Richard Siddle, Author at The Buyer

By Richard Siddle on June 5, 2023

Martin Williams’ vision for ‘premium hospitality’ at Gaucho & M restaurants

They say you should not go back to previous roles where you have enjoyed great success before. The conditions that allowed you to thrive first time round can be very different when you return. Martin Williams, chief executive of the Gaucho group of premium Argentine-inspired restaurants, is proving to be an exception to that rule. Since he took over the failing chain as the head of a new private equity-funded hospitality group, Rare Restaurants, that also includes Williams’ own M Restaurants, it is going from strength to strength with new openings in Liverpool, Newcastle and from this month in Covent Garden, with Cardiff waiting in the wings. Richard Siddle catches up with Williams to find out what made him want to go back and to hear more about what he calls his vision for premium, event and occasion driven dining.

Posted In: gaucho restaurants, m restaurants, premium dining, rare restaurants, restaurateur, slider, steaks, wine

People People: Supplier

By Richard Siddle on June 4, 2023

How Preferabli personalises discovery & recomendations for wine & spirits

With hundreds of thousands of products available the entire wine, beer, spirits and RTDs categories can be extremely challenging to market and sell, particularly as brands come and go all the time. Hundreds of products might appeal to a specific customer at any given moment. But how can drinks businesses, retailers and online players present the right choice of products to the most relevant customer and consumer groups on every occasion – and how do you scale that choice as your business and target audience grows? Be it across web, mobile and intelligent chat. Here Pam Dillon, chief executive and co-founder of Preferabli, explains how it can answer all those questions.

Posted In: online search, pam Dillon, preferably, selling wine, slider, spirits, wine

Suppliers

By Richard Siddle on June 4, 2023

Preferabli

Website:
https://preferabli.com/

Key people
Pam Dillon
Co-founder & CEO

Andrew Sussman
Co-founder & CTO

Sheri Sauter Morano MW
Richard Bampfield MW
Jason Heller MS

Address
New York
Employees around
the world

Telephone
888.746.4480

E-mail
Info@preferabli.com

LinkedIn
Preferabli

Posted In: Preferabli, wine

Tasting: Wine

By Dominic Rippon on June 2, 2023

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La vie en rose: how the success of IGP Pays d’Oc rosé has exploded

France’s Pays d’Oc has long been the go-to region for those in search of ripe, comforting reds at keen prices. But in the last 20 years the gauge has shifted: total wine production has increased, but IGP Pays d’Oc rosé has gradually eaten away at red’s share, now representing 30% of total wines produced here – with giant leaps in both quality and innovation.

Posted In: Dominic Rippon, IGP Pays d’Oc rosé, Languedoc, Rosé, slider

People People: Producer

By Richard Siddle on June 2, 2023

Domaine Jones’ Katie Jones gives you the chance to “Adopt an Old Vine”

In 2021 Languedoc producer, Katie Jones, looked to give her customers and members of the wine trade a unique opportunity to “Adopt an Old Vine” that allowed them to go online and pick out a vine, each given a name and their own back story, and claim it as their own. Now two years later she is re-opening the scheme again and making further vines available on an ongoing basis. Here we re-publish the article with Jones we ran in 2021 where she explains how she came up with the idea and how she hopes it brings her loyal customers even closer not just to her wines, but the actual vines that produce the grapes that go in them.

Posted In: adopt an old vine, domaine jones, katie jones, old vine, slider, wine

Insight

By Mike Turner on June 2, 2023

Rioja’s terroir revolution and new Vinos de Zona: Inside Rioja #2

Rioja was officially split into three zones in 1976 but since then a number of law changes have affected these Vinos de Zona and how they can be produced and marketed. In the second part of this 4-part series, Rioja wine educator Mike Turner explains how a real terroir-led revolution has sprung from the DOCa’s introduction of new geographical wine categories in 2017. Wines can now officially be labelled as being from a specific zone, municipality, or even from a registered single vineyard. Here Turner investigates the idea of wines coming from one of the three specific zones and how robust the ‘borders’ are.

Posted In: Mike Turner, Rioja, Spain, Vinos de Zona, wine

People

By Richard Siddle on June 1, 2023

John Stimpfig on customised wine producer publishing

Visit any major wine producer and as well as the chance to buy their flagship wines there is usually a hefty tome all about its history sitting proudly in reception. Some of which, it is fair to say, are better than others. So when, in late 2019, John Stimpfig left his role as the content director of Decanter, he looked to start a fledgling business producing bespoke books that potentially take the quality of producer books to a whole new level. First Press Editions was created the following year, in 2020, with his business partner Ian Mitchell. Here Richard Siddle catches up with Stimpfig to see how it all works and how things are going.

Posted In: first press editions, John stimpfig, wine, wine books, wine publications

Tasting: Spirit

By Geoffrey Dean on June 1, 2023

Discovering Antigua: English Harbour Rum & small batch gins

A limited edition 19 year-old English Harbour rum and boutique gin distiller are two major discoveries when Geoffrey Dean visits the Caribbean island of Antigua. The rum is to mark the 90th anniversary of Antigua Distillery, whose Calbert Francis gives the back story to this very special spirit. By contrast Dean also visits the much smaller distiller on the island, Antilles Stillhouse, where David Murphy is producing two gins using local, unique botanicals, a ‘fevergrass’ spirit as well as an Antiguan pastis.

Posted In: Antigua, Antigua Distillery, Antilles Stillhouse, Calbert Francis, English Harbour Rum, Geoffrey Dean, rum

Tasting: Wine

By Roger Jones on May 31, 2023

Tasting new Babylonstoren wines at the Chelsea Flower Show

Babylonstoren’s famous garden at its estate tells the story of the people of South Africa’s winelands, their Cape Dutch heritage and the sheer joy of gardening, so what better way to celebrate all three than to showcase not only their historic beautiful farm but also their wines at The RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Our retired Michelin star chef, South African wine explorer and amateur gardener, Roger Jones, spends the day with the team at the show ground.

Posted In: Babylonstoren, roger jones, south africa

People People: Supplier

By Richard Siddle on May 31, 2023

Davy’s Andrew Chudley on its tasting & partnership strategy

“We believe that building long term relationships between our producers and customers is the key to success and place a big focus on spending time in market with our producers.” That’s how Andrew Chudley, Davy’s Wine Merchants’ managing director and head wine buyer, describes the company’s strategy that has served the business well for over the last 150 years. He also marks your card on what to expect at its portfolio tasting in London on June 6.

Posted In: davys wine merchant, wine, wine distributor, wine merchant

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