The Team
Richard Lecoche Retail & Corporate Business Manager
After more than a decade at Great Western Wine and now Enotria, my passion for all things vinous is as undiminished as ever! Every year offers new and exciting opportunities to access wines from an ever-changing world of boutique, smaller scale wine producers and wine regions, alongside helping to develop a really terrific business. I make sure we are offering the best wines, promotions and service possible through our Bath shop, website, mail-order and to our corporate customers; which also allows me to use plenty of the skills learnt from my degree in Industrial Economics from Nottingham University.
After hours I love to travel, especially if it involves a wine region! Recent trips have taken me to Australia, New Zealand and Canada - and some of my favourite wines come from these countries.
Alan Nordberg Shop Manager
I grew up in Twickenham - the heart of Rugby Union - and have now lived in Bath - the nose of Rugby - for 25 years. After studying Typography at the London College of Printing, I joined Oddbins in Richmond and discovered the wine trade was very much to my taste.
Oddbins sent me to Oxford and Cheltenham, after which I joined Majestic and their store in Brislington. I joined Great Western Wine in 1990; I tried leaving a couple of times to try new things but it never quite worked and I have come to the conclusion that wine is my true career. The rest is history!
For many years I sang the blues with a local band in Bath - you will still hear my favourite tunes rolling gently round the shop. Away from (in my opinion) the best wine shop in the UK I’m happiest with either a fishing rod or a snooker cue in hand! Favourite wines include white Burgundy, Sauternes and top red Burgundy.
Edward Mercer Private Customer Sales
My interest in wine was sparked by my local merchant when I was at school in Lancashire, a fantastic cellar of a place called D. Byrne and Co of Clitheroe - now, I am pleased to say, customers of GWW.
During a business degree at Northumbria University, an industrial placement took me to Seagram Distillers to work in global marketing for Chivas Brothers. I returned there for a stint post university but left the corporate high life and moved to Bath and into the wine industry with Great Western Wine. Now more than four years later I am working with private clients, as well as on projects relating to the website and general retail marketing. My interests besides wine include running, skiing and good food.
Tom King Private Customer Sales and Fine Wine
My role at Great Western Wine is to monitor and research the fine wine market, and to advise customers and colleagues on what to buy and what to sell. Consequently, I'm actively involved in the buying team, as well as keeping everyone informed of new developments with e-mail updates that I'm told are fun to read. I also have the onerous responsibility of tasting thousands of wines, both here and in the cellars of overseas suppliers.
With a decade's experience in the wine trade in both the USA and UK, and an Oxford degree, I expected the WSET Diploma in Wines and Spirits to be a breeze. I was wrong - it's a serious challenge. IF I pass, I MAY think about tackling the Master of Wine qualification. Perhaps.
Vicki WheelerPrivate Retail Sales and Sales Administrator
After school I went to the University of Gloucestershire in Cheltenham and studied Event Management which was integrated with Tourism and Hospitality. When I graduated I spent a year travelling around the world. After returning to the UK still with itchy feet I went back to New Zealand where I spent an excellent eight months as a vineyard assistant in Nelson. This is where my love affair with wine began…
I started working for Great Western Wine in September 2010 and have enjoyed every minute… I have completed my WSET Intermediate and Advanced with Merit and hope to study for my Diploma over the next few years.
My favorite wines are generally from the New World but as I learn more everyday my opinions change...
Top GWW producer for me would be Tomero, from Argentina.
Kate RobinsonPrivate Client Sales and Sales Administrator
Coming across from a well known fine-wine company I was excited to find so many boutique wines from smaller producers, with areas I had never heard of! Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Rhone are all well known classics but I was suprised to find so many wines that matched them in style and quailty - and sometimes for a better price! So my recommendations are classic wine styles from other parts of the world.
Bordeaux - Trinity Hill 'Gimblett Gravels' The Gimblett 2008 - This Merlot/Cabernet blend is gaining plaudits all across the world including the mightly Jancis. I thoroughly agree and for a fraction of the price of a Cru Classe Bordeaux.
Burgundy - Kooyong Farrago Chardonnay Mornington Peninsula 2005 - Shown next to a cru Meursault at our annual tasting, I would challenge anyone to spot the difference.
Rhone - Ken Forrester Gypsy Stellenbosch 2007 - Grenache based Rhone blend gives this a CNDP style, with sweet oak and lovely Mulberry fruit.
Brendan TudorWarehouse and Distribution
I graduated in Business and Leisure in 1996 and moved to Bath to work in event management. I ended up as beverage manager at a local hotel and then a city centre wine bar before being recruited to GWW. Soon after I became deputy warehouse and distribution manager. Having gained the WSET certificate and taken courses in warehouse safety, first aid and forklift operation I now take responsibility for the department in Stewart Taylor’s absence, and annually manage our off site corporate gift packing operation, as well as working closely with our third party couriers throughout the year.
Stewart RanshawWarehouse and Distribution
I joined the warehouse team about 7 years ago and have been Stewart Taylor's assistant manager for the past three years. Great Western Wine is an ideal place for me to improve my wine knowledge, and I am constantly impressed by the number of new wines coming into the market, particularly from the Southern Hemisphere.
My other main hobby is running - marathons, half marathons, any distance to keep fit! I live with my partner Laura, and a large collection of animals.
Tim PeytonWarehouse and Distribution
I was fortunate enough to join Great Western Wine just before the sinking ship that was First Quench (Threshers, Wine Rack) finally sunk. Having long been a customer of Great Western Wine, I was aware of the quality on offer here and am now privileged to be a part of it.
Prior to working in the wine trade, I completed an English degree at UWE and retain an interest in literature. Other passions include music, football and nature.
Nick StylesWarehouse and Distribution
Before joining Great Western Wine I had experience in wine retailing with Oddbins and before that worked in the kitchens at Lucknam Park and The Olive Tree. In my spare time I like to escape to the country to relax.
Dan WatkissWarehouse and Distribution
Born in Bath, grew up in Wiltshire. After completing my A levels I worked in various restaurants and then went travelling around South America, where I ended up staying for a year or so. I began to set up an export business in Argentina but they weren't too keen on that and asked me to leave, so I moved to Seville (Spain) to teach English in a language school.
When I returned to the UK, I joined the civil service but after a few years decided that Great Western Wine would be more interesting, and I was right! I am really enjoying learning about the wines and am a keen imbiber!
Accounts
Our accounts function is now managed from Enotria head office in Park Royal, London NW10.
If you have any queries regarding invoices, statements or payments, please email Claire Brown at c.brown@greatwesternwine.co.uk or call her on 020 8963 4264.
After graduating with a language degree (German/French) in 1990, I moved to Erlangen near Nuremberg for several years, working as PA to the MD of a local industrial company. I returned to the UK in 1995, but it wasn’t long before I had itchy feet again and went trekking with a group through central, eastern and southern Africa for 6 months. After that, I worked for Deutsche Bank in the City of London for 6 years, before moving to BP in Sunbury-on-Thames, where I worked with German, Austrian and Swiss customers of the chemicals division. When BP Chemicals became a stand-alone company (Innovene), I took on the role of European Collection Team Leader until the company was acquired by Ineos in 2005. This gave me the perfect opportunity to take a career break to look after my two children, Lilac and Evan for several years, whilst I worked part time at an estate agency in Ealing, assisting the MD with the administration of his German property portfolio.
I have yet to do a wine course.... I am still reliant on recommendations from my learned colleagues down in Bath at present, so it is something which is definitely on my agenda in the very near future !
