GOOD WINE SHOP AT KEW GARDENS AND CHISWICK IN LONDON
The Good Wine Shop is a friendly independent wine retailer in West London and online specialising in the finest vintages from the world’s best small producers. They have built a reputation for sourcing interesting, good value and often quirky wines from well known regions as well as far flung places. Big high street brands and supermarket wines aren’t really their thing; however that doesn't mean they only sell expensive wine. There are wines in their range for all budgets but quality is never sacrificed. On top of that, the Good Wine Shop was named as one of the top three independent drinks retailers in the country at a national industry awards ceremony.
Good Wine Shop Kew Gardens
2 Royal Parade
Station Approach, Richmond, United Kingdom
Good Wine Sho Chiswick
84 Chiswick High Rd
London, United Kingdom
BUYING WINE FROM AN INDEPENDENT WINE MERCHANT
Buying form an independent wine merchant is your key to getting more out of wine. The good thing about the Good Wine Shop at Kew Gardens and Chiswick in London is that they have a team of passionate, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable staff.
Six staff make up the well-informed team on hand to give customers expert advice to match their palette. So stay ahead by striking up a good relationship with them; they can personalize your wine choice. Turst me, on top of that with so much emphasis being placed on the quality of products the pleasure of drinking wine is insured.
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 customer tasting; 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.
MARK WRIGGLESWORTH OWNER OF THE GOOD WINE SHOP
"When I took over The Good Wine Shop in December 2004, I wanted to provide an alternative to all the branded wines that had flooded the market. So I started to source interesting and quirky wines from small producers where wines have a back-story and a sense of place. I pledged that I wouldn't sell a bottle of wine unless I had personally tasted it and enjoyed it.
"Over the last five years we have grown significantly. We now have two retail shops in Kew and Chiswick and stock around 850 different bottles of wine, but my methods remains the same - everything we sell at The Good Wine Shop can be vouched for by myself or one of my knowledgeable staff.
"Selling wine online poses a different challenge: we aren't able to offer you the chance to taste a selection of wines as you can in our retail shops and we don't have a friendly staff member poised to answer your questions, but I hope that you will browse our website secure in the knowledge that if we don't love drinking it, we don't stock it."
Mark Wrigglesworth
Owner of The Good Wine Shop
TASTING & EVENTS
On Friday 21 March from 5.30 to 7.30pm, Pedro Urbina, owner of Bodegas Benito Urbina, will be at the Kew shop to show four wines from his small, family-owned, traditional estate in the northwest of Rioja.
This cooler part of Rioja is renowned for the silky elegance and perfume of its predominantly Tempranillo-based wines – a style which Urbina exemplifies beautifully.
These delicious wines offer great value in comparison with other more high-profile Rioja names.
Bodegas Benito Urbina, Rioja Crianza, Spain 2007
This is a silky, polished mid-weight Rioja from a small estate in the Rioja Alta. This has a small amount of Graciano in it - alongside the Tempranillo, and is aged in American oak in the traditional way. Light red fruit, strawberry flavours with soft spicy notes from oak-ageing and very gentle tannins make it a good match for quite delicate dishes. It will work well with a roast chicken and even with a gutsy fish roast in the oven.
Bodegas Benito Urbina, Gran Reserva, Rioja 1996
Their Gran Reserva comes from Bodegas Urbina’s best grapes, 90% Tempranillo, and all from vines with a minimum age of 20 years. Such is the depth and intensity of the wine that it is matured in oak barrels for two years and then a further four years in bottle at the winery before they even consider releasing it. A proportion is also held back for release when it is considered to be at its peak, and that is now. It has developed a garnet-red colour that looks almost mahogany-like in the glass, and the aroma that it gives is of classic spicy mature Rioja but still with a wealth of fruit. The palate is a delight, with a real intensity of stewed autumn fruits combined with sweet spice. The texture is soft and smooth yet still with real precision, and the finish just seems to go on and on. A truly exceptional wine.
Bodegas Benito Urbina Gran Reserva Especial, Rioja 1994
From one of our favourite traditional bodegas –also in the Rioja Alta-. 1994 is an exceptional year for Rioja. “The 1994 Gran Reserva Especial (from a great vintage) is medium ruby colored with a lovely bouquet of cherry blossom, earth notes, spice box, leather, black cherry, and plum. On the palate it is multifaceted, elegant, concentrated, impeccably balanced, and holding strong. It should drink nicely for another 10-15 years if not longer.” 92 points. Drink 2010 to 2025 Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate.