The Smiling Grape Company

I have spent the past year sourcing over 400 wines from around the world.  Our philosophy is that “Wine should be a celebration of life” and we have created a novel way so that everyone who enters The Smiling Grape Company can simply follow our carefully planned system and have the perfect wine for any occasion or mood.  Not only do we help the customers make the right choice of wine but we want them to walk away with a story to tell friends.  So, we have provided interesting stories behind the wines and the winemakers from lesser known estates and vineyards.   

I was fed up with stuffy, old fashioned wine shops that make wine confusing and difficult to buy.  In our new shop everyone should be able to find the perfect wine for any occasion.  So I set about creating a very different type of shop: one that not only carries original wines from independent growers; but make it easy for people to pick the right wine for them.

Most shops selling wine tend to be organised by just the country of origin.  This makes it hard to know what’s right because you need to know all about the grower, the grape variety & the vintage.  People reluctantly stick to what they know and don’t get to experience the dizzying range of flavours and experiences available.

Most people don’t want to be saddled with numerical scores, grape yields and barrel toast levels. They just want the right wine for the right occasion or mood.  In our shop there is no room for pretension, posturing and piffle!  If you want, you can choose wine by country, grape or price.  But you can also choose wine by flavour and by the food you wish it to accompany.  It’s that simple!  And if you’re still not sure, why not taste one of the wines on the kitchen table?

As the name The Smiling Grape Company suggests, I will make choosing wines fun and enjoyable.  I will select wonderful wines from all over the world, each with a story to tell. No wine will be sold that I don’t personally approve. Each wine will have exciting and amusing tasting notes with a photograph of the wine maker.  It is my aim to champion the small independent growers. I believe that wine is a gift that should be shared by all.

When people walk into The Smiling Grape Company it must be like coming into someone’s home and being offered a glass of wine!

The Smiling Grape Company will be located on the High Street by Cross Keys Mews opposite the Market Square. 

Check out our photographs as the new shop takes shape!

Cheers!

Matt