Berry Bros. & Rudd

Which bottle of wine sparks memories, or feelings of nostalgia for you?  For Michael Hill, Creative Director at Drake’s, it’s the Galatrona Petrona. Having first noticed the bottle on a trip to Florence at 18, he returned years later to try it.  “Opening a bottle today makes me feel very nostalgic,” he says. “It always transports me back to Florence.”  It’s these bottles that can form the basis of a treasured collection. 

Piedmont: a stunning region of tiny hilltop villages, farms and vineyards. With, granted, some big cities filled with history, culture and fashion dotted around too. For those building wine collections, Piedmont is often overlooked in favour of French regions like Bordeaux. But this is an error. Many of Piedmont’s wines are at least as long-lived as those from Bordeaux, with the elegance and detail of Burgundy. And unlike Bordeaux, producers wait until the wine has finished maturing in barrel before releasing them. This means we can taste the wines as “complete” – albeit young. Over the past few years, we have had glimpses of what the 2021 Barolo wines will taste like. We know the weather was ideal, and the winemakers excited; this is truly an iconic vintage in the region. But it is only now that our patience is rewarded, when the wines are almost ready to be released for sale. To taste the 2021 Barolo vintage for yourself, at the end of its long ageing journey, join us at our tasting on 14th April. Details in the first comment.

After the success of our first auction last year, we are delighted to announce that our second-ever auction went live this morning and will be closing on Tuesday 25th March.   This is our first seasonal auction and features over 250 fine wines from the cellars of several discerning collectors, at competitive reserve prices. You can expect to find rare and iconic bottles from famed producers including Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Bodegas R. López de Heredia, Cantina Bartolo Mascarello, and more.   The showstoppers from this selection include the incredibly rare 2001 Bodega Matador from Bodegas R. López de Heredia, the 1996 Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru, Les Brulées from Domaine René Engel, and the 2015 Barolo from Cantina Bartolo Mascarello.

Collecting can start with just one bottle. As Britain's oldest fine wine and spirits merchant, our goal is to bring the joy of collecting to as many as possible. For many, the transition from "wine and spirits lover" to "serious collector" can be traced to a single bottle: one that marks a specific memory, or a certain, important place in time. For Katy Wickremesinghe, art world expert and founder of The Wick, one of those bottles is Ruinart Rosé. For her, this wine brings back memories of old friendships; of cultural festivals and shows; of dinners with artists. As Katy says: “We can look at a bottle of wine just as we would with a painting - they can all bring back a moment in time and evoke a sense of memory and meaning. There are fantastic similarities between art and wine, and this idea of collecting.” Find out more about the joy of collecting wine here: https://lnkd.in/eATPMYGB 

We’re really looking forward to opening up our cellars for our first Spirits Showcase on Thursday 27th March. A chance to welcome some of our talented producers to our cellars, and for enthusiasts and connoisseurs to savour their wares. Suntory Global Spirits, Nikka Whisky Distilling Co. Ltd., Mijenta Tequila, TENGU SAKE, Botivo Drinks | B corp, Cambridge Distillery, Fielden Whisky, No. 3 Gin You can read more about the event on our website, or by following the link in the first comment. 

A few weeks ago we released our Impact Report, which highlights our environmental as well as social impact for the previous year. As a family business, we’re committed to thinking long-term, and ensuring we look after the environment for future generations. So we’ve been working hard to reduce our carbon emissions, with 100% of our energy now from certified renewable sources. Our fleet of delivery vans continues to evolve, with both electric vehicles and vans converted to run on HVO. As our Chair Lizzy Rudd acknowledges though, there is always much more to be done. But then we do like a challenge. https://lnkd.in/eKb8cEQY

Being able to work with some of the world's greatest winemakers is one of the privileges of working at Berry Bros. & Rudd. We've long known that Eva Fricke's wines are some of the finest in Germany, but her latest Eltville Collection ascends to still-greater heights. These were crafted from a historic vineyard in the Rheingau, with some of the only original 19th-century soils in the area, and vine clones dating back to the 1900s. The results are a snapshot into the "original" taste of Riesling, as it was a hundred years ago. We're delighted to have been able to support Eva in bringing this vision to life. Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/ejN8vYH2

On Tuesday night, Berry Bros. & Rudd was announced as the winner of Luxury Retailer of the Year 2025 at the Drinks Retailing Awards. This accolade was awarded after a detailed process, with mystery shops and interviews, as well as deliberations amongst expert judges made up of former buyers and suppliers. Judges were particularly impressed with the evolution of our retail space, but the award covered all aspects of our operation, with nods to our in-store events, producer tastings and focus on staff education. The award recognises all the hard work and innovation put in by all our teams – whether that is our buyers who source the bottles for the shelves in our stores, whether our logistics team, ensuring stock arrives where (and when) it needs to, our front of house colleagues in the shop teams, our marketing gurus working behind the scenes – and everyone else in between. Congratulations also to the 22 other companies who won awards on the night, from multiple retailers to specialist merchants and tiny corner shops; all very well deserved. #DRA25

We loved hosting the Curious Vines Winter Gathering in our Napoleon Cellar on Monday evening. So many wonderful attendees, networking and sharing ideas. And, a special guest appearance by one of our lovely producers, Eva Fricke, too!

Hospitality is at the heart of the wine industry, so it makes perfect sense that Hambledon Vineyard – under the stewardship of Berry Bros. & Rudd and Symington Family Estates – is to open its first restaurant this Wednesday. Situated amongst the vines, the restaurant boasts high ceilings and exposed oak wooden beams and walls, while large windows offer a view of the vines beyond. At the centre of the restaurant sits a clay-tiled circular bar, and, adjacent to the bar and restaurant is a private dining space seating 16. The Head Chef is Nick Edgar, who previously worked under Raymond Blanc as Head Chef at two Michelin Hotel Le Manoir Aux Quat'Saisons and then moved to the Lake District to join The Samling where, after just nine months, he was awarded his own Michelin star. Seasonal produce and the best ingredients from the kitchen garden and local surroundings will take pride of place on the menu – all accompanied by a broad wine list that, naturally, features plenty of English sparkling wine. Architecture and Interiors by Mowat & Company Ltd Photography by Ellie Walpole