Ep 604: James Gulliver-Cameron, Hammonds of Knutsford, Market Pulse UK, Part 6/6

But I think, you know, something that I've noticed is, has been that when regions, you know, when they come over from the States or, you know, from, from down under, and there may be, they're in Europe because, because of something like Provine or Paris.

it hasn't escaped my notice that Manchester is, I think increasingly now, along with Edinburgh, is going to be one of the two outside, you know, non-London stops that they're making.

And again, I don't want to ask this in a particularly guided way because I'm not so qualified to do, but I'd sort of like to get, A, I guess your read on that.

I mean, do you see that? Do you see people focusing more on Manchester than they have been? And, you know...

Enough, basically, I guess, over that time.

And second part, you know, what do you think might be some of the reasons behind that? You know, if I've got people listening who are in other markets and they're thinking, you know, UK, what is it you think about Manchester that, you know, kind of warrants their attention? Yeah.

Yeah, so it's funny.

I do think there is more of a spotlight on Manchester and the North West in general than there was five, ten years ago.

If I'm being brutal, I still think there's nowhere near enough of a spotlight.

I still think, you know, those... traditional you know countries that as you say come into europe for wine paris pro wine whatever it is i still think 80 of them don't get outside of london they are the a the m25 is this if this is this seemingly impassable barrier for them and it's because it's it's an interesting one because it's a conversation i've had a few times with a winery import from south africa it's a winery called rascalian whose wines are very much aimed at a you know, a crowd that isn't super au fait with South African wines and a crowd that therefore doesn't expect, you know, doesn't go into drinking South African wine going, well, I expect this.

So it's wines very much aimed at younger drinkers, new drinkers, and, yeah, that offers more than just I'm an entry level South African to get people behind the brand and behind what they're doing.

And his wines were in the UK going back kind of five or six years.

And then his importer went out of business and I brought them back into the UK mid 2024.

And it's one of the things he's talked about with a lot of his friends because he came over It was for the Old Vine Conference at 67 Parmel a couple of years ago and was in Europe also for Wine Paris.

And in fact, he even did, he came over and did sit, the sit tastings with Hammonds.

And it was really interesting chatting to him because I think when we did the sit tastings together, I think there were five or six South African producers in the room.

And Ross was involved with me and we did London together.

And then he came up, we did Manchester together.

And then he stuck around Manchester and did some days in trade and sales and stuff like that with me.

And chatting to all the other producers, because he knew them all.

It's a relatively small community when it comes to South African winemakers that have a UK in border, I guess.

And so many of them either didn't bother coming to the Manchester sit or came up for the day and by 6pm were back on the train down to London.

And, you know, he was chatting to them going, you know, we found a regional importer and in, you know, the first year we were four container loads in with his wines.

And I think it's a real...

I think it's a real shame that so many producers out there do still have that London is everything, that very London-centric idea of how you can make a difference in the wine trade.

But I think, you know, something that I've noticed is, has been that when regions, you know, when they come over from the States or, you know, from, from down under, and there may be, they're in Europe because, because of something like Provine or Paris.

it hasn't escaped my notice that Manchester is, I think increasingly now, along with Edinburgh, is going to be one of the two outside, you know, non-London stops that they're making.

And again, I don't want to ask this in a particularly guided way because I'm not so qualified to do, but I'd sort of like to get, A, I guess your read on that.

I mean, do you see that? Do you see people focusing more on Manchester than they have been? And, you know...

Enough, basically, I guess, over that time.

And second part, you know, what do you think might be some of the reasons behind that? You know, if I've got people listening who are in other markets and they're thinking, you know, UK, what is it you think about Manchester that, you know, kind of warrants their attention? Yeah.

Yeah, so it's funny.

I do think there is more of a spotlight on Manchester and the North West in general than there was five, ten years ago.

If I'm being brutal, I still think there's nowhere near enough of a spotlight.

I still think, you know, those... traditional you know countries that as you say come into europe for wine paris pro wine whatever it is i still think 80 of them don't get outside of london they are the a the m25 is this if this is this seemingly impassable barrier for them and it's because it's it's an interesting one because it's a conversation i've had a few times with a winery import from south africa it's a winery called rascalian whose wines are very much aimed at a you know, a crowd that isn't super au fait with South African wines and a crowd that therefore doesn't expect, you know, doesn't go into drinking South African wine going, well, I expect this.

So it's wines very much aimed at younger drinkers, new drinkers, and, yeah, that offers more than just I'm an entry level South African to get people behind the brand and behind what they're doing.

And his wines were in the UK going back kind of five or six years.

And then his importer went out of business and I brought them back into the UK mid 2024.

And it's one of the things he's talked about with a lot of his friends because he came over It was for the Old Vine Conference at 67 Parmel a couple of years ago and was in Europe also for Wine Paris.

And in fact, he even did, he came over and did sit, the sit tastings with Hammonds.

And it was really interesting chatting to him because I think when we did the sit tastings together, I think there were five or six South African producers in the room.

And Ross was involved with me and we did London together.

And then he came up, we did Manchester together.

And then he stuck around Manchester and did some days in trade and sales and stuff like that with me.

And chatting to all the other producers, because he knew them all.

It's a relatively small community when it comes to South African winemakers that have a UK in border, I guess.

And so many of them either didn't bother coming to the Manchester sit or came up for the day and by 6pm were back on the train down to London.

And, you know, he was chatting to them going, you know, we found a regional importer and in, you know, the first year we were four container loads in with his wines.

And I think it's a real...

I think it's a real shame that so many producers out there do still have that London is everything, that very London-centric idea of how you can make a difference in the wine trade.