors at its premises in Epernay including a boutique bar and park. The bar was conceived and designed by Champagne architect Giovanni Pace. Pace has created a relaxing oasis where the house’s wines, from the emblematic Grande Reserve to the prestigious Celebris, can be enjoyed.
Much of the bigger global picture in
the Champagne market can be found in microcosm in the UK.
The 21.7% drop in volume meant
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 38
© Marcio / stockadobe.com
Champagne’s rollercoaster year
It’s no big surprise that the global lockdown had a disastrous effect on Champagne sales. But the category has been bouncing back as restrictions lift, and even Brexit doesn’t seem to have derailed progress in the UK. By David Williams
the UK imported 21.3 million bottles
reporting a spike in online Champagne
slump in sales in 2020, with non-vintage,
Meanwhile turnover fell by 21.9% to
much-feared by the Champenois, has, at
worst losses.
of Champagne in 2020, and it still has
some 16% of total Champagne exports.
€338.2m, putting it just behind the US with 12.9% of total Champagne export turnover. As the report points out, however, the
UK was at the forefront of trends that have seen Champagne sales rebound since the first lockdown in spring 2020: a switch
to drinking Champagne at home, which
sales.
Meanwhile, the completion of Brexit,
least according to the Comité, had relatively little effect on Champagne imports, with
the EU-UK Trade & Cooperation Agreement “guaranteeing exemption from custom duties”.
A vintage year in the cellar
was very much a part of a premiumisation
One particularly intriguing detail amid the
supermarkets and merchants saw a rise
performance of the vintage brut category
of take-home drinking in the absence
of the on-trade and public events. Both in Champagne sales during 2020, with
supermarket sales increasing by 6.1% to
9.8 million bottles, and with many retailers
blizzard of numbers and data offered by the Comité’s annual report is the strong in the UK.
According to the Comité, almost all
Champagne styles suffered a “major”
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 39
the runaway market leader with a share of more than 80%, inevitably enduring the Vintage brut was the single exception,
with sales rebounding to a remarkable degree: the style actually returned to
growth in 2020, up 18.1% to 0.3 million
bottles after what the Comité calls “three years of sustained decline”.
It’s a surge that is in part attributable
to the presence of wines from some of Champagne’s finest recent vintages in
the market, including 2008 and 2012, but
which also reflects a renewed interest from producers large and small.
Also on the up is rosé Champagne, at
least in terms of market share: sales of
CHAMPAGNE FOCUS
pink styles fared better in the UK than Champagne as a whole, falling 12.8%
in volume, but the style’s 10.7% slice of the market is its highest ever in the UK. A vintage year in the vineyard
Other reasons for optimism in Champagne can be found in the vineyard. Although harvesting conditions were scarcely
ideal – many growers remarked on the
extra expense and inefficiency caused by
harvesting in a Covid-19-safe fashion – the consensus in the region is that 2020 is
another excellent vintage, the third of a
trilogy of fine, warmer vintages to match
the legendary trio of 1988, 1989 and 1990. With growers learning how to deal with
ever-earlier harvests – 2020 was one of
Bollinger RD: one of a flurry of premium Champagne launches in the past year
the earliest on record, starting a full two
weeks before the 10-year average – there
is a sense that 2020 may even be the finest of the trio.
It will also be the smallest. After a series
of high-stakes meetings over the spring and summer of 2020, the tricky act of
balancing the interests of the region’s two big power blocs – the growers and the
houses – against a backdrop of large stocks of unsold wine, resulted in tight limits
on production: a maximum of 8,000kg
per hectare, or a total production of 230 million litres.
And still they came Covid-19 hasn’t stopped the Champagne houses making their usual flurry of
prestige cuvée and vintage releases.
Highlights of the past year or so have
included such stunning 2008s as Krug, Charles Heidsieck Rosé and Rare, and
Billecart-Salmon Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon Rosé; the intriguing 2007 Bollinger RD;
impressive 2013s from the likes of Cristal, Moët and Perrier-Jouët Belle-Epoque;
and outstanding 2012s in the shape of Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill and
Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame.
Alliance Riceys – representing
the Meunier grape variety was also
sales of Champagne in the UK with 86% of
The increasing respect with which
growers
Champagne producers now treat
Although the houses continue to dominate
wines from Billecart-Salmon, Les Rendez-
to develop, along with a burgeoning sense
acknowledged in the first of a new series of Vous de Billecart-Salmon. Conceived as
one-off, “pop-up” releases, No 1 is a 100% Meunier Extra Brut, all sourced from the Marne Valley.
