No time to slow down for Laithwaite

Tony Laithwaite, founder of Laithwaites Wine, has admitted that he’s working harder than ever for the company’s chief executive Simon McMurtrie, who was voted Man of the Year at The Drinks Business Awards last week.

Speaking aboard a 100-year-old former wine cargo ship – SV Irene – moored at Butler’s Wharf near London’s Tower Bridge, Laithwaite told the drinks business: “With Simon you don’t get time to stop and draw breath. He’s a man in a great hurry.

“I thought I might be coming up for a bit of an easy time now at my age, but I’m working harder than ever for Simon. I’m very busy.”

With the recent demise of Oddbins, Laithwaite believes the future of wine retail lies online. “Wine’s future is online, which is where we are putting a lot of our focus," he said.

“It’s exciting, as it allows us to do more interesting things. You couldn’t convey the excitement of wine with a printed list, or introduce customers to winemakers. The online model lets you to bring the customers into the vineyard – to show and tell more.”

The arrival of SV Irene (pictured) into London last week caused quite a stir. Tower Bridge was raised to allow the ship, stocked with 9,072 bottles of Le Voyage du Chai au Quai 2009, to pass into the city after a 14-day journey from Bordeaux.

Laithwaite wanted to recreate the historic Bordeaux to London trade route, which opened up in the 15th century and sparked Britain’s 600-year love affair with claret.

SV Irene first carried wine on this route when she launched in 1907, before the railway dominated the transport industry.

“Claret and the British have a shared tradition going back hundreds of years," said Laithwaite. "I’ve always felt strongly that this glorious traditional trade should never be forgotten."

Le Voyage du Chai au Quai is made from parcels of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from three Châteaux in the Côtes de Castillon and St Emilion regions of Bordeaux.

To see the full video interview with Tony Laithwaite, click here

Lucy Shaw, 23.05.2011