Fine Wine Team

Simon Staples
Simon Staples spent his post-school years hacking through jungles, trekking through deserts and exploring the remotest parts of the world. When the wanderlust was satisfied he returned and took up his next great passion: wine.

In 1996 he was appointed as Berrys as Assistant Fine Wine Manager and he also served as the UK Sales & Marketing Director before he joined Berry Bros. & Rudd’s business in Hong Kong. He loves St Juliens and Pauillacs, and top Premier and Grand Crus from the Côte de Nuits.

Simon took up his new role of Sales Director - Asia in December 2012.

Ben Upjohn
Ben started working for Berrys' at the age of 15, in the cellars of No.3, during his Christmas Holidays. After leaving school he went to Oddbins for a couple of years and then joined Berrys' in 2001, in the London Shop moving into the Fine Wine Team in 2005. He has a passion for Bordeaux and Burgundy, but also enjoys wines from New Zealand. In his spare time he enjoys country pursuits and photography.

Chris Pollington
Originally joining Berrys' in 1997 working in the Heathrow Airport shop, Chris has also worked in our Internet and Telesales departments before joining the fine wine team in 2007. Chris's great passion is for the wines of Italy, hosting dinners and wine schools on the subject, but he also admits to a soft spot for the great wines of Burgundy.

Corrine Graham
Corrine joined Berry Bros. & Rudd in 2007, starting in a Customer Services role. She then moved into the Sales & Service team where she completed her WSET certificates to broaden her wine knowledge.

In January 2010 she joined the Fine Wine Team and now looks after the administration for Cellar Plan and Wine Club customers.

Fergus Stewart
Fergus joined Berrys in early 2010 following six years working in the ski travel industry, both home and abroad, before moving to the Fine Wine Department after a year in our Sales & Service team. His main vinous passion is the wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy, with California and the Rieslings of Alsace and the Clare Valley not far behind. Away from work, cooking and travel take up the majority of his free time.

Gary Owen
Gary’s formative years in the wine trade were spent at Oddbins but with his degree in hand, the banking industry called. This brief sojourn convinced him that the wine trade was really the route he wished to pursue and he joined Berrys in 2007. Initially joining our Bin End Shop in Basingstoke, and latterly Berrys’ Sales & Service Team, his passion for Claret and Burgundy is reassuringly catholic but there are always spaces in his cellar for the great and humble wines of the Rhône, Germany and Australia.

Away from the office, honing his skills in the kitchen and exploring the Hampshire countryside – ideally with a rod and reel in hand - are both greatly enjoyed.

Hamish Orr Ewing
Two summers spent working in the vines of a Premier Cru champagne house marked the start of Hamish's career in the wine trade. After studying Ancient History at the University of Exeter, he followed the path well-worn by the English, to Bordeaux. Working in the cellars of Chateau Du Tertre, he made the much under-rated 2007 and 2008 vintages. Eventually, they let him out of the cellar and he went to sister property, Chateau Giscours, as a tour and tasting host, whilst helping to make the magnificent 2009 vintage.

On returning home in 2010 Hamish joined the Fine Wine team in Hampshire, just in time to see the great 2009 Bordeaux released.

Despite a thoroughly French wine education, Spanish wines are his passion; left-bank Bordeaux, Vosne-Romanée, White Burgundy and Alsace are swift on their heels though. Hobbies include Rugby, Cricket and Golf.

Jake Dean
Jake played cricket for Sussex between 1990 and 1994 until a back injury cut short a promising career. He has worked for Berrys since 2000 and joined the Cellar Plan Team in 2003. Jake loves wines from all around the world but always comes back to the classics: Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhône, Alsace and sweet wines in general.

Laura Atkinson
Having joined the trade at Corney & Barrow, Laura’s love for food and wine soon took a hold. From there she worked with Michelin star chefs in 5 star hotels before becoming Head Sommelier at Rockliffe Hall. Her focus then shifted towards a Master Sommelier qualification, including a few Sommelier of the Year competitions where she reached the finals two years in a row, and the WSET Diploma. In addition Laura has been an Associate Judge at the IWSC for 3 years and is a trained WSET Educator. With a particular love for all the classic French regions, Tuscany, Port and sweet wines, Laura joined the Sales & Service team at Berry Bros. & Rudd in September 2010 before progressing into the Fine Wine department. Outside of the office, Laura enjoys country pursuits, VW beetles and eating in as many restaurants as possible.

