Happily little has changed superficially, as the shop retains its air of an “emporium” – so big displays for the latest bland brand – and the range has extended to include almost every wine producing region in the world.

No online list or ordering, but then you cannot translate the experience of this place and its discoveries into an online webpage – a search engine cannot replace the joy of browsing and discovery amongst their shelves.

Dating back to the 1870’s when its founder Denis Byrne used to cross the fells regularly by horse and cart, the business supplied groceries, animal feeds and a few wines and spirits to farmers in the area.

The building itself has changed little architecturally but its charm lies within, customers walking through the door of D. Byrne & Co and into the cellars below street level would be forgiven for thinking they had stepped back in time.  Housed in this wonderful old shop is a staggering selection of the finest quality wines and spirits to be found under one roof anywhere in the country.  The atmosphere in the shop is almost worth a visit in itself – the creak of the old floorboards, the smell of freshly ground coffee and the tinkle of bottles deep in the cellars.

D. Byrne & Co is family owned and run, these days by Denis Byrne’s great grandsons Andrew, Philip and Tim who between them have eighty years of experience in the business and four generations of knowledge to draw on. Originating from a family of fourteen children, the brothers have never had trouble finding knowledgeable staff to help on a part or full-time basis and the fifth dynasty has recently joined the firm.

The shop may have its roots firmly in the Victorian era but the business is firmly in the twenty first century with the brothers frequently visiting the greatest wine producing regions of the world to add to their collection.  In order for the business to have thrived for so long it has built a reputation for sourcing and supplying the finest wines and spirits at the keenest razor sharp prices.  We can supply top of the range fine wines  from the best known producers or little known gems that we have discovered on our travel

D Byrne Co. 12 King Street, Clitheroe, Lancashire BB7 2EP

t: 01200 423152

The Bingley Section of the Yorkshire Guild of Sommeliers holds monthly tastings to introduce enthusiasts to new wines (and sometimes re-visiting old favourites!)  Despite the distinctly formal name, the group is made up of wine-lovers of varying levels of knowledge and skill, few of whom are professionals in the wine or restaurant business.

The main objective  is to find and enjoy new wines and each month there is usually a guest expert on a particular range or region – many of them being wine merchants, sometimes very knowledgable amateurs.

The next few tastings include:-

“Iconic Wines of the World” with Graham Coverdale from House of Townend on 6 September 2010

Unknown Bodegas of Spain with Great Northern Wines on 4 October 2010

The Wines of Georgia on 1 November 2010

The wines of St Mont on 3 January 2011

For more info see http://bingleywinetasters.co.uk/wine/

In the charming small Cathedral town of Ripon in North Yorkshire, independent wine merchants Great Northern Wine offer a good range of well-chosen wines and a wine bar!

The wine bar is open Thursday to Saturday evenings until 11.30pm and offers wine by the glass or bottle, plus other drinks and nibbles. But a bottle from the shop and pay just a £5 corkage charge!

The proprietors of GNW are Mark & Emma Ryan.  Mark took over the business in 2003, and has since concentrated on turning GNW into a retail-focused business, with a clear focus on quality rather than quantity.  Mark’s love of wine stems from his time working for Porters, then one of the leading specialist food suppliers in the UK.   Having lived in Ripon for 35 years, Mark is beginning to feel like a Riponian!  Emma has been involved with GNW since 2008, and together with Mark has been involved in developing the wine bar and lounge, which we feel will enhance the wine experience of new and existing customers alike. Both Mark & Emma are responsible for identifying and sourcing new wines for the enjoyment of our customers.

The online offering is more of a newsletter/blog than a traditional wine site – so no online list or ordering – but plenty of editorial about new wines, and an enticing list of music and comedy evenings and tastings including an Italian Tasting on 4 September 2010.

The site works in that it entices you to visit the shop, wine bar, tastings etc – but could offer more to encourage on-line visitors.
Great Northern Wine, The Warehouse, Blossomgate, Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 2AJ
t: 01765 606 767

Established in 2000 Harlequin Wines is …a company dedicated to quality. The wines we choose appeal to the discerning wine lover. Our philosophy is simple. Search long and hard to find the new, unusual and the delightful. Then dealing direct with the wine-makers we can ensure quality, and value for money.

With a focus on European wines, initially the Franconian region of Germany (Franken wines), they now source French wine from Alsace, the Loire, Beaujolais, and the Languedoc- and more recently from Italy.

The advantage for independent wine merchants is that they can do more with visits to the regions and visiting winemakers in Europe than is usually practicable for more distant continents. Whilst ultimately the quality of the wine is in the tasting, a good wine merchant can add more value for the customer if they know more about the vineyard, winemaker and region – and provide a valuable 2-way link between the customer and the winemaker- i.e. between the vineyard and your door.

