Free wines from the Loire

Posted on July 30, 2012 by Administrator

There is still time – just about – to claim some free Sauvignon Blanc, courtesy of our friends at InterLoire.

All 18 wines in the latest Sauvignon Blanc de Loire Ambassadors project have been made available. Simply pick the three that appeal to you the most, email your choices to romain.priore@sopexa.com, and we’ll do our best to send you two bottles of each of the wines you’ve requested, for no fee.

If any of your choices are no longer available, due to high demand, we’ll substitute it for another one of the Sauvignons in the selection.

The offer is only available to UK-based independent wine retailers, so please make sure you include your shop name and address in your email.

The line-up

IGP/Vin de Pays du Val de Loire

1 Brumes de Loire, Caves du Haut Poitou 2 Ackerman, Domaine Ackerman 3 Petit Bourgeois, Domaine Henri Bourgeois 4 EARL, Château du Fresne 5 Jean de la Roche, SA Les Vins Drouet Frères 6 La Marinière, SAS Les Vignerons de la Vallée du Cher 7 SCEV, Vignoble Cogné

AOP/AOC Touraine

8 Domaine de la Croix Bouquie, Alpha Loire Domaines 9 Pointes d’agrumes, Complices de Loire 10 L’Expression, Domaine de la Renne 11 Domaine de la Renaudie 12 Domaine des Corbillières 13 L’EléganteDomaine Pré Baron 14 AOC Touraine Sauvignon Blanc, Domaine Pré Baron 15 AOC Touraine Sauvignon Blanc, Domaine Joël Delaunay 16 Prestige d’Octavie, Domaine Octavie 17 Villebois Prestige, Domaine Villebois 18 Domaine Guenault, SA Bougrier

This is an InterLoire promotion through Sopexa UK. Information supplied will only be shared with the wine producers of the three wines selected and not with other third parties.

Visit www.vinsdeloire.eu and www.vins-de-pays.info for further information.

Living with Majestic

Posted on July 20, 2012 by Administrator

What happens when the UK’s biggest specialist wine chain opens one of its warehouses on your doorstep? Five independent merchants discuss how Majestic has affected their businesses. By Graham Holter

LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR is not an easy commandment to obey if the neighbour happens to be a £280m retail giant with a razor-sharp marketing department and its sights trained on your customers. For many independents, the prospect of a Majestic opening nearby sounds an understandable note of terror.

The problem is that Majestic just keeps on growing. It now has 181 UK branches, opening a record 16 stores in its most recent financial year. Its customer base grew by 11% to 568,000 over that period. Sales to business customers increased by 7% and now account for almost a quarter of Majestic’s trade.

Continue reading →

August edition is now online

Posted on July 12, 2012 by Administrator

What happens when a Majestic arrives on your doorstep? In the August edition of The Wine Merchant, we find out. Five independents who know what it’s like to compete with a rather large and unwelcome neighbour tell their stories. It’s nowhere near as grisly as it sounds.

Also in our fifth issue: a close encounter with Gerry’s of Soho, a fresh look at Chablis, David Williams tracks down David Berry Green in Barolo, and a field trip report from Chile’s recent Pequenas tasting in London.

Plus there’s all the news about comings and goings in the independent sector (mostly comings, to be fair), the usual talking points and tittle tattle, wine reviews, a rather blunt assessment of the London wine fair, and another chance to claim some fantastic wines from the Loire. For free.

As usual we have updates from leading suppliers to the independent sector in our Supplier Bulletin section. There’s more free wine on offer there, but we’re not going to tell you where. Have a read through and you’ll find it.

That’s enough bragging and bold type. Enjoy the magazine, and thanks for your support.