about-us
The Team
Simon Taylor
Simon Taylor worked at Sotheby's for 23 years, initially as a picture expert and increasingly in management, finishing as Deputy Managing Director of Sotheby's Europe. In the 1990s he became increasingly obsessed by wine and began travelling to taste, learn, and meet wine producers in France, South Africa and California. It was a natural (but financially insane) step in 2002 to dump the Bond Street office, lovely PA, expense account and business class flights, for a chicken-shed in Hampshire, and budget travel from Stansted.The compensation for him is standing in a vineyard, from the Languedoc to Argentina, and simply enjoying the soil, the land and the weather.
Happily married, with three great children and a golden retriever, Simon is nevertheless doomed to perpetual dissatisfaction as a long-term supporter of the Saints.
Gordon Coates
Gordon Coates originally studied Metallurgy and worked in the electronics industry for five years before letting his growing enthusiasm for wine get the better of him. Accepting a huge cut in salary and an increase in working hours he took a job as a trainee manager with Majestic Wine Warehouses. There he progressed rapidly through the company, managing stores in Reading, Salisbury and most recently Southampton.
Gordon was first lured to Stone, Vine & Sun in early 2004, when needing to source a range of wines to help train WSET Diploma students. When the opportunity came in early 2008 to join the team it was not a difficult decision to make the move.
Living in Southampton with his wife and their son, his love of Riesling and Pinot Noir is likely to ensure ongoing poverty.
Phil Hughes
Phil Hughes joined the team in the summer of 2006 following retirement after 28 years as a Captain in the Army. A keen lifelong sportsman, with a particular love of alpine skiing, basketball and road cycling, Phil may well be seen on the local country lanes on his Trek bike delivering should the van require urgent repairs. Keen to pursue and develop his knowledge of wine, joining SVS came as a welcome career change.
Married with 2 teenage children and a chocolate Labrador called Lily, he lives in a village north of Winchester.
François Dupont
As you might guess from his name, Francois was born on the other side of the channel in the flat landscape of northern France. Over there he studied microbiology and commerce, and spent five years as a livestock broker. As a true northerner, his first beverage of choice was the lovely Belgian beer but he finally developed a taste for wine. This new relationship became a passion and he finally decided to move to the UK as this is the natural place to learn about wine. After 6 years working in the wine trade in Southern England he has also learned to drink tea and even some times has cheese on crackers! During his spell at Majestic (another catch for SVS!) he developed a rather costly addiction to champagne and he is currently falling for SVS’s Burgundy selection...
Francois lives in the lovely village of Clanfield with Ginny.
Camilla Sellars
Camilla studied Languages at Exeter University, during which time she developed a passion for windsurfing. Following her graduation, she took off around the world to compete on the Professional Windsurfers Association world tour. It did not take long for Camilla to realise that having sand between her toes and living out of a suitcase did not form the foundations of a sustainable career, so she returned to the UK and embarked on a postgraduate law conversion course. A training contract with a City law firm and a further short spell as a tax and trusts solicitor on the South Coast followed, before Camilla felt drawn by the appeal of wine rather than Wills.
With her language skills, and having already completed her Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Advanced certificate whilst living in London, it was a natural progression for Camilla to join the wine trade. She joined Stone, Vine & Sun in April 2011 having spent just over a year at Thierry’s in Romsey, and is mid-way through her studies for the WSET Diploma. Camilla lives in Lymington with her husband Martin.
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Our Favourite Selection
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Product Code: BAJ109
Château Barrejat, Madiran, Tradition, 2009
“From 60% Tannat, with 20% Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc, lightly oaked, this is an honest, mildly rustic wine, a perfect foil for sausages or...”
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Product Code: FUR107
Fourrier, Gevrey-Chambertin, Vieille Vigne, 2007
“Scents of crushed red fruit. As ever with M. Fourrier’s wines, this is already open and approachable, with a very ripe core of mature red fruit...”
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Product Code: LFE911
Santa Luz, Sauvignon Blanc, Bin 955, Valle Central, 2011
“Chile is the best place in the world for good value Sauvignon Blanc: though one still has to hunt hard to seek true varietal character at a fair...”
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Product Code: MAT1NV
Serge Mathieu, Champagne Tradition, Brut, NV
““**** Seductive aromas of honeydew melon, pineapple, cream and apple. Classic Pinot-dominant wine of great richness - a real hedonist’s...”
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Product Code: PIG610
Domaine de la Pigeade,Ventoux Classique, 2010
“We have listed Thierry’s red Ventoux Classique (from Grenache, Carignan and Syrah), before but he has moved it onto a different level with the...”
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Product Code: MAD609
Mader, Gewurztraminer, Grand Cru Rosacker, 2009
“The Rosacker, east facing, with very pebbly soil over limestone, is one of the top vineyards in the whole of Alsace. Mid lemon. Delicate floral and...”
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Product Code: FON109
Domaine Fontanel, Côtes du Roussillon, 2009
“Aromas of black cherries with dark chocolate touches. Lively, plum and black cherry favours,. Good ripe tannins. Just slightly (and attractively)...”
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Product Code: TOK606
Royal Tokaji, Gold Label 6 Puttonyos, 2006
“Dramatically exciting Tokay from Furmint, Hárslevelü and Yellow Muscat, given 2½ years in old barrels before bottling, and with a stunning 203g/l....”
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Product Code: AMB307
Domaine des Amadieu, Côtes du Rhône Villages, Cairanne, Vieilles Vignes, 2007
“Retains a good deep colour. Attractive Kirsch aromas. Concentrated, old-viney fruit, redolent of red berries and mulberries, lightly spiced. This is...”
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Product Code: TDB109
Château Tour de Bellegarde, Bordeaux, 2009
“Crafted by the Janaud family at Villegouge near Fronsac, this 100% Merlot cuvée is all aged in barrel; and offers another example of how the superb...”
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Product Code: SOL610
Soldier’s Block, Shiraz, McLaren Vale, 2010
“Sourced from vines planted on land made available to soldiers returning to Australia after World War I. Sun-baked scents over berried fruit....”
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Product Code: BAD111
Badenhorst, Secateurs White, Chenin Blanc, Swartland, 2011
“In The Telegraph Saturday 17th December 2011: “Made from old-vine chenin blanc edged with grapefruit freshness and, bottled under screw cap, with a...”
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