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Lindfield 01444 484025

About South Downs Cellars

South Downs Cellars opened its doors in 2003, on the premis to buy quality wines at a variety of price points, that were not mass-produced or widely available on the High Street. Run only by enthused and knowledgeable staff. We have built a fabulous business, which comprises of two shops and a thriving wholesale business. However, despite our rapid growth we have stuck to our original principles of only selling high quality wines from the smaller, family-owned vineyards around the world along with a broad range of craft beers and spirits, and are now dealing directly with multiple small and privately owned vineyards and breweries around Europe.

Meet the team, and see their answers to the following questions:

  1. Favourite wine?
  2. Favourite food?
  3. Holiday of choice?
  4. Treasured passtime?
  5. Pet hate?

Lucy

Title: Owner/Founder.

Wine: White Burgundy, and if forced to select one, then Beaune 1er Cru Les Aigrots, S Magnien – what’s not to love about a fresh yet rounded, rich white wine – full-bodied enough to go with a wide variety of food, yet elegant enough to enjoy on its own

Food: Raspberries or anything Italian

Holiday: Italy – mountains, beaches, culture, amazing food & wine, beautiful architecture, lovely people…….

Passtime: spending time with my horse Tilly – escaping in to the Sussex countryside for hours on end

Pet hate: BANANAS…..food of the devil!

 

 

Giles -

Title: Wholesale Director

Wine: Finca Villacreces Ribera del Duero, Tempranillo at its best

Food: Canard avec gratin dauphinoise

Holiday: The Douro Valley followed by a few nights in Porto

Passtime: Roland Garros, anything tennis related

Pet hate: Politicians

 

James

Title: Buyer/Sales Manager

Wine: Impossible to pick one especially as I have a dual role! If I had to it would probably be a Riesling from Rolly Gassman and for my beer hat, you can’t beat a Burning Sky Saison

Food: Proper sourdough, wood oven pizza! Currently practicing at home, open to topping suggestions?

Holiday: Santorini - that sunset, photos don’t do it justice

Passtime: Anything with a petrol engine in it, but can also be found pottering around in the garden with Rufus the malti-poo. Also is long suffering Leeds United fan!

Pet hate: Snakes, camping and things not being done properly the first time. Retail is detail!

 

 

Andrew

Title: Assistant Retail Manager/Social Media Manager

Wine: Anything from the Aussie producer, First Drop. Love their big, full bodied, unabashedly drinkable wines    

Food: Can't beat a melt-in-the-mouth steak or a perfect pork belly

Holiday: I've been to Lake Garda a few times, a lip-smackingly beautiful place

Passtime:Making massive, pretty, geometric shapes out of dirt, then jumping a bicycle over said shapes

Pet hate: The fetishisation of wealth at the expense of everything else

 

Richard

Title: Warehouse Manager

Wine: Baron de Badassiere Picpoul de Pinet, just a really limey, citrusy flavour that tastes really smooth. Ticks all the boxes for me

Food: Pan fried Chorizo & Chicken with anything. Veg, Salad, chips etc

Holiday: South Carolina. Fishing and golf

Passtime: Golf and photography

Pet hate: Arrogance, lateness

 
 

 

 

Steve

Title: Logistics / Delivery Driver

Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon and Guiness. I don't really like drinking alcohol but I enjoy occasional glass with a meal.

Food: Greek food and BBQs

Holiday: Antigua

Passtime: Motorcycling

Pet hate: Spiders

 

 

 

Joely

Title: Marketing and Events

Wine: Pouilly Fume, it's light, fresh and citrussy - very drinkable!

Food: Grilled Swordfish or Snapper

Holiday: Italy

Pastime: Travel, design & architecture

Pet hate: Rude, inconsiderate people or drivers!

 

 

 

Euan

Title:  Warehouse/Retail Assistant/Delivery Driver

Wine: You can’t go wrong with a good Provence, however, the Chardonnay I recently had at our Delaire Graff wine tasting may be my new favourite

Food: It has to be Pasta with pretty much anything, but I do think I have perfected the art of Pasta & Tuna over the years if I do say so myself

Holiday: Salcombe, Devon. Used to go there as a kid and went back there last year for the first time in about 15 years, which brought back lots of wonderful memories

Passtime: Rugby, I've played since I was 7 years old for Haywards Heath RFC and I can’t imagine my life without it. Partial to a bit of ‘pub’ cricket in the summer for my local The Royal Oak, Wineham too

Pet hate: Vegetables!!

 

 

Ed 

Title: Assistant Retail Manager

Wine: I LOVE Riesling in all its beautifully crafted forms. It is a grape that is capable of such a wide range of expressions, from the light, refreshing Mosel kabinetts to full-bodied, dry Alsatian offerings. It can craft stunning sweet wines capable of ageing for decades or easy breezie bubbles meant for quaffing

Food: My favourite food to make at home is noodle soup but you can't beat my Mum's roast beef with all the trimmings

Holiday: Dorset. We used to holiday there every year as kids so visits are filled with joyful nostalgia, and if I am lucky a little sailing too
 

Passtime: Running Table Top Role Playing Games for friends. Think Dungeons & Dragons only not that game. I enjoy playing a wide range of games. Variety is the spice of life after all

Pet hate: Kidney Stones. I didn't want them, you don't want them, nobody wants them. Trust me on this one