Le Soula: wines of altitude, wines with attitude

Taste the Roussillon's finest today from midday at our Bishopsgate shop
And with owner, Mark Walford, from 12-2pm

At the risk of upsetting a portion of our mailing list, there aren't too many members of the British wine trade who could justifiably be called legends. So it is with enormous pleasure that we welcome to the shop the fabled, slightly elusive, almost mythical character known as Mark Walford. It was rumoured that he used to work from an office in the back of a chauffeur-driven limo which even had its own fax machine. Some people say that he knows the reason why Jancis Robinson threw a glass of wine over his business partner in their very own episode of her televison series, Vintners' Tales. (Alas, he won't disclose it.)

Mark started out in the trade in 1977 and quickly gained a reputation for his dogged determination and persistence. In 1982 he heard of a restaurant in Rutland which was building something of a reputation for its wine list. Deciding it would be in need of his services, he paid a visit, and in so doing met its owner, a Mr Roy Richards. It marked the beginning of a partnership which was to become the most fruitful and significant the modern fine wine trade has seen. They went on to become agent for, among others, Pomerol's famed Le Pin, Chave Hermitage, Chateauneuf's Clos des Papes, Grivot and Meo-Camuzet (not to mention Henri Jayer) in Burgundy and Montalcino's Lisini. Richards Walford became the go-to agent for many of the world's very greatest names.

One of those names was Gerard Gauby, guru of southwest France's Roussillon. When Gauby discovered an abandoned parcel of vines in the Agly Valley up in the foothills of the Pyrenees, he saw the site had enormous potential. The poor, granitic soils and a climate that combined the extremes of southern sun and mountain rain and wind were sure to make the suffering vines work hard. Acknowledging the enormity of bringing the vineyard back to life on his own, Gerard turned to his great friends Roy and Mark. 2001 saw the first releases of Le Soula, characterful, distintive reds and whites which would go on to achieve listings on many of the world's finest wine lists. Today, Mark owns the majority of the business. Come and meet the legend and taste his wines, today, between 12 and 2pm. /AR