The ever-warmer weather experienced
in the Champagne region is also leading an increasing number of producers to dabble in still wine. The most high profile – if
minuscule in quantity – releases so far
are from Louis Roederer, which launched a Pinot Noir red and a Chardonnay white
under the Hommage à Camille label earlier
this year. The inaugural 2018 vintages have attracted plenty of plaudits from the press, with the inevitable Burgundy comparisons only helped by the prices (€160 for the
red; €140 for the white) and the scale of
the production (1,600 bottles of red; 2,900 of white).
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 40
the total, the grower movement continues of sub-regional identity.
Both trends can be seen in the formation
of the Alliance Riceys, a new body formed
to represent the interests of five récoltantmanipulant producers (Batisse-Lancelot, Pascal Manchin, Pehu Guiardel, Arnaud
Tabourin and Phlipaux Père et Fils) in Les Riceys, a Pinot-dominated commune in
the Côte des Bar in southern Champagne,
which, as the Alliance points out, is closer to Chablis than Reims.
The group has already put together
an online tasting for the UK trade in late June. Growers in other sub-regions of
Champagne will no doubt be watching
with interest as Champagne continues to
develop in ways that the early founders of the Comité could only have dreamed of in the dark days of 1941.
© 5ph / stockadobe.com
ready
to go Nigel Huddleston puts some leading pre-mixed cocktails to the taste test – and finds that the category has come a long way since the bad old days of alcopops
T
he ready-to-drink spirits market has grown up, with a plethora of new entrants bringing more authentic and better quality takes to the market than the alcopops of yore. It’s a fragmented category, with products ranging from small-can, 4%-ish abv spritz-style drinks that compete with sparkling wine and cider for picnics and barbecues, to near-perfect recreations of bartender-level skill at high abvs for at-home cocktail hour. Rob Wallis entered the sector with Buveur, which came in an unusual 92.5cl glass bottle, but he’s reconfigured the brand as Moth – shorthand for mix of total happiness – in dinkysized cans, a format that manages to hit a more accessible price point.
“Buveur was very high-end – Selfridges, Harrods, the Ritz, those sort of places,” says Wallis. “We knew that by going into cans we could make it as easy to have a great cocktail as it is to have a beer or a glass of wine. “We’re three or four times the strength of pretty much anything else in-can and definitely at the premium end. You can compare us with the thing you had at a cocktail bar last week rather than something else out of a can.” Like Wallis, Chris Caruso, founder of Vacay canned cocktails, says the base spirit is important in stepping up the RTD cocktail offering. “Our cocktails are mixed using award-winning craft spirits as a base,” he says. “They were created for a more sophisticated palate, a nice
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 42
contrast to overly sweet traditional RTDs.” William Grant has produced a series of 50cl, multi-serve cocktails under the name Batch & Bottle, each featuring one of its premium spirits: Monkey Shoulder Lazy Old-Fashioned, Hendrick’s Gin Martini, Reyka Rhubarb Cosmopolitan and Glenfiddich Scotch Manhattan. Hendrick’s gin global ambassador, Ally Martin, says the Martini has been made by master distiller Lesley Gracie with input from a number of world-renowned bars including Maybe Sammy in Sydney and Brujas in Mexico City. “We’re bringing the expertise of bartenders into the home in a convenient format,” he adds. Here, we put 10 of the new entrants through their paces to gauge just how far RTDs have moved on.
READY TO DRINK COCKTAILS
Bottle Bar & Shop Negroni
Bellini
Moth Old Fashioned
Pack: 20cl bottle
Pack: 20cl or 75cl bottle
Pack: 10cl can
ABV: 20%
ABV: 5%
ABV: 20%
Mixologist Xhulio Sina (pictured above) handmakes
This Venetian classic is so fruity and fresh that you’d
Some RTD cocktail makers stretch their recipes into
a range of bottled cocktails running well into double
swear it must be doing you some medical good. Just
long-drink serves, losing something in the process.
figures, which he sells at his shop in south London
one sip and you’re transported to the Lido, with the
Moth, however, goes for bar-size portions for its range
and to other independents. Both this and his Remedy
unsweetened peach pureé and Canella Prosecco
which also includes Espresso Martini, Negroni and
cocktail have won Great Taste Awards. The Negroni –
blending in a cocktail that tastes like it’s just been
Margarita, each of which have their contents writ
made with Rock Rose gin, Campari, vermouth, bitters
prepared for you before your very eyes. Stylish
large on the front of the can, and the source of the
and orange pink grapefruit zest – is bang-on mission,
simplicity at a daytime-friendly ABV.
spirits. In this case, it’s English Whisky Co and Bob’s
with a sweet, fragrant approach and a big bitter finish
Marcato Direct 07900 115372
Bitters that combine with sugar for a rich, authentic
that creeps up slowly.
