Buying Policy
Our buying policy is simple. We source only the best wines from like-minded, predominantly family owned domaines, estates and producers around the World. Irrespective of size or location, they combine quality, passion, interest and a sustainable ethos in every wine they produce.
The Townend family started this business in 1906 with the same beliefs that run through our buying policy to this day. Family is the core of what we do, and we deal with families who share our vision for making wines with a sense of place, of purity, value, flavour and interest.
Organics and biodynamics are practices that many of our producers have followed for many generations. This long-term ethos and commitment to the environment is why they have always produced such great wines and why we have worked with them for so many years. Whilst some subscribe to organic certification, many do not, choosing to decide for themselves how they make and sell their wines. The love for their land is far greater than paid for certification.
We are the only family wine merchants in the UK to eschew UK bottling. Following comparative tastings between wines bottled at source versus wines shipped in bulk and then bottled in the UK or mainland Europe from the same winery, we made the decision to insist on bottling all our wines at source. The difference in quality far outweigh the cost savings to be made. We think it is important to take a stance, and offer wines which arrive unmanipulated, irrespective of the cost.
Our buying team has over 100 years of experience between them, fine tuning the skill and craft of identifying the best tasting and best value wines from thousands of samples, wines that fit into the ever-evolving wine portfolio that is the core of House of Townend, and which offer tremendous quality, affordability, interest, balance and flavour. We travel extensively, working directly with our winemakers and searching out new exciting producers who share our values.