Uncorked: A Potted History

Following a harvest-time deluge caused not by a cloudburst but, more mundanely, a burst pipe feeding our upstairs neighbours, Uncorked opened its doors belatedly in Autumn 1994. The first, and, to date, the only incidence of water into wine recorded on our premises.

Six months later Jim Griffen was joined by Andrew Rae. In 2002, Jim and Andrew bought out the kindly benefactors who’d enabled the business to survive its early years, and embarked upon an ambitious programme of investment which saw one new stock and accounts system quickly replaced by another, as well as the second incarnation of our website.

In November 2004, Edward Eastwood joined the company, enabling us to make rapid, albeit noisy, technological progress, and Ed remains with us today on a part-time basis.

October 2005 saw Colin Wills start spending as much time at Uncorked as he had been doing money, bringing his renowned Fine Wine Arch tastings venture into the fold.

Peter Govey came to help us for Christmas 2005 but by January 2006 we decided we couldn’t cope without him, and he hasn’t escaped since.

With the sad departure of Tom came the happier arrival of Zoë Ayling in March 2007, and a marked improvement in our Bishopsgate Shop’s quality of life (not to mention customer service).

2008 has seen the launch of this, the latest Uncorked website, reinforcing the company’s position as one of the UK’s leading small independent wine merchants. And while local rivals have come and gone (remember Laurent-Metge, or Fuller’s fine wine shop, not to mention countless Oddbins and Threshers?), Uncorked has thrived, building a solid reputation as The City’s Finest.