Wine Rack Guildford
CONVENIENCE DRINKS RETAILER WINNER
Former professional racing driver Alex Kapadia aims to go beyond the range conventions of the average neighbourhood drinks shop at his Wine Rack franchise store in Guildford, Surrey. It has a focus on local products in beer and gin, features premium wines from specialist importers that are more usually found in higher end wine merchants, has a weekly rotating range of packaged beers, and serves keg and cask beer to take away. No & low has been a particular growth focus in a store where a creative approach to merchandising and promotions further elevates the experience.
Dunell's
INDEPENDENT DRINKS RETAILER WINNER
Jersey-based Dunell’s re-energised the specialist drinks retail off er at its two stores on the island with a major rebrand in 2025. The project brought a new colour scheme to everything from the store walls to the signs in the car park, the till area, and the bags and gift cards. New name plates were introduced above wine sections in a mission to make the range easier to understand for customers, while technical details were removed from tasting-note shelf talkers to make them snappier and more accessible. A dedicated space for low & no drinks has been introduced in response to market trends.
Vinomondo
BAR & SHOP WINNER
Julie Mills is never content to let her Conwy,
north Wales, independent sit still. After
operating for years as straight retail, she evolved
into hospitality with the conversion of an
upstairs space into a cosy drink-in lounge and
tasting room. When that proved a success, she
went a stage further, creating a huge garden
with covered areas to extend its footprint to the
rear of the shop, all in the picturesque shadow
of the local church. The past
year has seen the concept
developed further with a
rapid-fi re refit, including a
more clearly demarcated
bar serving area, new floors
and a fresh lick of paint.
Master of Malt
SPECIALIST ONLINE DRINKS RETAILER WINNER
The spirits specialist combines a range of 15,000-plus products with excellent service and creative thinking to encourage customer engagement. Its exclusive bottlings include releases from the likes of Kyrö, Bruichladdich and Woodford Reserve; the Pour & Sip tasting club is a five-samples-a-month whisky subscription service; and its self-proclaimed ‘world’s greatest gift vouchers’ never expire, accrue 5% interest a year and are fully refundable. Online guides off er education and cocktail recipes
Bath Road Beers
INDEPENDENT BEER & CIDER RETAILER WINNER
Seven years after opening, this Cheltenham indie has just had one of its busiest 12 months, thanks to a creative approach to marketing and customer engagement and a continued focus on making the range as interesting and eclectic as possible. Manager Izaak Edge has nurtured relationships with other businesses in the town’s busy Bath Road to mutual benefit, providing QR codes for customers to order food to have while enjoying beers and ciders from its draught or packaged ranges. A running club, meet-the brewer nights and quizzes all help draw people in and create a community buzz.
Hedonism
INDEPENDENT CHAMPAGNE & SPARKLING RETAILER WINNER
As arguably the UK’s most bling top-end specialist drinks emporium, it’s no surprise that Champagne plays a lead role in the Hedonism package. The region dominates its sparkling wine sales, though it also has a wide-ranging portfolio from elsewhere, England, Spain, Italy, California, South Africa, Portugal and Luxembourg included. But it really shines in Champagne, as grower sparklers rub shoulders with big brands, some of which are represented by vintages as far back as 1959. The Champagne Showcase is a flagship in-store event and smaller dates around individual producers give guests the opportunity to try older vintages and limited editions.
The Oxford Wine Company
REGIONAL GROUP WINNER
Though long-established in its local market, the team at the Oxford Wine Company aren’t prepared to rest on their laurels, constantly refreshing the range to stay on trend and maintain customer engagement. Rum has given extra energy to spirits sales, while the wine portfolio has been extended in Hungary, Spain, Italy, Alsace and South Africa, as the business aims to source more esoteric and individual products that aren’t widely available in the local market.
Amathus Drinks
INDEPENDENT SPIRITS RETAILER WINNER
A number of openings in the past year have bought the Amathus retail estate up to 15, as the chain continues to expand from its London heartland to major cities across southern England. Spirits have long been the backbone of its in-store ranges, with niche categories such as cachaça, pisco and soju championed alongside more traditional ones like whisky, rum, gin and vodka. The range mixes well-known premium brands, exclusives, limited editions and Amathus co-brands with producers, all of which feature prominently in the portfolio, supported by high levels of staff knowledge and exceptional service standards.
Hackstons
NEWCOMER WINNER
Conceived as a cask whisky investment business in 2021, Hackstons evolved into retail in 2024 with the opening of a luxurious top-end store in London’s well-heeled Knightsbridge district. Whisky and wine are the two main prongs of the product range, with the focus in each on rare and collectable products, though higher end rums, Cognacs and bourbons also feature. Marble, parquet and carpeted floors combine with stylish furniture, soft lighting and a stone topped display island to create a cool and expensive look, while the Tasting Library to the rear of the retail space offers an exclusive room for private events.
Grape Minds
INDEPENDENT WINE RETAILER WINNER
Ex-Majestic managers Graeme Woodward and Michael Jelley used the knowledge and experience gleaned from working for the chain to embark on their own wine retail venture in Oxford’s Summertown district eight years ago. Along the way they’ve added a second store in the nearby town of Wallingford and a wine bar – also in Summertown – to become one of the most admired start-ups on the burgeoning indie wine merchant scene of the past decade. A full launch for ecommerce in 2025 effectively added another ‘shop’ to the group and it is a growing part of the business
Hedonism
LUXURY RETAILER WINNER
Since opening in London’s Mayfair district in 2012, Hedonism has maintained consistently high standards to establish itself as the one of the UK’s premier dedicated drinks retailers. Its portfolio covers collectable whiskies and Cognacs, the finest Bordeaux and Burgundy wines, the best Champagne has to offer, plus cult New World producers, esteemed super-Tuscans and much more. Its events showcase the best of these, while its approach to recruiting switched-on staff and supporting them with training means customers always enjoy first-class service.
Loki Wine
EXCELLENCE IN TRAINING & EDUCATION
Birmingham indie Loki Wine gives equal clout to both staff and customer education. Employees are supported with fees and time off for study up to WSET Level 3, and Loki funds Diploma and MW studies in some cases, with owner Phil Innes believing robust training generates loyalty and makes work more fun. Consumer engagement ranges from large-scale events such as a Christmas Wine Fair for 800 people, to more focused activity, such as recently introduced deep educational dives, intended as a less structured approach than WSET that still provides a comprehensive insight for those with a thirst for knowledge in particular product areas.