Raise a glass in support of local retailers

ITWAS a rare bit of good news when the Government last week added off-licences to the official list of essential UK retailers allowed to stay open during the coronavirus pandemic. No one’s quite panic drinking – yet – but it’s good to know this essential sector of the economy, especially our 920 specialist independent wine retailers, will be allowed to continue during these trying times.And sharing a decent bottle of wine is what a lot of us need to do to get us through this worrying period.

Like all independent shops, wine merchants are hurting and anyone who loves wine should consider doing some shopping with them.They might be a wee bit more expensive but their selection, knowledge and friendliness is top-notch Many will also send wine all over the UK.

Graham Holter, editor of Wine Merchant Magazine, tells me: “The independent wine scene in the UK is world class. It’s hard to generalise but it’s fair to say they don’t sell the kind of stuff you find in supermarkets for £5 or £6.They are looking for wines with genuine character, and a story behind them.The explosion in store numbers in recent years is partly driven by the fact supermarket wines have become rather ‘safe’ and often quite dull.”

He adds: “Today’s shops are run by people who want to share the passion they have for their wines.Their job is to help you find wines that you’ll like and they do that with free tastings, all kinds of events, and often the promise that they’ll exchange wine you’re not keen on.”

Drop me an email about your own shop and I’ll try to include it in a future column if I can. Meanwhile, enjoy these wines from some fantastic specialist merchants.

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