Marcatodirect.co.uk
and unashamedly boozy tipple.
Bottle Bar & Shop
Moth Drinks 0203 538 8115
bottlebarandshop.com
mothdrinks.com
Bottle & Batch Hendrick’s Martini Pack: 50cl
Bloody Classic
ABV: 35%
Pack: 25cl can At proper Martini strength, this is serious liquor
ABV: 6.3%
with all the decadent unctuousness you’d hope for. It’s often the texture that lets RTDs down, but this
The issue may be how to chill it down fast enough.
Bloody Mary recreation comes with the gloopy,
Shaking with ice kind of defeats the object and
luscious body you’d expect from the real thing. It
putting ice in the drink dilutes the drink and sacrifices
combines a boozy, vodka/sherry
authenticity. We recommend keeping it in the fridge,
base with sweet ripe tomato,
with a 10-minute freezer turbocharge before serving,
a savoury soy edge and a
if you can wait that long for a drink. Anyhow, it is a
satisfying Worcester Sauce
lovely drop, as you’d expect from a product where
kick. Classic by name, classic
four of the world’s top cocktail bars appear on the
by nature.
credits.
Mangrove UK 0203 409 6565
William Grant & Sons 020 8332 1188
mangroveuk.com
batchandbottlecocktails.com
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 43
READY TO DRINK COCKTAILS
Empirical Can No 1
Taylor’s Chip Dry & Tonic
Pack: 33cl can
Pack: 25cl
ABV: 10%
ABV: 5.5%
Copenhagen-based Empirical takes inspiration from
The Fladgate Partnership has embraced one of those
experimental cuisine for its flavour explorations,
numerous wine trade best-kept-secrets, white port
which initially resulted in hard-to-pin-down
and tonic, and put it in a picnic-friendly can. Or two
spirits with arch names like The Plum, I Suppose.
cans to be precise, as there’s also a version made with
Its ready-to-serve cans opt for a more simple
its Croft Pink port. The Taylor’s take just gets the nod,
numerical sequencing – up to No 3 so far – and
a refreshing, floral and fruity affair where elderflower,
No 1 contains Oolong tea, toasted birch shavings,
green apple and pink grapefruit are all going on,
Douglas fir needles and green gooseberries. The
before a clean, crisp, dry finish.
base of “vacuum-distilled pilsner malt and Belgian
Mentzendorff 020 7840 3600
saison yeast spirit” plants it in an intriguing grey area
mentzendorff.co.uk
between cocktails and sour beer. Like avant garde
Strongman’s Tipple Apricot Americano
music, modern art and highbrow literature, it won’t be everyone’s cup of Oolong, but it’s good to know
Pack: 20cl bottle
there’s someone doing it.
ABV: 8.3%
Mangrove UK 0203 409 6565 mangroveuk.com
This twist on the Aperol-led Italian aperitif trend starts off like a sweet stonefruit Negroni before that cocktail’s bitter finish comes on strong just before the
Vacay Paloma
finishing line. Part of a quirky range that also includes
Pack: 33cl can
a passionfruit and fizz mix called Adult Movie Star
ABV: 5.7%
and the pisco-laced Lima Sour.
Strongman’s Tipple 07725 973893
Vacay has chosen its cocktail recipes carefully,
strongmanstipple.com
aiming for drinks that fit the bill for longer-serve refreshment for a festival/barbecue vibe, with the Tom Collins and the Moscow Mule joining the Paloma in the line-up. It’s another that wears its ingredients on its sleeve, in this case tequila, pink grapefruit, lime too-sweet take on an under-rated classic.
Miami Cocktail Co Margarita Spritz
Vacay Drinks
Pack: 25cl can
sales@haveavacay.com
ABV: 4%
juice and lengthening soda water, for a tangy, not-
Miami Cocktail’s organic, light-touch take on tequila’s most popular cocktail is at the crowd-pleasing end of the ready-to-drink spectrum. The tartness of the lime juice and the zesty orange of the triple sec you’d find in the classic recipe both come through in a juicy, pétillant drink that’s eminently drinkable and high on the refreshment scale.
