About Us
From Scrums to Sémillon
Nearly 50 years ago our founder, John Earle Jacobs, played rugby in the heart of Bordeaux. He was a member of ‘Les Damiers’, more commonly known today as Bordeaux-Bègles. After hanging up his rugby boots, John explored his love of French wines. After deciding to return home to North Yorkshire, with a host of his favourite wines in his suitcase an idea was born, and as they say… the rest is history.
Today, Earle Wines is one of the UK’s top independent wine merchants, supplying wines directly from the vineyards to customers across the UK and the Channel Islands. Our business strives to champion wines that are wonderfully individual, made by exquisite winemakers who are bursting with passion and the results are full of character and excitement. We continue to spend time discovering untapped gems, not just in Bordeaux but all over France, Spain, California and beyond. We delight in wines that taste superb but which may be made a little off the beaten track or not receive the publicity of the larger labels. Each is produced organically by wonderful families that we are proud to be able to call ‘friends’.
Four decades later, John Jacobs is still widely recognised as an authority on wine. He was intronised into the world-famous La Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin in 1999. He is one of 12,000 knights or Chevaliers across the globe who promote the region and the wine of Burgundy.
In 2023, John's daughter, Anna joined the business with the vision to continue her father’s vision of being no ordinary wine merchant.
Wines Direct from the Vineyards
We pride ourselves on our close association with wine producers and their vineyards. We deal with them on a personal level, not solely for business. Trips to France to check on harvests and innovations is part of our job. We source our wines from family owned estates who create high quality wines. Their attention to detail is evident in the final products. Vines are grown with little or no use of chemical treatments or fertilisers. In most cases our producers tend their vines by hand throughout the growing and harvesting processes.
Exclusive Wines
Many of the wines we sell are exclusive to us and cannot be obtained elsewhere. Although we specialise in French wines, we also have many excellent wines from other innovative wine-producing countries. For example the Bodega Monteviejo in Argentina. We also source unique wines from New Zealand, Chile, Spain, South Africa and Sonoma Country.
We believe our selection not only includes thought provoking wines for 'every day' drinking but also rare fine wines, which greatly reflect the variety, value and quality of wines which have been our hallmark since the business began.
A Personal Service
We are always delighted to discuss our wines with our customers. Earle Wines tailors a selection that matches our tastes and preferences. We can also arrange tastings either privately or at a location of your choice. To make things a little easier, we offer free delivery for any orders over £300 ex VAT or more nationwide. All orders under the value of £300 (ex VAT) will incur a £12.50 delivery charge.
Special Occasion?
For special occasions, such as weddings or corporate parties we can offer free glass hire and wine on a sale or return basis. Please call us for more information on 07839 568939. We look forward to exploring the world of wine with you.