Artisan & Vine closes

Battersea wine bar and shop Artisan & Vine has been forced to close due to a lack of demand for local and natural wines. As reported on thedrinksbusiness.com, founder of the southwest London venture Kathryn O’Mara said that sticking to her principles on natural and local wines and food cost her the business. “But changing to a more generic option would have cost us Artisan & Vine," she said.

O’Mara also cited reduced consumer spend combined with a neighbourhood location as having contributed to the closure. “As the prospect of recession came closer, it became clear that success on our neighbourhood street would require moving away from my vision of local and natural wines and food. Artisan wines and food simply couldn't compete on cost with their mass produced and chemically manipulated counterparts,” O’Mara said.

"It became evident that a suburban location in this economic climate was not right for our concept,” she added. Trends towards drinking at home helped increase off-licence sales for the business, but the wine bar rent and overheads demanded a higher ratio of on-premise sales. Artisan & Vine has won numerous awards at international wine competitions for its championing of home grown English wines.

"We leave proud in the knowledge that so many people enjoyed so many occasions – special and every day – within our humble walls. We are eternally grateful for the amazing support we've received from the wine industry, awarding bodies, neighbourhood traders and the most adventurous and enthusiastic customers and staff a wine bar could ever hope for," O'Mara said. A note from O’Mara on the website’s homepage reads: “Unfortunately Artisan & Vine has ceased trading. We’d love to thank you all for a wonderful three and a half years on St John’s Hill.”

Bottle Apostle to open second site

Independent wine merchant Bottle Apostle in Victoria Park is to open a second site in North London. Larger than its East London older sibling, the new site in Crouch End, set to open at the end of March, will stock over 500 wines. As reported on thedrinksbusiness.com, the range will be very similar to the original shop, but will feature 50 more reds and 50 more whites. In keeping with Bottle Apostle's try before you buy philosophy, it will also offer 16 wines by the sip from two Enomatics.

“Our other site has four Enomatics, but we’re going to do things a bit differently here, and change the wines on offer almost every day,” owner Andrew Eakin said. “We looked at sites in Primrose Hill, but decided on Crouch End because it’s got a village feel to it. There are other wine shops in the area, but that doesn’t scare us,” Eakin added.

Food will play an important role at the new store – Eakin plans to host two wine-themed supper clubs a week for up to 20 people. “I’ve ordered a huge kitchen, which will live at the back of the shop. We’re already in talks with Nuno Mendez of Viajante and chef collective The Young Turks, who are keen to host supper clubs,” Eakin said.

The shop, which will also stock a range of rare spirits and specialist beers, will be run by Bottle Apostle Victoria Park manager Christopher Sherwood, who is currently is recruiting a new team. Despite finding it hard to find staff for the new venture, Eakin is optimistic about the current state of wine on the UK high street.

“We have the most loyal customers in the world and our sales are up 30% on last year. People are sick of buying bad supermarket wine, but they don’t want to feel looked down on at snooty wine merchants. We’re all about making wine buying simple and fun,” he said. Eakin plans to open a further four sites and turn Bottle Apostle into a small chain, insisting his third site will “definitely” be in West London.

Duncan Murray

Wine and the City meets Duncan Murray of Duncan Murray Wines in Market Harborough, and finds out how he got into wine, where his passion for the Languedoc came from, and why he can't get enough of quirky indigenous Portuguese grapes Bastardo and Dog Strangler.