 The Decanter Retailer Awards recognises and celebrates the very best wine retailers in the UK. From the best wine shops to national retailers, in-store and online, the awards offer wine drinkers an indispensable guide to outstanding retail experiences across the nation. Applicants are invited to submit their respective entrance(s) along with supporting evidence ahead of the judging, which is lengthy (June to August) and super-rigid. Everyone goes through a three-round process before final decisions are announced. Unquestionably, Decanter is the most important, global retailer awards – the Oscars of our industry. With great honour, we are thrilled to be declared Decanter's Best Australian Specialist 2022, an award which we have now won five-years in succession.
Much of the submission is based on our work during 2021 with an overlap into Q1 2022. Without question, it was the hardest application to submit as the UK standards for Aussie wines is super-high, the competition is more sophisticated with each passing year and the market in which we all work is tough. Last year we were awarded Decanter's first, Green Champion award. Bravo to Naked Wines who pipped us to the post this year. Very well done to their hardworking team. The team and I would like to thank Decanter for continuing to see our magical ‘Aussie’ work – we are so proud. Of course, we must also thank you, our loyal friends and customers who ensure we have the foundations to submit our yearly application. We may take a sabbatical next year as we’re dreading the questions.   In the spirit of continued openness, we thought we should share a few of Q&A’s... Why do you think you should win a Decanter Retailer Award? Please include evidence of what you have done over the past 12 months that sets you apart. The Vinorium lives and breathes Australian wine in a way which no other importer / merchant does. In many ways, we have shown our industry colleagues a new way of working. Can an importer specialising in one country be successful? Without feet on the ground with an army of sales representatives - Can an importer dependably provide growth, profitability and stability during the hardest of times? The answer is a resounding ‘yes’. Specific to our Australian wine portfolio and reputation - We did not furlough staff, we supported all our wine producers with advance payments, our collection of Aussie winemakers increased, and profits generated from these sales places The Vinorium on-par with every major importer. Look closer at our sales, business model and profitability – we are leading the way, a new way… Covering the period January 2017 to 31 December 2021, The Vinorium has imported over 450,000 bottles of Australian wine with the average sales value exceeding £30.00 per bottle, placing The Vinorium into the ‘super premium’ bracket. The Vinorium’s wine purchases total $24 million during this period thus taking a substantial stake in Australia’s overall export market to the UK. Today, The Vinorium is viewed as a critical player in the UK market – not only from a point of sales and trends, but from a logistics position (both domestically and internationally). Moreover, In Australia, The Vinorium has appeared on national news, leading wine podcasts, publications and is considered a point of contact for regionally funded wine programmes. We are leading the way, a new way. Six staff and £1.7m gross profit, which is comparable to companies with 100 staff. Please name one wine you stock that really captures what you do and why? Maybe it over-delivers on price, captures your innovative sourcing strategy, or does something few other people do Standish Wine Co, Barossa - Introducing Dan and Nicole’s new collection (usually four wines) is the highlight of The Vinorium year, as is sampling the range, which we find a deeply rewarding experience and a privilege. Deservedly so, Standish is fast becoming Australia’s No.1 with many of the greats including Henschke and Penfolds being pushed aside. Unlike the aforementioned duo, Standish is released without the pomp or ceremony or the need to organise global Zoom tastings. Of course, there is nothing wrong with promoting one’s wines, but we love our joint, ‘less elaborate’, collection release. Understated has proven key to these magical, annual releases. In fact, ‘less is more’ has created an annual phenomenon with our private and trade customers. The Vinorium’s detailed tasting notes and allocations are released circa four months ahead of every global wine merchant and every wine critic and we stand firmly by them. How exciting for Vinorium customers to receive a truly global first release rather than a mass-flood. For many of our customers (trade too), our notes have proven spot on which also covers the ugly issue of ‘are we over egging the praise.’ We take no umbrage as I perfectly understand the foundation. Dan and Nicole are happy to sit back and for The Vinorium to take the lead, even on this scale. Our own opinion of any wine which we represent is the most important factor to us and sales enforce this with £1.1 million being generated on our ‘global first release’ programme (2017 to 2020). We often re-ship the collection back to private clients in Australia (we kid you not!) Is there anything exceptional about your approach to staff wine training? Our unique strategy of involving the whole team (from warehouseman to accounts) in every wine we stock provides knowledge that would otherwise not be available. This creates interest and enthusiasm for the collection we are offering to our clients. Daily lunches are taken with the whole team around the table and they provide the perfect opportunity to share wine experiences together and to discuss aromas and flavours without feeling embarrassed. Furthermore, it is the company’s way of showing that each member of the team is equally important, and their individual views are respected. Please detail how you commit to moving towards environmental best-practices in the workplace. We recycle 99% of everything which arrives at our HQ. Only one bin bag is disposed of per week. All glassware is recycled, and we do not issue any paper brochures or invoices. All orders are repacked and dispatched in biodegradable boxes (we use paper tape to seal each parcel). We are a virtually paperless company and have been for years. Our electricity usage has reduced by two-thirds against 2021. We keep travelling to an absolute minimum. Off-setting producer / client lunches and trips abroad with payments to Carbon Footprint is not acceptable or the answer (in our humble opinion). In short, we take our environmental practices seriously. What sustainability initiatives surround your delivery processes? In 2021 we made the decision to move all our UK deliveries to DPD. In part this decision was reached as they claim to be “the UK’s most sustainable parcel delivery company.” They have the UK’s largest electric fleet and are opening more micro hubs to minimise their carbon footprint. DPD send no waste to landfill and are in the process of converting their depots to solar power. By switching to paper tape (2021), we have also been able to declare our packaging is 100% biodegradable with no plastic used at all. How do you raise awareness/inform customers of your commitment to environmental best-practise? Physically, our customers see that we provide fully biodegradable packaging and of course, we shared the wonderful news of being a Carbon Neutral company. Each week we release our e-newsletter, by email, which often reflects time in our owner’s garden / how he lives and his surroundings / ongoing news from our HQ, how our wine producers farm – detail is key, and our customer embrace our journey… |
