I hope that you have noticed that I am a particular champion of the small, independent wine retailer. Life is almost as difficult for them as it has become for small, independent booksellers – and I see myriad parallels between their activities. Although I earn my living selling written advice about wine but even I freely admit that the most useful thing a newcomer to wine can do its find a friendly retailer who, with wine just as with books, can listen to what you have enjoyed so far and introduce you to something similar but perhaps more exciting that you would never have considered.
The usual argument advanced by fellow wine writers for citing big retailers so often is that the one word Tesco or Sainsbury’s for example takes up so much less space than the longer names and addresses of independents, and effectively provides a stockist for so many more people. But I’ve not found citing independents so difficult even in the constricted space allowed me by the Financial Times and of course here in cyberspace we have no such constraints.
All of this is a preamble to my urging you to consider a free wine tasting put on in London this Wednesday Nov 1 by ADSW, the relatively recently formed Association of Small Direct Wine Merchants. (They may not be more than five foot tall but they won’t beat about the bush.)
Its members are:
Amordivino – Specialist importers of fine Italian wines
Big Red Wine Company – Rhône, plus French regions, Spain and Italy
Boutique Wine Company – Exclusive Australian wines
Champers Limited – Champagne, particularly personalised label champagne for corporate brands and social events.
French Regional Wines – Petit château Bordeaux, plus other regions of France
Leon Stolarski Fine Wines – Languedoc, Roussillon, South-West, Rhône and Beaujolais
Nick Dobson Wines – Beaujolais, Mâconnais, Switzerland, Austria, Germany
South Africa Wines – Specialist importers of fine South African wines
Wines For Spice – Naturally semi-sparkling wines to accompany curries and spicy food
Big Red Wine Company – Rhône, plus French regions, Spain and Italy
Boutique Wine Company – Exclusive Australian wines
Champers Limited – Champagne, particularly personalised label champagne for corporate brands and social events.
French Regional Wines – Petit château Bordeaux, plus other regions of France
Leon Stolarski Fine Wines – Languedoc, Roussillon, South-West, Rhône and Beaujolais
Nick Dobson Wines – Beaujolais, Mâconnais, Switzerland, Austria, Germany
South Africa Wines – Specialist importers of fine South African wines
Wines For Spice – Naturally semi-sparkling wines to accompany curries and spicy food
I have already written about many of these enterprising wine importers already and can thoroughly recommend this chance to expand your horizons and encounter some truly individual wines.
Where: Upstairs at The Atlas, 16 Seagrave Road, London SW6 1RX
When: 5-8pm, Wed Nov 1
How: Contact Leon Stolarski at events@asdw.org.uk to book your (free) place at this tasting