John’s journey began as a young rugby player in Bordeaux, where a love for the region and French culture turned into a lifelong passion for wine. After hanging up his boots, he wanted to promote the wineries and vineyards in the area.

“It’s the story behind the label which is so important,” he says. Working with smaller wineries, he sees firsthand the challenges they face. “The winemakers, the vineyards have a very tough time due to weather conditions, the cost of raw materials. So I’m very much on the ground and listen to their stories.”

From there, he markets and sells these boutique wines to customers, who so often come to him. “Because they’re interested in a particular bottle or winery, or simply want the personalised recommendations you can’t get from a major retailer” he says.

“It’s very much a word-of-mouth business. Anyone can go into big wine shops, and they cut prices, but if they wanted a more personal, interesting relationship, the story of the producer… It’s not just a bottle of wine, I can tell the story of who the family are and about their history as respected winemakers. I’ve introduced many customers to these winemakers, and when they travel to France, they visit them. This is not something many importers can offer.”

Over the years, John began discovering other wine producers around the world. What started in Bordeaux soon expanded to include Argentina, the US, New Zealand, Spain, Australia and beyond.