The list looks interesting and well-researched – plenty of information on the website and in the irregular newsletter – BUT no proper online ordering (download a listing/order form) and a suspicion that things may be slightly outdated gifven that there has been no new newsletter since Spring 2009. I also missed any details of available tastings, which can be so important when considering unfamiliar wines such as those of Franken.

Harlequin Wines, Hill Farm House, Warthill, York YO19 5XW

t: 01904 489217; e: info@harlequinwines.co.uk

Fareham Wine Cellar has featured several times in our scan of good independent wine merchants, and now comes a chance to taste many of the wellc-chosen wines on offer at their bi-annual Portfolio Tasting on 27 October 2010.

With 150 or more wines on taste, and producers/negociants to talk with – this will be a wondeful opportunity to taste a wide variety of their offerings – and at a very reasonable £10 a head – bookable in advance – spittoons provided!

Port is one of their specialities, as is South African wine – but not at the expense of a wide range of wines from most parts of the world – chosen with care.

We stock a wine range of wines including Claret, Burgundy, Rhone, Champagne and many other French wines. There are also wines from Spain, Italy, Portugal and Germany. The New World is well-represented and we have a large selection of wines from Australia, New Zealand, North and South America and particularly South Africa. We specialise in Port Wines, particularly Vintage and Colheita Port, and have a good selection of Sherry and Madeira. You can search our list by year if you are looking for a present for a special birthday or anniversary present. There are various Ports, Cognacs, Armagnacs and Scotch Whiskies, as well as wines, from various vintages.

The shop in Fareham is well worth a visit – the website looks a bit homely and does not include online ordering, but nevetheless the reputation and enthusiasm of Dominic Lockyer and his crew makes up for this omission – the site is easy to navigate and there are  good tasting notes on each wine. Regular newsletters and a blog!

Fareham Wine Cellar 5 High Street , Fareham, Hants SO16 7BG

t:01329 822733  e: dominic@farehamwinecellar.co.uk

At first look this place looks to be a bit more of a boutique than a traditional wine shop – but the stylish display reveals some very interesting wines and a great selection of whiskies!

The idea behind Vinology as an independent Wine & Spirit Merchant was conceived by Matt Cowan and Mark Archer, two individuals with considerable experience and knowledge of the wine and spirit world who both share a love for great wine and quality spirits.  The aim of Vinology is to share its knowledge and passion to create an independent drinks company that offers an innovative collection of some of the finest wines, whiskies and other spirits available on the current market.

Vinology is far more than just an exceptional drinks shop, it aims to develop the palate and knowledge of its customers through tutored tastings of fine wine and whiskies, often presented by the leading lights of the wine and whisky world.

Vinology continually sources wines from small independent family-run producers who offer high quality, interesting wines that provide a far more exciting wine experience compared to the bland, mass-produced brands ubiquitous to so many retailers’ shelves.

In the southwest London suburb of Wimbledon you will find Revelstoke Wines.. With a wide range of interesting wines from most of the wine producing regions of the World, a proper shop and online ordering (trade and retail), tastings and delivery the team led by Richard Household makes a fairly comprehensive offering.

Where ever possible we source our wines directly from the vineyard in which they were produced. This enables us to offer some truly unique wines as well as giving us the chance to form close relationships with the winemakers and Chateau owners themselves.
Why do we do it? We do this through choice: because we love discovering, tasting and bringing new wines to our customers….

There is a winemaker tasting dinner by Australian Ben Glaetzer from the Barossa Valley on 15 September 2010.

However, the online offering is a little disappointing – the on-line ordering system is a bit clunky. and the website is not uo-to-date – e.g. the News and Offers Section only refers to “Autumn 2009 newsletter coming soon”! Its always a little disappointing when the online offering is less than exciting – but I would always prefer a great selection of wines and knowledgeable passion about those wines to a fancy website with mediocre wines and poor service.

Revelstoke Wine, 76 Durham Road, West Wimbledon, London SW20 0TL
t: 020 8879 1810 e: orders@revelstoke.co.uk

Taurus Wines, in leafy Surrey, has a focus on providing wines and champagnes for parties and celebrations in Surrey and Sussex.

However, the wine list is not dominated by cheap plonk, but a good selection of reasonably priced wines and fizz from the main wine producing countries of the World. And discounts are on offer for 6 or more bottles of several Champagnes.

The “party” element is more about a Party/Celebration service – delivery and collection, ice boxes (“Eskies”) and loan of decent glasses – all things which can male life so much easier for the hosts!

The team has wide experience in the wine trade and should be able to provide you with decent advice, whether it is for an odd bottle in the shop or for planning a big bash!