Miami Cocktail Co miamicocktail.com
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 44
the original in bottle since 1988 classic recipe with real ripe peaches available in the uk via marcato direct Contact sales@marcatodirect.co.uk marcatodirect.co.uk
10% OFF
all Bellini ord er throughout s September
MAKE A DATE
Enotria&Coe Annual Tasting
WineGB Tasting Since the last GB tasting in 2019, a
E&C promises to “set the drinks agenda
number of new names have entered the
for the post-pandemic world” with this
field and WineGB is welcoming them as
long-awaited portfolio tasting.
they exhibit alongside more established
A range of over 800 wines and spirits
will be showcased accompanied, where possible, by many of the producers and people behind the brands on the day. Contact ej.bailey@enotriacoe.com.
Monday, September 6 The Brewery 52 Chiswell Street London EC1Y 4SD
Bordeaux Day An opportunity to discover new gems from Bordeaux at this event held in London and Manchester. In addition to a tasting of the 2021
Bordeaux Hot 50, a collection of wines
priced between £6 and £25, visitors can
sample a selection of wines from producers seeking representation in the UK under the banner Bordeaux Undiscovered.
The newest wines from leading UK
agents will be available to taste at
BDXchange, and in London a selection of
organic, biodynamic and vegan wines will
highlight Bordeaux’s sustainability drive at the Green Bordeaux Bar.
For more details or to register, email
teambordeaux@cubecom.co.uk. Wednesday, September 8 Camden House Chalk Farm Road London NW1 8AB Thursday, September 9
producers from England and Wales. There will be regional association stands
to enable some producers to showcase
their wines as a group. The seven regions are South East, Wessex (Hampshire/ Dorset/Wiltshire); West, Thames &
Chilterns, East Anglia, Midlands and North Wales.
Focus tables featuring themed wine
styles will replace the free-pour tables of previous years, staffed by pourers in the interests of Covid safety.
Spotlighted themes include classic
method sparkling whites aged 36 months
or more on lees; classic method sparkling
Languedoc Roussillon Sud de France/Sud Ouest Top 100 Discovery Tasting
rosé; Bacchus; and still reds.
A panel of experts chaired by Tim Atkin
canned wines.
available to taste at this event.
There will also be an “innovation station”
which will feature charmat, pet nat and
A focus table will showcase the trophy
and regional winners from the WineGB awards 2021.
Julia Trustram Eve of WineGB says:
“We and the venue will be exercising due diligence throughout. This will include
timed visiting slots; temperature taken
on arrival; a free flow around the tasting
room; hand-held spittoons for all visitors
and safe disposal; and wines will be poured by staff to avoid multiple handling of bottles.
“As a result we will not be holding
any briefings – other than the industry
breakfast briefing hosted by Simon Thorpe MW – as we are giving this space to some of the focus tasting tables.” Tuesday, September 7
MW has selected the top 100 best wines from Occitanie and all of them will be It’s an opportunity for importers and
buyers wanting to discover new wines for their portfolio as 60% of the wines
showcased are seeking UK distribution. These are the top picks from the
459 wines entered by producers from the Occitanie region, stretching from
Languedoc, Roussillon and the south west of France through to the Rhône Valley. Tim Atkin MW will host two
masterclasses. The first at 12pm will focus on the great white wines from Occitanie and the second at 2pm will feature a
broader range of wine styles with Atkin’s top 100.
Contact Sébastien du Boullay or Isabelle
Kanaan: contactuk@suddefrance-dvpt. com.
Oglesby Atrium
RHS Lindley Hall
Chetham’s, Hunts Bank
Elverton Street
One Great George Street
Manchester M3 1DA
London SW1P 2PB
London SW1P 3AA
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 46
Thursday, September 9
Imbibe Live The event focuses on the entire world of drinks – from wines, beers and spirits to cocktails, soft drinks, mixers, tea, coffee,
Hallgarten & Novum Wines Autumn Tasting
La Mimosa 3 Thompsons Lane Cambridge CB5 8AQ Wednesday, September 22 Escape to Freight Island
no and low abv drinks, waters and other
Hallgarten is hitting the road, taking its
11 Baring Street
associated products and technology.
portfolio tasting to four cities.
Manchester M1 2PZ
Due to venue capacity visitors are
encouraged to register as early as possible
and will be asked to select which of the two days they wish to attend.
Registration is essential at live.imbibe.
com.
Monday & Tuesday, September 13 & 14 Olympia
Over 100 wines will be available,
including award winners and a host of favourites from around the world.
Over the past 18 months there have been
many new discoveries that the team has
brought to the UK, and a selection of these will also be there on the day. Each table of wines will be paired with key consumer
Alliance Wine Autumn Portfolio Tasting Alliance is heading for London and
trends to identify wines that have proved
Edinburgh with two tastings this
most popular with consumers.
autumn.