Lisa-Marie Loveless
Lisa was born in Basingstoke and is the youngest member of the team. She started full time in Customer Services in Nov 2003 and progressed on to the Fine Wine Dept nearly a year later. Lisa's main role within the Fine Wine Team is to process new applications, maintain our records and monitor direct debits. Lisa also completes other administrative roles within the Fine Wine Department

Martyn Rolph
Having left university, Martyn began his wine career in 2003 with Majestic, where he developed a strong interest in fine wine. After a stint at a small independent merchant, he decided to joined Berrys' fine wine team in 2011. Martyn is passionate about all the classic French regions, particularly Burgundy and Bordeaux, but also maintains a strong interest in the many emerging regions of Spain. Away from wine he enjoys cooking, walking his Labrador and the occasional fishing trip.

Matthew Tipping
Matt started his career with Majestic Wine in 2000 where he completed his WSET Diploma. He joined Berrys in 2006 where he worked in the Bin End Shop before moving to the Fine Wine team in early 2007. Matt now manages a team within the Fine Wine department, whilst also looking after his own private customers. He is passionate about cooking and foraging wild foods with red Burgundy and German riesling being the most common choices for his dining room table.

Max Lalondrelle
Our Fine Wine Buying Director Max was born in the south west of France where his parents made Armagnac. He first arrived in England in 1993 and joined Berrys in 2000 and the Fine Wine team in 2002. Max's first wine love is of course Bordeaux but the wines of Burgundy, Rhône and Alsace are a close joint second. Recent years saw Max more involved in the sourcing of fine wine and he became Berrys' Bordeaux Buyer in 2007. He is responsible for buying all Berrys' Bordeaux requirements - from Good Ordinary Claret to Ch. d'Yquem - but continues to look after his private customers.

Philip Moulin
After his formative years at Majestic Wines, Philip joined Berrys in 1997 as Assistant Manager in the Basingstoke shop. He joined the old "broking department" in 2000 and for five years was responsible for sourcing and broking rare wines for BB&R's subsidiary company in Japan. Following a stint advising customers on building up their Cellar Plans, he now works in the Fine Wine Buying Department, once again sourcing secondary market stock for our outlets in the Far East.

Sara Guiducci
Sara grew up in the Netherlands and was educated in the UK, culminating in a Theology degree from Oxford University. Returning to Amsterdam, she worked for a large IT company spending her Saturday evenings tasting Claret which was when her enthusiasm for fine wine began. Her marriage brought her back to England, where she put her passion to work at Majestic Wine. In May 2008 Sara joined the Berrys’ Bin End Shop team in Basingstoke as Assistant Manager. The following year she completed her WSET Diploma and she is now studying towards her Masters of Wine. Her first wine love will always be Bordeaux and Burgundy, but married to a half-Italian has made her rather passionate for Italian reds.

Stuart Rae
Stuart Rae joined Berrys in 2006, following employment with two merchants in Wimbledon and Kingston, and has been a mainstay within our Sales and Service team. Moving into the Fine Wine Department in 2010, he brings with him an enthusiasm and knowledge of wines from all around the globe, although he tends to gravitate back to the classics, with Bordeaux as a firm favourite and a healthy love of Burgundy and Alsace. Outside the office, trail and ultra running keep him fit and holidays tend to be spent travelling to countries that provide scuba-diving in warm waters.

Tom Cave
Tom joined Berry Bros. & Rudd 25 years ago and has overseen the Cellar Plan for the last 15. One of Tom's aims is to ensure customers withdraw their wines when they are at their peak. He enjoys most wines but returns, inevitably, to Claret and Burgundy and would find life hard to live without the occasional glass of Vintage Port.