Q&A

The Oxford Wine Company

Who’s your favourite music artist? The Beatles – the quality never fades. Failing that, Beethoven.

Who’s your favourite wine critic? Tim Atkin. I just enjoy his style. Very readable and not pompous.

What’s your most treasured possession? An 1896 Oxford rowing oar with accompanying photo which belonged to my grandfather. The heaviest in the boat was fractionally over 11 stone!

What’s your proudest moment?

Winning the No 1 spot in the Harpers top 50 UK Wine Merchants. But most are sports-related, such as running out at Twickenham for Loughborough in two university cup finals. Also, scoring an 80-yard try v Gloucester at a capacity Kingsholm – that was all I did all day! I was even in the pre-Olympic squad for high jump but knew I wasn’t going to be good enough, so decided to play cricket instead. I could also mention my eldest Chris playing a few first-class cricket matches and scoring a double hundred for the Free Foresters CC, and my youngest George getting 80 at Lord’s in the MCC Twenty20 finals. William, the middle one, played for Exeter University at rugby, so we are a proud amateur sporting family.

What’s your biggest regret?

Ted Sandbach was born in 1953 and launched The Oxford Wine Company in 1992. It’s regularly cited as one of the UK’s largest and most successful independent merchants, with thriving wholesale and retail divisions. He is also the owner of The Oxford Wine Café and a director of Sandy’s Piano & Wine Bar.

What’s the first wine you remember drinking?

A hock given to me by my father when I was about 15, considered suitably low enough in alcohol to be appropriate.

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

A sports agent or manager, either in cricket or rugby.

How do you relax?

Gardening. Masses of vegetables but I have a greenhouse too and grow a variety of tomatoes – you cannot beat tomatoes on toast for breakfast. If no family are at home, we are virtually self-sufficient.

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

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. Very thought provoking and it makes you realise how women’s aspirations were so curtailed in the 50s and 60s. A few unexpected twists in the story too –couldn’t put it down.

Give us a Netflix recommendation. The Diplomat. This has everything you can expect from a great series: drama, comedy and a very impressive cast.

Do you have any sporting loyalties?

I am a season ticket holder at Exeter Chiefs and passionate about the club, even though it is a 260-mile round trip these days. I was born in Axminster and we have a house in Beer on the south coast, so Devon is very close to my heart.

Not learning French. I can get by in a crisis, but I feel dreadfully inadequate at times.

Who’s your hero?

The rugby player David Duckham, who died recently, and set the field alight in his heyday.

Any hidden talents?

After a few pints I’m quite an impressive bottle walker. What is that, I hear you ask? I will demonstrate at the next suitable opportunity!

What’s your favourite place in the UK? A valley in rural east Devon.

If you could have one wish granted, what would it be?

That we cut the number of MPs, pay them a decent salary, don’t allow them to become one until 40 years old and start attracting leaders. The behaviour of most of them has been an absolute disgrace in recent years and left the country on its knees.