Grands-Crus Classés de StEmilion Tasting
Monday, September 13
Tuesday, September 14
Lyric Hammersmith Theatre
London venue TBC
Hammersmith Road London W14 8UX
Contact tasting@hnwines.co.uk.
Contact jean.wareing@alliancewine.com.
Lyric Square King Street
Monday, September 20
London W6 0QL
Edinburgh venue TBC
Organised by Otaria Communications &
Wednesday, September 15
Media.
St Luke’s & The Winged Ox
Liberty Wines Autumn Portfolio Tasting
Contact celine@otaria.co.uk.
17 Bain Street Glasgow G40 2JZ
Monday, September 13 London venue TBC
Monday, September 20
The tasting promises to feature more than 650 wines from Liberty’s list. Liberty has welcomed a number of new
producers to its portfolio since its last
tasting in February 2020, and this event will serve to showcase many of them
including Rathfinny from East Sussex, Domaine de Montille from Burgundy, Sorrentino from Campania, Bodegas
Gallegas from Galicia and Fog Monster from California.
For more information and to register,
contact events@libertywines.co.uk. Tuesday, September 14
Vineyard in St-Emilion
London venue TBC
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 47
The tasting room
MAKE A DATE
Bancroft London Snapshot Tasting
The Dirty Dozen Tasting
Over the past year Bancroft Wines has
Expect to see an eclectic mix of wines
added over 60 producers to its portfolio
from 12 UK importers.
and 10 new members to the team. This event will provide the opportunity
to taste those new wines along with those that have long been favourites of staff and customers alike.
Contact marketing@bancroftwines.com.
Monday, September 13
The Dirty Dozen comprises Astrum
New Zealand Winegrowers will be
Reynolds, Swig, The Wine Treasury and
sarah@nzwine.com.
Wines, FortyFive10, H2Vin, Howard Ripley, Las Bodegas, Maltby & Greek, Raymond Yapp Brothers.
Contact info@dirtydozentasting.com.
Tuesday, September 21
36 Snowfields
Glaziers Hall
London SE1 3SU
9 Montague Close London SE1 9DD
Graft Wine Co Portfolio Tasting
A seated and sommelier-served tasting event for a maximum of 200 guest tasters. Each will be offered a selection from
around 60 wines from across the spectrum of Barolo 2017, Barbaresco 2018 and
young vintages of Langhe Nebbiolo from a roster of 75 participating producers.
Attendance will be by invitation only and
guests will be required to pre-book their time slot on acceptance of the invitation. Contact Jane Hunt MW and Walter
Speller: Jane@huntandspeller.com.
As a follow-on from organic wine week,
Wine Cellars, Carte Blanche, Clark Foyster
Trivet Restaurant
Barolo, Barbaresco & Langhe Nebbiolo En Primeur
New Zealand Winegrowers Organic Tasting showcasing a number of organic wines. This is an invitation-only event. Contact
Tuesday, September 28 London venue TBC
Top Selection Autumn Portfolio Tasting There will be a focus on 25 producers from out the 70-plus in the wider Top
There will be several new wines on
Selection, portfolio which will include
show including premium Franciacorta
the latest releases from Egon Muller,
by Vigneti Cenci, the new 1006 wines
Duckhorn, Kracher, Szepsy and David
from Pauline Lair’s urban winery in
Duband.
Angers, and Slovenian wines by Matic. Director Nik Darlington says: “The
message to the trade really is that this is more than just the usual ‘back to school’ Justin Knock MW
September tasting, but we hope for a return to some sort of normality for everyone.
“This will be an opportunity to network
with colleagues we haven’t seen in a while and try new wines to refresh the shelves.”
He also reports that the 1006 wines have
already proved to be “a massive hit with indies” and the Matic wines have had a
“roaring start – the best I’ve ever seen for a new producer”.
Contact nik@graftwine.co.uk.
Top Selection will also
introduce its new agencies at the tasting, including Charles Krug (US), Mountfield Estate
(England), Monterosso (Etna, Sicily) and Peccavi (Margaret River, Australia).
The masterclass programme
will feature sessions by
winemakers from Duckhorn,
Kracher and Bemberg (travel restrictions permitting). To register interest or
for further information, email Matt Ellis: matt@ topselection.co.uk.
