Noble Fine Liquor bids fond farewell

Noble Fine Liquor in Hackney has closed after a decade of trading.

Launched by Liam Kelleher in 2012, the company announced the closure on social media last month. P Franco and Bright, the company’s other London venues, have also closed.

Part of the announcement reads: “Our focus at this stage is to try to do right by our staff and suppliers whilst we try to navigate our way down a path we never thought we’d have to walk.

“To our guests and customers, we extend our thanks and love. London is a big city, with many thousands of restaurants and shops. Every visit you made to us was appreciated and never taken for granted.”

But it might not be the end of the road for P Franco. Former manager Will Gee has launched a crowdfunder to reopen the premises, with the aim of raising £30,000.

He describes P Franco as “a meeting place for winemakers, drinkers and lovers since 2014”.

When bladders go bang

For all the independent trade’s ecocredentials, we’re still a long way off the point at which bulk wine shipping is given a warm embrace by merchants.

It is, of course, much better for the planet to ship wine from the other side of the world inside massive bladders, and then to do the bottling at the point of destination. But that only works if the wine isn’t bubbling and refermenting, and causing the membrane to expand.

That seems to be what happened with one unfortunate consignment from California not too long ago. Our spies inform us that the spectacularly exploded container was on display at the car park of Greencroft Bottling in County Durham while technicians worked out what exactly to do next.

A cracking afternoon out

A wine merchant in London tells us a lovely story about the crack den that used to operate within viewing distance of his enoteca.

For many happy months, customers would assume their window seats, order a bottle of Sancerre and perhaps some nibbles, and be entertained by the furtive scurrying of the den’s clients.

But it seems it wasn’t just ladies who lunch who were keeping an eye on proceedings. Much to the merchant’s chagrin, police raided the crack house and shut it down, meaning new forms of amusement are now being sought.

Everybody loves the DRS

Preparations for Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme were still going swimmingly as The Wine Merchant went to press.

It seems that people have different ways of gearing up for the new system. A video circulating on social media shows a man placing a plastic bottle into a reverse vending machine, claiming his 20p and then retrieving the bottle with the string he’s tied around it. Rinse and repeat.

One canny Scots merchant says: “I did sign up but I lied about my turnover. So I got in for free. I’ve ticked the box, but it’s the wrong box. That’s my top tip.”