In October and November 2010 they hold a number of tastings around the county: – ”

For our winter shows we have more-or-less the same wines open at each tasting and will have a mix of over 50 champagnes, wines, ports and the odd sherry for you to try.  All the tastings run from 6.30pm to 10pm.” The first one is in Bramley, Surrey on  15 October 2010 - see details

There are some good tasting notes and some vineyard profiles which ate very helpful – and navigating the site is easy with a variety of menu options. With a proper shop and online ordering available this could be the place to look!   The only element we could not discern was the rationale for the wines selected, as it looks to be more than “wines good for parties”!

Our wine is stored in a 17th century cowshed – hence the name Taurus (the Bull). The Cowshed is made from cotswold stone and has walls a foot thick, this means the perfect cool conditions for cellaring wine.Our shop itself (The Old cart House) is over 400 years old and is well worth a visit – there is more than ample free parking, and we normally have a bottle or two open for you to try.

Taurus Wines, The Old Cart House, Whipley Manor, PALMERS CROSS, Bramley, GUILDFORD,Surrey,GU5 0LL

t: 01483 54 84 84 e: rupert@tauruswines.co.uk

Vin Neuf (new wine) is a family-run independent wine merchant in the heart of Shakespeare’s home town – although the business is not as “new” as the name suggests:

Vin Neuf Limited, launched in April 2002, is a family run independent wine merchants supplying to the restaurant trade as well as retail customers.

July 2006 saw the opening of our first retail shop in Stratford-upon-Avon. The shop benefits not only in being positioned in the centre of the town but we are fortunate to have a unique cellar and tasting forum. For those of you who are unable to visit the shop but like the look of our wines,

The selection of wines looks really interesting – e.g some nice wines from Portugal as well as most of the other main wine-producing countries of both New and Old World.

Vin Neuf strives to offer more a interesting and carefully selected range of wines, many of which are not necessarily more expensive. Although we maintain our focus on wines from the Languedoc-Roussillon (and neighbouring regions) we also have a very healthy portfolio of other wines from around the globe

Online ordering and a proper shop make this an interesting proposition supplemented by regular tastings – e.g Chablis Laroche presented by Anne Roche on on 16 September 2010.

Vin Neuf Wine Merchants, Union Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire  CV37 6QT

t: 01789 261 747  e: info@vinneuf.co.uk

For 25 years Great Western Wine has sought out distinctive, hand-crafted wines direct from independent and very individual winemakers at ‘boutique’ estates right across the world, to provide a unique wine drinking experience. Combining modern winemaking whilst retaining a real sense of place, these handcrafted wine are sold throughout the UK to discerning private customers and many of the country’s leading restaurants and independent wine merchants, as well as the corporate and business gift sector.

Navigation through the site is simple and instinctive – choose by country/region or – detailed and useful information on each wine – order online, by telephone or in the retail shop. In fact, this is one of the most impressive offerings we have seen for some time – full marks to Great Western Wine!

Great Western Wine Company, Unit 3-4. Wells Road Bath, BA2 3AP

t: 01225 322800  e: wine@greatwesternwine.co.uk.

In the shadow of Romsey Abbey in Hampshire are the premises of Heaton Wines, who claim to be “Hampshire’s most cultured independent wine merchant!” With a useful online presence at www.mywinemerchant.co.uk. the focus in mainly on France, but also includes wines and spirits from around the world.  Burgundy and Armagnac look to be particular strengths.

Heaton Wines was set up on the premise that the choice of good-quality wines at reasonable cost was ever being eroded but that this need not be the case.Heaton Wines is therefore passionate in providing its customers with variety and diversity and offers individual wines of character and distinction.Although Heatons obtains its wines from a number of sources, it prefers to buy directly from the producer and, in particular, from small independent producers. This allows it to offer wines that are not generally available in the United Kingdom, wines that are hand-crafted by conscientious producers and wines that are definitely full of character – and often stunning.

Free open tastings are on offer most Saturdays in the shop (coming up are Chablis, Budget Bordeaux, Beaujolais) and there is also a series of monthly “Discovery Tastings” (£10 a ticket) held midweek at King John’s House in Romsey – e.g on 16 September 2010: Producer Tasting – Vignobles Alain Château (St-Émilion & Anjou); 14 October 2010: Les Femmes des Vignes; 18 November 2010: Côte de Nuits.

It all looks to be well worth a visit – only a few miles north of Southampton and a short detour from the M27 if you are passing through the region. They also boast an “Honest Pricing Charter” which offers some reassurance of transparecy in pricing.

Heaton Wines, 35 Church Street, Romsey, Hants SO51 8BT
t: 01794 830 330 e:info@heaton-wines.com

Caviste’s constantly evolving wine list celebrates the small, independent producer, with many wines discovered whilst in the vineyards of the world’s most exciting wine regions. With wines open for tasting throughout the week, often with visiting winemakers and producers at weekends, as well as tutored tastings and educational courses throughout the year, Caviste’s calendar of events captures the enjoyment and excitement of wine.

