TABLE TALK #131
Today’s Table Talk is a very special edition. For one week only, we’re going rogue and replacing our regular ramble with an actual interview.
Kate Goodman, founder of Reserve Wines, is a hero of ours - one of the wine world’s most humble but brilliant figures and the epitome of zigging where others zag. A real icon in the independent trade, with five shops and a thriving online business, she knows a thing or two about wine.
🍝 MAIN COURSE 🍝
Kate, let’s wind back the clock, how did it all begin?
We started out with just one shop in West Didsbury, Manchester. I really wanted to create a space where people felt comfortable, no matter what their knowledge - where they could come and explore, find new wines they had never tasted before, and just have fun with the world of wine.
It's evolved a lot over the 21 years and been mainly been fun, give or take the inevitable challenges along the way.
What do you think it is that keeps people coming back?
I always say to people joining the business, whilst we've been going twenty one years, we're still the same, and it's still about delivering discovery, quality and a great experience. I really genuinely care that people have made a choice to come and spend money with us, so they have to enjoy it and feel good about it.
We also taste test absolutely everything that we sell, so can stand with conviction and say that the products that we sell deliver genuine value for money. We’re on the brink of opening our sixth store actually!
Along the way there must have been doubters, how does it feel to have proven them wrong?
I remember someone said to my dad early on - what does she know about opening a wine shop? It could have knocked my confidence, but I think I just chose to turn it around and use it as a driver. I choose not to overthink the comments like that, rather use them as motivation to make things happen!
And now rolling on to a few questions about you!
Red or white for the rest of your life?
Tricky! Wine is so linked to what you’re doing, who you’re with, what you’re eating, just a place in time really. I find it so difficult to say categorically that’s my favourite because there are so many factors that are part of that moment and make wine special.
I do love sparkling though. I love rich champagne styles which have had lots of ageing so they are quite biscuity and toasty. Sparkling feels quite anticipatory, it signifies a moment. I've just dodged the question!
If you were a grape what would you be?
Probably a chardonnay because I am pretty adaptable and happy in most environments and chardonnay is quite like that as a grape.
What would you say to all the wine snobs out there?
Oh, I just say lighten up. It's a drink, and it's there to be enjoyed and have fun with it.
If you could have a drink with any historical figure, who would it be and what would you share?
I am from Manchester, live in Manchester and am really proud of Manchester so would pick someone from here. I would want a woman too, so it feels appropriate to have Emmeline Pankhurst, because she was a pretty awesome, inspirational figure and really made things happen.
My favourite cocktail is a negroni, and she was a pretty gung ho woman, so I would go straight for a hard hitting cocktail - two negronis please.
What’s the strangest request you’ve ever received from a customer?
I'm not sure I can even tell you that…! So I'm going to have to swerve that one.
🍮 SWEET ENDINGS 🍮
A final duo to wrap things up....
What’s the one thing you’d change about the wine world if you could?
Probably the climate. The unpredictability of the weather and the damage it can do is just so crippling for producers, big and small. If you’re relying on a crop and something completely outside your control takes over, it must be so stressful and I do think that’s a real concern, and increasingly more so too.
What’s exciting you most about the growth of the alcohol free category?
In the past, alcohol free options filled a gap, but didn’t offer real flavour or personality. Now people are bringing so much passion to their innovation, making really interesting drinks that offer both quality and complexity. It’s very exciting. It's so great to be able to offer customers something that you can say with conviction, you're going to enjoy this - it's a brilliant alternative.
Kate, it's been an absolute joy, thank you!
Kate, it's been an absolute joy, thank you!
🍷 WHAT'S NEW
FROM
WEDNESDAY'S DOMAINE? 🍷
You may well have guessed this, but very excitingly, our full entourage of wines are now strutting their stuff on shelf and online at Reserve Wines.
And in celebration we're offering all of you the chance to WIN TWO MIXED CASES of wine. Six alcohol-free bottles from us, six alcohol-full bottles from Kate and her team.
It's the stock up of all stock ups - and entering takes two ticks, simply click here.
Until next week,
Luke x
P.S. If the eagle eyed amongst you noticed that this edit is a day late, you're absolutely right. Christmas got the better of us, but we're still crawling on towards the break!
P.S. If the eagle eyed amongst you noticed that this edit is a day late, you're absolutely right. Christmas got the better of us, but we're still crawling on towards the break!
