1. The Modest Merchant
Not unlike The Little Fine Wine Company featured earlier, The Modest Merchant is a newcomer to the UK wine scene, and also a very small operation. However, it differs from the aforementioned half-bottle specialist in that The Modest Merchant was launched to supply wine to the restaurant sector.
Set up by Alex Percy in late 2018, who had worked at Lea & Sandeman and Albion Wine Shippers, The Modest Merchant was created to sell wine to the trade, that was, until Covid-19 destroyed that business.
Explaining all, Alex told db, “Up until about six weeks ago I had been selling almost exclusively to the restaurant trade (the likes of Scully’s, Ikoyi, Smokestak, Llewlyn’s, The Quality Chophouse). When all the restaurants closed, I accelerated the building of my website and developed a web shop where I now sell every one of my 130 or so exclusive wines, delivering them nationwide.”
He added, “Spain is where I hang my hat, with 17 or so regions represented, along with a good Northern Italian selection and domaines in Burgundy, Alsace and the Loire making their first ever vintages. I have a growing selection of mixed cases from £155 and am pleased to have over 100 artisanal wines under £25.”
Alex is offering locked down readers of the drinks business and Wine List Confidential a 10% off their first order with the discount code: THMMXTHEDB