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Sponsor: Frescobaldi
Frescobaldi is a Florentine family that has been devoted to producing great Tuscan wines for 700 years.
Frescobaldi embodies the essence of Tuscany and the extraordinary diversity of its terroirs. Its uniqueness emerges from the representation of this diversity through its seven estates and their wines, which express a kaleidoscope
of aromas and sensations that stem from the characteristics of each individual terroir.
CONTACT: Hallgarten Druitt and Novum Wine, Frescobaldi PR & Communications Manager, Ben.Jackson@hdnwines.co.uk. Frescobaldi PR Manager, Luisa.Calvo@frescobaldi.it
independent retailers
INDIE excellence
In an increasingly crowded arena, two independent retailers proved they have what it takes to thrive
Sukhinder Singh of The Whisky Exchange
INDEPENDENT WINE RETAILER OF THE YEAR, SPONSORED
BY FRESCOBALDI:
LEA & SANDEMAN
With nearly three decades in the business, Lea & Sandeman is one of London’s most respected wine merchants; part of the ‘old guard’, but far from set in its ways. As its co-founder, Charles Lea, states: “When we opened our first shop on the Fulham Road in 1988, the aim was to bring the full service of the traditional wine merchants to the High Street in updated form.”
Today, the retailer remains at the forefront of the independent sector, and has been quick to react and adapt to changing trends. It now has four shops in Barnes, Chelsea, Kensington and Chiswick, a growing wholesale operation, a thriving online business, a private-client arm and an en primeur sales and advice service.
Its range runs to around 2,000 wines in- store, with just over half available online, with France and Italy, especially Burgundy, Bordeaux, Tuscany and Piedmont, specialities, but with strong listings from Spain, Austria, South Africa, New Zealand and California.
The retailer prides itself on its dedication to sourcing many of its wines direct from growers, with a key tenet of its business model being exclusivity and value. “We are not name buyers, we are quality buyers,” adds Lea, boldly stating: “Our Sauvignon de Touraine is better than cheaper Sancerres; our Sancerre is among the best in the appellation.”
SHORTLIST Christopher Piper Wines Lea & Sandeman
The Good Wine Shop
INDEPENDENT SPIRITS RETAILER OF THE YEAR:
THE WHISKY EXCHANGE
Since it was founded by Sukhinder Singh in 1999, The Whisky Exchange has built an enviable reputation as one of the world’s leading online retailers of around 10,000 whiskies, specialist spirits and liqueurs, but also wines, Champagnes, beer and saké, maintaining a bricks-and- mortar base at its Covent Garden store.
Head buyer Dawn Davies MW is responsible for the vast range, to which she has added around 100 new suppliers in the past year alone, including Garden Tiger Gin from the Capreolus Distillery in the Cotswolds, strengthening the retailer’s reputation for products with genuine heritage, rarity and quality.
More recently, the retailer has worked to boost its editorial content online, with its team producing feature articles and analysis that work in tandem with its marketing goals. In 2016, online sales increased by 25% year-on-year, and while whisky remains a key driver of its business, gin recorded an increase of 30%.
This year the retailer launched its Old & Rare Whisky Show, which builds upon its already established Whisky Show, held each year in London.
The inaugural Whisky Show: Old & Rare took place in Glasgow in February, showcasing more than 400 old and rare whiskies, including an Orkney distilled in 1894 and one of the oldest whiskies ever released – a Glenlivet Generations 1940 70-year-old.
SHORTLIST
The Whisky Exchange Celtic Whiskey Shop Riddles Emporium
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