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ABOUT US

At Laithwaites, we stop at nothing to bring you great wine. Tasting our way across New Zealand, Australia and beyond is one of the best parts of the job. The only thing better is sharing our fantastic finds with you.

LAITHWAITES ORIGINS

In 1987, a British wine merchant had a great success in selling his European wines by adding a completely new ingredient; 'New World' winemakers. 

Back in 1984, Tony Laithwaite was invited by the New Zealand government to check out the country's 10 year old wine industry. Two years later, he introduced Marlborough Sav Blanc to the UK before anyone there had heard of it - and blew their socks off!

New Zealand and Australia were producing what Tony saw as "probably the best winemakers in world right now", many of them boasting skills lacking in Europe's sleepier wine regions. With a plane ticket in hand and the promise of a holiday job doing a second harvest of the year in France, Italy and Spain, many young winemakers simply could not resist.

They came, and they conquered. In three years, Tony had a full team of what he dubbed his 'Flying Winemakers' (what's more every major wine retailer in Britain had copied him). 

Local villagers, who often spoke little-to-no English, soon learned to mimic their accents, as their obscure little regions began beating famous names in competition...and sales!

Those early 'Flyers' changed the face of European winemaking - thanks to their skills, hard work and, above all, unbridled optimism. And with newfound experience and inspiration, they changed winemaking back home too. Wine and adventure are in our shared DNA. Through them we forged the enduring relationships we have with so many winemakers we proudly work with today. 


WHAT MAKES US SPECIAL

Personal Wine Advisors

Inside tips, personalised wine advice, and first-in-line access to the best deals… with your own Personal Wine Advisor. Much smarter than Google – and more fun to chat with!

Our Money-Back Guarantee

Discover great wines with absolute confidence thanks to our 100% Money-back Guarantee. If you’re not satisfied with a wine, we’ll refund or replace it.

Our Delivery Options

Enjoy the convenience of having your wine conveniently delivered to your door. Spend over $350 for free delivery or join Unlimited and unlock free delivery on every order.

Free Delivery Subscription

Enter a world where free delivery is unlocked on every order - no matter how big or small. Plus, Unlimited members have access to a whole range of other great perks.

This month’s Catalogue

Explore a huge range of outstadning wine offers in this month's catalogue. There's plenty of great savings to be had, and, if you're lucky, you might even score a freebie or two. 

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AWARD-WINNING

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