Wednesday, September 29
Wednesday, September 15
Monday, September 27
Church House
Brunswick House
The Music Room
Dean’s Yard
30 Wandsworth Road
26 South Molton Lane
London SW1P 3NZ
London SW8 2LG
London W1K 5LF
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 48
SUPPLIER BULLETIN
LOUIS LATOUR AGENCIES 12-14 Denman Street London W1D 7HJ
0207 409 7276 enquiries@louislatour.co.uk www.louislatour.co.uk
Morgenhof Estate: Terroir-driven South African wines Morgenhof Estate is committed to producing wines that evoke the terroir of its vineyards in the Simonsberg district of Stellenbosch. Central to this approach is its commitment to dry farming. Dry farming results in smaller yields allowing superior concentration of the berries. This gives Morgenhof the perfect raw materials to produce wines that boldly speak of their origin. Morgenhof’s entire range comes from estate-grown fruit only. The undulating hillside estate offers a myriad of different environments with vineyards located between 60m and 450m above sea level, different aspects and a variety of soils. Only around one third is planted to vineyard, helping to maintain the biodiversity of estate’s flora and fauna.
Morgenhof Estate Chenin Blanc From the estate’s oldest vines, Morgenhof Chenin Blanc is a subtle and expressive white wine. Its textural palate combines apricot and white peach characters with a nutty, savoury finish. Morgenhof Estate Cabernet Sauvignon The vineyards of Simonsberg are renowned for their Cabernet Sauvignon. Morgenhof’s is elegant and finely structured. It benefits from decanting to allow the wine to open and reveal itself.
hatch mansfield New Bank House 1 Brockenhurst Road Ascot Berkshire SL5 9DL
SAVE THE DATE
01344 871800 info@hatch.co.uk www.hatchmansfield.com @hatchmansfield
London Portfolio Tasting Tuesday 7th September 2021 Details to follow
Rachel Hollinrake | londontasting@hatch.co.uk
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 49
SUPPLIER BULLETIN
Fells Fells House, Station Road Kings Langley WD4 8LH 01442 870 900 For details about our portfolio of award winning wines from some of the world’s leading family-owned wine producers contact: info@fells.co.uk
www.fells.co.uk
@FellsWine je_fells
The perfect Sherry for Summer Founded in 1821 in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Barbadillo are one of the leading producers of Manzanilla Sherry, continuing a tradition that’s lasted 200 years and 7 generations. Pastora Manzanilla En Rama Pasada has been bottled from the cask with no fining or filtration after eight years of ageing in Barbadillo’s historic bodegas. The result is a super fresh manzanilla with a complex character, making it ideal as an aperitif and unmatched as a companion to seafood and tapas of all kind.
top selection 23 Cellini Street London SW8 2LF
SAVE THE DATE
www.topselection.co.uk info@topselection.co.uk Contact: Alastair Moss Telephone: 020 3958 0744 @topselectionwines @tswine
PORTFOLIO TASTING WE DNE SDAY 2 9TH SE P TE M BE R 2 021 Venue:
The Music Room, London W1K 5LF Trade & Press Only. Email: events@topselection.co.uk
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 50
liberty wines 020 7720 5350 order@libertywines.co.uk www.libertywines.co.uk
@liberty_wines
Raising a glass to IWC success It has been a great year for Piper-Heidsieck at the International Wine Challenge. Chef de cave Émilien Boutillat was named Sparkling Winemaker of the Year, having proven, the judges agreed, “he was the right choice to succeed eight-times IWC Sparkling Winemaker of the Year, Régis Camus.”
Born in Champagne, 34-year-old Émilien joined Piper-Heidsieck in
October 2018, becoming one of the youngest chef de caves of a Grande Marque.
The Non-Vintage Champagne Trophy was awarded to Piper-
Heidsieck’s Essentiel Cuvée Réservée Extra Brut NV (magnum), while their
Essentiel Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut NV won a Gold medal, and their soldout 2008 Vintage scooped the Champion Sparkling Wine.
Capezzana’s Vin Santo di Carmignano Riserva 2013 won the Champion
Sweet Wine, the third time this wine has received this accolade at the IWC. Aurelio Montes Sr was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement
Award. A pioneer in Colchagua Valley in 1988, Aurelio put premium
Chilean wine on the world map and continues to push the limits of viticulture today.
