HANDORD FINE WINES TASTING (SOUTH KENSINGTON LONDON)
- Name: Handford Wines
- Since: Hand selected wine since 1989.
- Adress: 105 Old Brompton Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 3LE
- Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday (10am-8.30pm) and Sunday (11am-5pm).
- Phone: +44 20 7589 6113 Fax: +44 20 7581 2983
- E-mail: wine@handford.net
- Web: www.handford.net
- (Tim Atkin 95 Points) 1994 Urbina Gran Reserva Especial: Showing the benefits of blind tasting, this remarkable blend of Tempranillo with 5% Mazuelo and Gracia o from a family-owned winery in Cuzcurrita de Río Tirón showed very well at the 10 x 10 tasting in London. Amazingly fresh for its age, it has savoury, dried fruit notes, fine tannins, good structure and the intensity and acidity to age further. 2015-21.
- (Tim Atkin 94 Points) 1996 Urbina Gran Reserva: Urbina is not as well known as bodegas like López de Heredia, but it deserves to be. This is another mature, bottle-aged triumph that will have Rioja lovers purring with pleasure. Sweet, seductive and well balanced with classic red berry, game and balsamic notes. 2017-21.
- (Tim Atkin 94 Points) 2001 Urbina Reserva Especial Reserva: If you’re a fan of traditional, oak- and bottle-aged Rioja and Urbina is not on your radar then you’re missing out. This fresh, mature, savour, sweetly oaked red from Cuzcurrita is an amazing bottle of wine for only £20. Such balance, such poise, such downright enjoyment. 2017-24.
The best place to buy wine in South Kensington!! Handford Wines is an independent wine merchant in London since 1989. The staff is is very helpful, knowledgeable and guides you through the choices with a friendly approach. You´ll find the most interesting and unique fine wines from all around the world. They have an excellent and varied tastings events, with an interesting wine club subscription.
Is one of the few wine shop were your wines can be recommended by a Master of Wine. They have 2 Masters of Wine working here!! It is very impresive for a charming and cousy little shop like this. There are only 369 MWs in the world, living in 29 countries. Very impressive and recommended, being a worthwhile destination for any wine lover. Spain, Portugal, Italy and Burgundy are strong, while South Africa excels. They have won in 2012 IWC (International Wine Challenge) Award for UK's South Africa Specialist.
They always try to champion the small artisanal wine producers, offering wines of distinction and character, often shipped direct from the wineries. Where on occasion they offer larger producer´s wines, these are always benchmark examples, world leaders in their own right, often produced from small single estates or single vineyards of exceptional terroir.
If you’re serious about developing a wine collection, enjoy their splendid array of wines. We are talking about a mixture of small-scale, off-the-beaten track, artisan producers alongside low-volume, super-premium classics from those with established and well-earned reputations. And if they don´t carry it, in many cases they will blend over backwards trying to track it down for you.
For the most up to date information on offers and tastings, you can sign-up to their mailing list. The other great advantage to buying wine from an independent wine merchant is that in most cases they'll offer a mailing list, which I'd strongly recommend you join. Mailing lists are a great way to find out about a range of regular customer events such as weekly tastings.
If you're looking to expand your drinking repertoire, these offer the perfect opportunity to try before you buy. From small and quirky through to ultra premium, this is often where you'll find the best combination of hard-to-get products and expert service.
Most of wine retailers generally stocking the same wines, such as hig street chains and supermarkets. Together they account for the largest proportion of the total UK wine sales, about 80%. But the most interesting and fun wines are found at the Independent Wine Merchants. Nowadays the wine independents, not only make a living solely from the people who walk through the door of their wine shop, they also have to create events, tastings, wholesaling and private client sales are vital parts of the mix.
If you live close to the shop they can offer free local delivery, they can also offer next day delivery anywhere in the UK if you contact them before 1pm. If you have spent over £150 they can offer this service free of charge, otherwise there is a £10 charge. Pick up the perfect gift for any occasion in wooden or card boxes, or in elegant gift bags.
One of the best things about idependent wine merchants is the passion, knowledgeable and friendly staff they have. The more information that you can give them about what you like to drink. Including price, variety, country, style, loves and hates, etc. The closer they are likely to get to finding you something that really stacks up. Allow them to show you new things.
- Greg Sherwood MW: Joining the team in 2000 as the Marketing Manager for Fine Wines, Greg, now is the Senior Buyer, is the man travelling the four corners to find the most finely crafted and sought after wines in the world. Completed the prestigious Master of Wine exams in 2007. Interested in En Primeur or difficult to find Fine Wines? Make sure to get in touch! Favourite tipple: Desert island reds - The 3 M’s … Margaux, Montebello & Masseto. Contact: greg@handford.net
Greg was born in Pretoria, South Africa, and as the son of a career diplomat, spent his first 21 years travelling the globe with his parents. All the related wining and dining, in the line of duty, is where he first realised his passion for fine wine. With a Business Management and Marketing degree from Webster University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA, Greg began his working career as a commodity trader. During this time, he rediscovered his passion for the wine trade and passed his Diploma wine degree at the Cape Wine Academy in Johannesburg in 2000.
A move back to Europe in mid 2000 to pursue a wine career in London, "the centre of the world fine wine trade" according to Greg, allowed him to work with and amongst some of the great wine personalities of the modern era. As Marketing Manager for fine wines from 2000 to 2006, and more recently Senior Wine Buyer for fine wines at Handford Wines in South Kensington, London, Greg, along with Handford Wines owner James Handford MW, has had the opportunity to buy, sell and taste some of the most finely crafted and sought after wines in the world on a daily basis.
This extensive tasting exposure enabled Greg to pass his Master of Wine tasting papers in his first sitting in 2004. Greg completed his Theory examination in 2006 and the MW dissertation process in 2007 with a topic entitled "Method Cap Classique Production in Constantia, South Africa." While Greg personally expresses no firm wine drinking preferences other than for "well made wines", his knowledge and expertise in the field of South African wines in particular is considerable.
Greg is proud to be counted as only the fourth South African ever to pass the prestigious Master of Wine examinations, and looks forward to helping and encouraging more of his fellow countrymen through the rigours of the MW process. Greg is also a family man, and enjoys the wonders of family life with his English rose wife Nicky, and his pride and joy in life, his son's Sam and Louis.
- Gavin Deaville: Gav first arrived to manage the Holland Park shop which they sadly shut in 2007. Now, the glue that holds the whole operation together, you’ll find him running everything from their Marketing through to their Stock Ordering, Maintenance, and general motivation! Favourite tipple: A good Manchester lad it would have to be a Boddingtons. Wine-wise: Chateau Palmer, if you’re buying, or Riesling - the Achilles heal!. Contact: gavin@handford.net
- Mick O'Connell: Mick joined the team in May 2011 as Retail Manager and looks after the day to day running of the shop. Finished his Wine & Spirits Diploma in 2010. Get in touch regarding parties, weddings, cellar management or just the right bottle for a rainy day. Favourite tipple: If a Sassicaia '85 isn't to hand he'll settle for a Guinness. Contact: mick@handford.net
- Vicky Thompson: Vicky joined the team in May 2011 to assist with day to day running of the store and to put together the Tasting programme in their cellar. Completed her WSET Diploma in 2010. Please get in touch with her if you would like help planning an event, or to hire their cellars and for any other Vinous related matters. Favourite tipple: 2002 Domaine Leflaive Bienvenue Batard Montrachet please! Or anything from Northern Italy would do! Contact: vicky@handford.net