Rolling out red carpet to retail wines

LOCKDOWN has helped transform the wine trade. Local indies have been forced to up their online game, creating an incredible nationwide delivery network in the process.At the same time, wholesale merchants and importers have opened up their lists to retail after the collapse of their core business selling to hotels, restaurants and pubs. Jascots, based in north London, is one wine merchant of long-standing now selling extraordinary wines to ordinary customers at trade prices.

Managing director Miles MacInnes explains: “We woke up one morning in March and business looked pretty bleak but following some serious soul searching we decided to think positively and switched our business model around, creating an e-commerce site.We decided early to offer wines at ‘trade’ price and, as some of our wines have never been sold on the high street, it was a good move.”

The firm now has about 2,000 regular retail customers. Miles has been at Jascots some 14 years, starting in customer services and working his way up through the ranks. He bought the business, along with a partner, from its original owner, Jack Scott, in 2016.

He added: “We saw only one option – to do everything to save the business and keep our team together. It has been challenging, my wife and I both working flat out and two young boys at home.There have been tough times, but we’ve managed pretty well considering.”

Below, Miles shares five wine picks.