The whole thing looks both comprehensive and stylish, suitable for an affluent area such as this – but this is primarily an off-line wine merchant – no on-line ordering and although you can download a pdf version of the wine list, there is no additional info on the winemakers or wines – so unless you know exactly what you are looking for then a visit to one of the four branches is required.

CAVISTE OVERTON: No.9 Winchester Street, Overton, Hampshire, RG25 3HR t. 01256 770397
CAVISTE STOCKBRIDGE: Jasmine House, High Street, Stockbridge, Hampshire, SO20 6HB t. 01264 811123
CAVISTE ODIHAM: Newlyns Farm Shop, Lodge Farm, nr Odiham, Hampshire, RG29 1HA t. 01256 703130
CAVISTE HUNGERFORD: 108 High Street, Hungerford, Berkshire, RG17 0NB t. 01488 684684
info@caviste.co.uk www.caviste.co.uk

We are a small family business run by Michael Jobling and his niece, Torie Jackson.  Based in the North East but with a national distribution, we began in 1988 with a modest 45 wines and a hopeful list of friends and acquaintances.  Michael had previously worked as a management accountant in the motor trade but  -  either because of or despite this  -  developed an all-absorbing interest in wines.  Throwing caution to the wind, he gave up the day job to concentrate on what he realised he liked best; discovering wines of interest, value and originality.  We have now grown our wine stock to a carefully chosen but eclectic list of around 300.Torie joined the growing business in 1996, having previously worked for the National Trust.  She has worked her way through all ‘sectors’ of the company  -  sales, deliveries, office administration, accounts, sourcing and buying  -  developing her wine palate under Michael’s tutelage along the way.  Today, although the division of work is fairly fluid, Torie is more often to be found in the office and dealing with customers (a role she combines with bringing up three children and a farmer husband) while Michael is more often out on the road, in charge of wine ordering, deliveries, restaurant customers, and talks and tastings.  Wine selection is a team effort.We specialise in finding interesting wines from smaller growers as well as sourcing good value wines from the larger producers.

A combination of youth and experience seems to work well, with many reliable fine wines on the list interspersed with some interesting and keenly-priced wines from smaller producers and less-familiar regions. The whole approach seems very unstuffy, and I particularly liked the “why use us section” – a good mantra for good independent wine merchants everywhere!:

We like to keep things simple
We don’t sell wines that we would not drink ourselves.
We don’t stock wines that you would find in big multiples or supermarkets.  Ours are often from small producers  -  interesting, different, good value, unexpected.
We don’t expect you to be a wine expert (that’s our job) but we don’t mind if you are.
We don’t sell you a more expensive wine if a cheaper one fits your brief.
We don’t expect you to invite us in for a glass of wine, but we don’t mind if you do (only joking!).

Michael Jobling Wines Limited, PO Box 90, Ponteland, Newcastle upon Tyne NE20 0WZ
t: 01913 784 554
e: info@michaeljoblingwines.com

Established in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1970, we are an independent firm of wine merchants supplying top quality wines and providing a first class service to the UK mainland via an efficient 2 working day delivery service. Local deliveries are usually carried out within 24 hours by our own delivery vans.
Our small but highly professional team is fronted by Alastair Stewart & Mark Rennie who between them have more than 65 years experience in the drinks’ industry.

The wine list runs to over 600 wines from both small independent winemakers to some of the bigger names in the business = the prices look reasonable, and they have a real shop so deal with real customers as well as an on-line presence.
Richard Granger, West Jesmond Station, Lyndhurst Avenue, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 3HH
t : 0191 2815000
e : sales@richardgrangerwines.co.uk

Each lost merchant dimishes choice and variety for consumers, but with the recession, a poor exchange rate and aggressive pricing from supermarkets etc., it is not surprising that some merchants will struggle,

The only good news is that you may be able to pick up some bargains!

A massive thank you to all the customers of The Bristol Wine Company for all your business over the past decade. You are all doubtless aware by now that we did not survive the recession. However there is one final opportunity to purchase wines, beers and spirits from the liquidated stocks. Prices are rock bottom and a minimum purchase of 12 bottles (9Litres) is required although this can be mixed. Stock will have to be collected from Wrington and must be paid for by either cheque or cash. Cheques must be accompanied by a cheque guarantee card and are payable to The Bristol Wine Company. If you would like a list of available stock then forward your name, email address and evening telephone number to E:jon.king@tbwc.co.uk

The Bristol Wine Company
Transom House, Victoria Street, Bristol, BS1 6AH.    Tel: 0117 373 0288
www.thebristolwinecompany.co.uk

Opening times
Monday to Friday 10.00am to 7.00pm   Saturday 10.00am to 6.00pm   Sunday closed
Stocks are limited and are on a first come first served basis. Regretably the website looks to have closed already!