We were very proud to be named Large Agent of the Year and Wine Educator of
the Year, as well as Italy Specialist Merchant and Australia Specialist Merchant. In
challenging times, we are grateful to our customers and suppliers for their continued support, and to our team for all their hard work.
richmond wine agencies The Links, Popham Close Hanworth Middlesex TW13 6JE 020 8744 5550 info@richmondwineagencies.com
@richmondwineag1
RWA Recent Accolades Decanter World Wine Awards 2021 Platinum 97 Points: Finca Sophenia Synthesis ’The Blend’ 2018, Argentina – available mid August
Platinum 97 Points: Bodegas Taron ‘Pantocrator’ Rioja 2010 – available mid September
Gold 96 Points: De Wetshof ‘Bateleur’ Chardonnay 2018, South Africa – in stock
Gold 95 Points: De Wetshof ‘Lesca’ Chardonnay 2020, South Africa - in stock Gold 95 Points: Amorim Taboadella Villae Red 2019, Portugal – in stock
Gold 95 Points: Finca Sophenia Estate Malbec 2019, Argentina – in stock Silver 92 Points: De Wetshof ‘Limestone Hill’ Chardonnay 2020, South Africa – in stock
Silver 90 Points: De Wetshof ‘Bon Vallon’ Chardonnay 2020, South Africa – in stock
Also a great feature for our new rosé in Elizabeth Gabay MW’s Buyers
Guide to the Rosés of Southern France; rated 94 Points (Outstanding) – O de Rosé 2020 Languedoc
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 51
Contact us for more details.
SUPPLIER BULLETIN
BERKMANN wine cellars 10-12 Brewery Road London N7 9NH 020 7609 4711 indies@berkmann.co.uk www.berkmann.co.uk @berkmannwine @berkmann_wine
richmond wine agencies The Links, Popham Close Hanworth Middlesex TW13 6JE 020 8744 5550 info@richmondwineagencies.com
@richmondwineag1
New to RWA: Domaine Tropez
Domaine Tropez was founded in 1996 and it has assembled a number of AOC Côtes de Provence vines, covering over 40 hectares and using certified organic fertilizers whilst harvesting is done at a low temperature.
White Tropez Rosé 2020
Pure, vibrant aromas of tropical fruits, white peach and subtle floral notes. The palate is silky and the tangy acidity adds zest to a clean, quenching finish.
Crazy Tropez Rosé 2020
Notes of citrus and tropical fruit. Delicious and indulgently fruity on the palate with suggestions of spice and minerality. Zesty citrus notes and juicy acidity converge on a smooth finish.
Crazy Tropez Bulles Rosé 2020
Gently sparkling and pale pink in colour. Floral and red fruit aromas with generous flavours of berries and tangerine zest. Refreshing, with a finish full of finesse.
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 52
C&C wines
C&C Wines is excited to have added two Italian agencies to its expanding portfolio. Kellerei St Pauls (Alto Adige)
109 Blundell Street London N7 9BN 020 3261 0927
Formed in 1907 Kellerei St Pauls is a cooperative which today has
help@carsoncarnevalewines.com www.carsoncarnevalewines.com
vineyards are well positioned to deliver consistently high quality grapes and varietally
@CandC_Wines @carsoncarnevalewines
over 200 members. Lying protected on the south side of the Alps and enjoying 1,800 hours of sunshine a year, well aired by the
downdraught from the Mendel range and benefiting from a high diurnal range, their
pure wines. Their vineyards are predominantly managed by hand, and every stage of production benefits from modern, energy-efficient machinery. Assuli (Sicily)
Assuli, meaning “under the sun”, combines tradition and innovation
in a wonderful location. Their 120ha of vineyards are in the heart of
western Sicily between Mazara del Vallo and Trapani. Here, conditions
are perfectly suited to indigenous varieties, including Nero d’Avola, Zibibbo, Insolia,
Lucido, Grillo, Perricone, as well as Syrah. The winery stands in an area renowned for
its centenary wine-growing history and can boast the DOC Sicilia certification. The sun, light, high minerality of the soil and Mediterranean air contribute to wines of great
personality, and their 100% organic wines authentically reflect the terroir of the region. All wines will be available from September. Please contact us for further information.
Famille Helfrich Wines 1, rue Division Leclerc, 67290 Petersbach, France cdavies@lgcf.fr 07789 008540 @FamilleHelfrich
Famille Helfrich: Recruits for London and the south! In true Famille Helfrich style, the disruption we are all experiencing has simply led us down the investment path! Here are three examples:
• A new dedicated Indies & On-trade portfolio with an extra 282 wines, all available from our consolidation hub in Alsace
• A new DDP model ensuring that our customers enjoy fast smooth transactions • A new National Account Manager joining the team from August.
A highly experienced business development executive and a qualified wine professional, Alsace-born Julien Dillmann began his career in Strasbourg and Paris before moving to London in 2011.
He brings with him extensive experience and a strong track
record that draws from his time in retail, wholesale, fine wine and the premium on-trade.
Julien will be looking after London and the south from
They’re all smiles to your faceAugust, … joining Chris Davies’s team with Andy Poxon looking
after the north.
Two tastings are planned for October. We will let you know
of dates as soon as they are finalised.
