Boutinot has topped the popularity charts once again in The Wine Merchant’s annual survey of independents.

The company received votes from 32% of respondents, putting it ahead of Liberty Wines, Hatch Mansfield, Alliance Wine and Hallgarten & Novum Wines.

Boutinot has topped the poll – which asks the question “which suppliers do you most enjoy working with?” – since the survey began 12  years ago. Respondents are each given three votes.

This year’s survey also reveals that the average sales price of a bottle of still wine has increase by £1.13 in the past year, to £16.91, reflecting the soaring duty and inflation faced by importers and retailers. Average basket spend is down to £52.32, compared to £56.85 four years ago.

The survey also finds that just under half of independents (49.5%) now offer wines for consumption on the premises. It’s the highest figure recorded in the survey’s history and illustrates how much momentum is still behind the trend to hybrid wine shop/wine bar premises.

Find full coverage of the survey in the March issue and more to follow next month in April’s edition.

Thank you to every independent who took part in the survey and to Hatch Mansfield, our partner on this annual project.