Sandiway wine merchant Define is third in Harpers list

Leading wine trade journal Harpers has published its annual list of the top independents in the UK – naming Define Food and Wine at number three.

More than 600 entries are whittled down to 50 for the list, with Chester Road-based Define beating established established giants such as Berry Bros and Tanners as well as high profile boutiques including Hedonism in London.

As well as taking third place in the country, Define was crowned best in the north – beaten only by a multi-site business in London and a specialist in Cornwall.

Owner Jon Campbell said: “From our corner shop in a small village in the heart of Cheshire, we’ve quietly built up a decent reputation since we began back in 2000.

“We have great fun sourcing and selling what we’ve always felt was a pretty special range of wines, and we’re delighted that our efforts in continually improving have been rewarded with this incredible recognition by the trade.”

The recent restaurant addition has allowed customers to sample up to 32 wines by the glass from their Enomatic machines, matched to a delicious selection of small plates.

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The dining area also provides the perfect stage for Winemaker Dinners, where visiting luminaries present their wines alongside dishes created by Define’s chef Richard Rowley.

Jon added: “We’re hugely grateful to all those long standing customers who have supported us over the years and allowed us to indulge our passion for authentic wine, and to the many newcomers who realise we don’t take ourselves too seriously – we just want you to catch our bug.”

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To celebrate, Define will be holding a tasting of their top 50 wines in store on Saturday, September 28 from noon to 6pm.

Tickets are £10, with money given to Northwich cancer support charity The Joshua Tree.

Call in at the shop or call 01606 882101 for more information.