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 53
SUPPLIER BULLETIN
walker & Wodehouse 109a Regents Park Road London NW1 8UR 0207 449 1665 orders@walkerwodehousewines.com www.walkerwodehousewines.com
@WalkerWodehouse
Toast to Summer with Mission Hill When Mission Hill was established, Canada’s Okanagan Valley was largely undiscovered as a winemaking region – but all that was about to change. It was 1981 when wine seller Anthony von Mandl took over the abandoned former monastery, after studying the viability of the region on behalf of a Mosel-based winery who were intrigued by the possibility of grape growing there.
Recognising the land’s potential, Anthony got to work, eventually expanding his winery enough to purchase its own vineyards in 1996. Now, the estate spans five of the Okanagan’s growing regions – West Kelowna, East Kelowna, Naramata Bench, Black Sage Bench and Osoyoos – and produces wines that are at the pinnacle of quality Canadian winemaking. In just three decades, Mission Hill has been able to place Okanagan Valley on the world wine map, winning a staggering number of awards, as well as being named Canadian Winery of the Year six times. Their portfolio is internationally recognised for their Bordeaux-style reds, elegant Pinot Noirs, and aromatic whites that reflect this unique region’s climate and terroir. All grapes are grown sustainably through organic farming.
buckingham schenk Unit 5, The E Centre Easthampstead Road Bracknell RG12 1NF 01753 521336 info@buckingham-schenk.co.uk www.buckingham-schenk.co.uk
@BuckSchenk @buckinghamschenk
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 54
mentzendorff The Woolyard 52 Bermondsey Street London SE1 3UD
C H AT E AU L A F L E U R D E B O ÜA R D J O I N S T H E MENTZENDORFF PORTFOLIO Owner, Hubert de Boüard de Laforest, has always believed that estates in Lalande-de-Pomerol are capable of producing outstanding wines, on a par with the greatest Bordeaux appellations. He purchased the 25-hectare (60-acre) property in 1998. Built on family heritage, Hubert de Boüard de Laforest and his daughter Coralie de Boüard manage the estate and expert technician, Philippe Nunes, is their technical director. They work together to create the most elegant expressions of the terroir.
020 7840 3600 info@mentzendorff.co.uk www.mentzendorff.co.uk
JAMES SUCKLING 93/100
They have a truly unique winery made of glass and timber. At La Fleur de Boüard, the use of natural gravity throughout the cellar curbs any use of pumps, making for the gentlest extraction possible while optimising the volume of free-run wine. Innovative expertise is the trademark of the de Boüard family. The estate houses a state of the art, oenological analytical laboratory, which leads a range of experiments and research topics on winemaking. Their major innovation is the property’s vat house, which is unique in the world.
FORBES (TOM MULLEN) 95-97/100
For more information, please contact your Mentzendorff Account Manager.
AWIN BARRATT SIEGEL WINE AGENCIES 28 Recreation Ground Road Stamford Lincolnshire PE9 1EW 01780 755810 orders@abs.wine www.abs.wine
WIN A TRIP TO MOUCHÃO, PORTUGAL Take part in our summer Mouchao promotion, 1st June to 31st August, buy 12 cases and get an additional 2 cases free The store with the most innovative in-store or window display posted to Instagram (@adegadomouchao, @ABSWines #Viniportugal), will win a trip to the Alentejo to visit the Mouchão winery. Trip for 2 people to include, flights, car hire and 2 nights accommodation, visit to Mouchão and dinner with the Mouchão team. The promotion will feature the entry level Dom Rafael range, both wines are line priced and for every 12 cases purchased, mixed across the range, an additional 2 cases will be added free of charge, also included in the promotion is Ponte Red. To encourage sales an additional bottle of each reference will be provided to use as in-store tasting stock. For further details contact your Account Manager.
BUY 6 CASES GET 1 ADDITIONAL CASE FREE
@ABSWines THE
BIG PINK
(cannot be mixed between lines) ABS to fund 1 bottle of each reference per deal done as tasting stock. Promotion runs from 1st July to 31st August.
A perfect drink for an evening outside in the sunshine with friends. It’s no wonder Rosé has become an integral part of the British Summer. The recent explosion in popularity of Rosé means our two Big Pink promotional wines are ideal not just for this season, but all year round.
QUINTA DO PORTAL COLHEITA ROSÉ 2020 6x75cl JORDAN CHAMELEON ROSÉ 2020 6x75cl Show us your in-store or window Rosé display featuring our Big Pink wines to be in with a chance of winning a Rosé Jereboam. Contact your Account Manager for further details.
THE WINE MERCHANT august 2021 55