We have introduced a business of the week article, highlighting a local, independent business featured on our local list.

This week it is Selected Grapes.

Alex and Will have been running the independent wine shop in St Michael's Trading Estate for just over two years.

They have lived in Bridport for around 10 and have both had careers in food. Will was the head gardener at Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's River Cottage HQ and also has a consultancy for kitchen gardens, and Alex is a food writer.

Will said: "The move was not much of a career change as we have always been passionate about wine and have continued to have a wine education.

"This [Selected Grapes] was Wessex Wines, ran by Mike Farmer for around 45 years. I popped in one day and he mentioned he was selling the business. We decided to go for it and opened in September 2019."

Unfortunately, for many shops, coronavirus and the subsequent lockdowns hit.

"When lockdown happened the wholesale side closed," added Will, "but we had some additional people contact us as supermarkets were running out of wine.

"We mobilised delivery pretty quickly. It's not quite an online shop - people call up and we can deliver to Axminster in the west, Dorchester in the east and Crewkerne.

"We were an essential service and able to carry on. Business was down but we came out the other side with new ideas."

The shop offers a whole range of red, white, sparkling and orange wines from around the world with free delivery on cases of 12 - an "adult pick n mix" - as well as 10 per cent discount,

Will said: "My real interest is in organic, natural wines - wines without additives - but that was too limiting, so we decided to have a range of wines but around 40 per cent of our stock is organic or organically certified.

"Our mission statement is not to over charge for wine and introduce people to real wine from small producers. We change our wine list quite regularly because we have small amounts each time.

"We specialise in people coming in to have a chat, tell us what they're eating and we make recommendations on what they might like… we just love it."

The couple are helped with assistant Molly and have plans to do a wine club in the future. They will be part of a wine pairing at Soulshine Café on December 17 and hope to do more in the New Year.

For more information, visit selectedgrapes.co.uk

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