We are back and happy to be! ? Whilst the Country was under lockdown, our activity was minimal, and most of our team was furloughed. We were all back as of 1st July and we are so happy that the restaurants  have reopened!

In our time to GET BACK TO WORK STORY ? we are catching up with our team and asking what they are looking forward to, what they have been up to and most importantly…what they have been drinking!! ?

We start with Christophe and Estelle Galez. Christophe is the Managing Director and founder of our company. Estelle looks after all the accounts and makes sure everyone pays up!  Both tennis lovers and very good on the dance floor!

What are you looking forward to the most when you go back to work? “I have been coming to the office for some time now but being on my own felt really strange. So much looking forward to getting the office buzz going again and properly reconnect with our clients.”

What was your survival wine during lockdown? “Being at home with our 3 grown up children was an opportunity to taste quite a selection. Château Val Joanis was the pouring rosé of choice. The Grand Vin de Ricaud worked very well with BBQ. And we could not resist enjoying the odd bottle of Champagne Thiénot to beat the Covid blues.

What changes (if any) have you made during these very strange times? “Weather has been incredibly kind and was the chance to walk and cycle more.”

Here’s Thierry Morigeon, our Sales Director and keen golfer

What are you looking forward to the most when you go back to work? “After 15 weeks at home, I honestly can’t wait to go back. It will obviously be great to catch up with my colleague and to visit my customers again. The last 3 months have been extremely challenging for our company and with still so much uncertainty ahead, lots of hard work will be needed to survive! I am certainly up for it though.”

What was your survival wine during lockdown? “There has been quite a few but some of the highlights were Chateau Rahoul Blanc 2016 that was showing amazingly well and Saint Veran from Gueugnon Remond 2018, a wine that always hit the right notes whatever the occasion!”

What changes (if any) have you made during these very strange times? “Not too many to be honest but a daily evening walk, was a great way to leave the house and exercise. I am lucky to leave in the countryside with so many beauty spots on my doorstep.”

Here’s Nick Wolridge. When he is not drinking from huge glasses or going on extreme diets… Nick, a big rugby lover, looks after our sales in London and also throughout the South and the West Country.

What are you looking forward to the most when you go back to work? “Reconnecting with all my customers and selling a bit of wine! Beats having to keep a 4 year-old entertained”

What was your survival wine during lockdown? “I have always enjoyed the St Veran from Domaine Gueugnond-Remond but with all the lovely weather the Château Val Joanis Rose Tradition 2019 from the Lubéron is delicious.”

What changes (if any) have you made during these very strange times? “Well I came off my lovely Cambridge Diet and have shaped up nicely!!”

Next up is François Darriet, our Operations Manager. François is also amongst many wonderful things our IT saviour and a cyclist lover… but no lycra!

What are you looking forward to the most when you go back to work? “I am looking forward to having a chat and a laugh with my colleagues, and to hear again from our customers, it has been too long! Also getting back on my bike for the morning commute is going to be so nice. Hopefully lots more cyclists will join me on the road from now on all the brand new cycle lanes we have been promised .”

What was your survival wine during lockdown? “There has been a selection, old favourites like the Lugana La Conchiglia from Citari or Domaine Saint Hilaire Viognier but I in that short time (short? Hmm) I discovered the beauty of El Jardin de L’Emperatriz Tinto Finca La Emperatriz. Stunning!”

What changes (if any) have you made during these very strange times? “I have replaced my daily cycle commute by a morning power walk and have done a LOT of Tai Chi practice in the local park; we have been so blessed with the weather I believe I only once failed to follow that new routine. I also rediscovered the joys of decorating…”

Voila Christophe Jeandeau – AKA Shorty – as we have 2 Christophes in our team and he is slightly shorter.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Christophe is part of our On-trade sales team and also our Champagne Thiénot ambassador..well he drinks a lot of it!

What are you looking forward to the most when you go back to work? “ I can’t wait to see my colleagues for ‘real’, rather than on Zoom meetings, and also to roam London and visit my clients, who I truly missed (as well as the rush hour on the Central Line!!).”Besides I don’t think I can take any more DIY or gardening…

What was your survival wine during lockdown? “ It hard to pick just one, so I will choose the three that kept me sane: Lugana La Conchiglia from Citari for its freshness and complexity; Château Val Joanis Tradition Rose for its simplicity and its ability to make you smile (especially after the third bottle) and El Jardin de L’Emperatriz Tinto Finca La Emperatriz for its intensity and sweet dark fruits aromas.”

What changes (if any) have you made during these very strange times? “Apart from my waistline? I started to learn Spanish which I should be able to speak very badly in approximately two years…”

Next is Anna Grente. Anna is our Marketing Manager, happily named marketing desk by some of her colleagues. Anna is into taek won do and boxing but apart from that she is pretty zen.

What are you looking forward to the most when you go back to work?” I am looking forward to interact with our followers. Hopefully they will be happy to see our faces again ? Also, our online shop took off at the beginning of lockdown so there will be plenty of exciting stuff for me to do.”

What was your survival wine during lockdown? “Too many to mention but really it has to be Château Val Joanis Les Agasses rosé! We were so lucky to get this incredible weather throughout. I just love this wine. So delicious and delightfully crisp, fresh and fruity. And I love the price too. My summer rosé all the way!”

What changes (if any) have you made during these very strange times? “ I discovered meditation and increased my running to help shift lockdown pounds ?”

The last of our team story is about Olivier Marie. Olivier joined us at the beginning of the year. He was a Head Sommelier at Coq D’Argent for 10 years, a senior wine judge at International Wine Challenge and Sommelier wine awards and also claimed a 3rd place in 2016 in the best sommelier of the year contest. Olivier knows his stuff and can teach us a thing or two about wines.

What are you looking forward to the most when you go back to work? “Catching up with my colleagues that I have not seen for more than 15 weeks, reconnecting with my customers and tasting with them to showcase our portfolio.”

What was your survival wine during lockdown? “I joined C&C at the beginning of the year so there are plenty of wines for me to try but I would say I really enjoyed Château Grand-Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, so elegant!!

What changes (if any) have you made during these very strange times? “I have had a lot of time on my hand to experiment in the kitchen and subsequently mastered the art of baking .”

Speak soon, get in touch here