Chile wine boss gets warm welcome in Cheshire

Jan. 13, 2010 - PRLog -- Celebrated winemaker Enrique Tirado flew half way round the world to raise a glass with the man who helped make his vineyards a global success.
He journeyed from Chile to Cheshire to meet Richard Yates who with business partner Charles Sanderson put the South American country’s wine firmly on the British map.

Richard and Charles were the first wine merchants to mass order from the Concha y Toro company whose primary vineyards are in the Andean foothills, along the Maipo River with many more stretching from the Limari Valley in the North to Bio Bio in the South.

When Richard first started, 19 years ago, Concha was exporting less than 1,000 cases a year into the UK. Now it is now over three million and Concha y Toro is a household name in this country.

Richard, with his wife Ruth, now runs Corks Out, a group of boutique wine merchant shops spread across Cheshire.

Arguably, Cheshire’s fastest growing business, it opened six years ago in Stockton Heath, Warrington, but now also has stores in Chester, Timperley and Alderley Edge.

The venue for Richard and Enrique’s celebration of their successful partnership was Tom at 101, Cheshire Life’s Restaurant of the Year 2008/09 with dinner for 40 special guests.

Owner Tom Rogers was celebrating his own expansion as he has just acquired Owen’s restaurant in Southport which he will rebrand in his own style in the new year.
And his new young chef Richard Nuttall created a unique gin and tonic sorbet to mark the occasion and delightfully surprise the guests.

Enrique now specialises in fine wine and the diners were invited to taste six vintages of Don Melchor, a Cabernet Sauvignon of exquisite quality which he wants to market in Britain.

“When we first started we aimed at providing wine of a good quality at an attractive price and it worked very well,” he said. “Now we are stepping up significantly in quality.”

“We will be selling Don Melchor through specific outlets across the UK, including Harrods in London and Corks Out. I believe Cheshire can be a good market for this high class wine.”

Richard added: “We started something really big all those years ago in Chile and I like to feel the success Enrique has enjoyed since has helped give him the impetus to step up to producing this quality of wine.

“He was told by the owner of Concha y Toro to do whatever he had to do to make the best wine he possibly could.
“What a marvellous job.”

http://www.corksout.com

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Independent Wine and Spirit Specialists with Shops in Chester, Stockton Heath, Heswall, Alderley Edge and Timperley in Cheshire. Established in 2003 by Ruth Yates offering superb wines & spirits, great service with outstanding knowledge. Also mail order.