Welcome to Monkeyshed Wines

Hmmmm?

You might say there seems no significant shortage of wine merchants, wine websites and wine clubs on our corner of the planet. Indeed, open the weekend papers and you can’t help but be buried in the latest and greatest offers (the wine offer will be just under the one for the combined wellie remover and tree lopper). There is even a danger of slurping and spitting sneaking below the watershed as prime time TV jumps on the bandwagon!The profile is high so just why do you need Monkeyshed in your life?
Naturally, because we look at the world of wine from our own individual angle, do it better and offer you something we feel the rest are neglecting.
What the traditional flesh and blood wine merchant can offer is a personalised service that develops as your relationship intensifies. What websites offer is the convenience of access from where you chose, when you chose. Clubs can take all the work out of the process, delivering a regular supply of tipple just when you are running out and wondering how to take the edge off the last very strenuous week. All three deliver one part of the perfect wine partner – in the Monkeyshed all three are combined.

What we do!

As with all the best specialist wine merchants, we wont send you any wine without the sort of vital information or spurious gossip necessary to truly experience your wine. Wine is such an intangible that feedback is vital and yours key, we seek it. We might set you straight if needs be (only in the nicest possible way you understand) but we’ll definitely learn and hopefully get even closer to the perfect match next time.
If the web offers convenience, most miss the point of making sure it is your convenience. For those that know what they want with no fuss our list is there. But that can be just a springboard. Please scratch the surface and use the services that lurk beneath.
To the club thing we add a spot of imagination. We don’t want to fill your racks with something built to a price point that might have ended up discounted to cost or below at your local monster store, we want to take you on an adventure. If you're game we have a monthly box addressing a chosen topic, covering benchmarks and expanding horizons. Boldly go, safe in the knowledge that the good captain of the Monkeyshed is there to make sure every episode is a Christmas special.

The Secret Ingredient…..

Finally, our secret ingredient is food. Not such a secret I know but how rarely are food and wine addressed together. Cook books are about food. Wine books about wine. They cross rarely on the box and only to use wine as a vocal lubricant. Most restaurant reviewers are retired alcoholics who stick to water and rarely mention the restaurants they are reviewing let alone what might have tickled the blonde’s vinous fancy. A trick is being missed! Whilst there is very little to beat a good glass of your favourite tipple or a great meal, pair the two, throw in the company and nothing comes close.
The plan is to tackle a recipe every month. Exploring traditional regional and stylistic wine matches or diving into uncharted territory to grapple with cuisines unfamiliar to the joys of wine - if only to admit were stumped and try to find you a good price on your favourite beer! There might even be something exciting for your your larder.

Or not

If that all sounds a bit like hard work just relax with the prettiest sounding bottle on our small but beautiful list and indulge the moment. All our wines are selected with this as the highest priority criteria, world peace running a close second.

How it works.

Monthly Newsletter
► Just send us you email details (to wine@monkeyshed.com) and you’ll receive our monthly newsletter on a month by month basis!

Wine List
► Maintained on the web at www.monkeyshed.com
► Our core list that can be ordered from as and when you fancy.
► BUT please, please put us through our paces and ask if you want something specific we don't list. The hardest part of parting with Harvey Nicks was saying goodbye to the warehouse that allowed a list of about 1000 active lines - most I can still access but they just don't fit under my stairs!
► We'll be adding a selection of vital wine toys and an expanding selection larder ingredients.

The Box
► A selection that explores a particularly pressing subject every two months. Maybe:

  • a variety – Great Grenaches of the world
  • a technique – Bio-dynamics, or what to do with that pesky cow horn
  • something tasty – It's Saturday night, I've ten top friends arriving, just what am I going serve with the pan fried foie gras and corn fritter starter? I know I'll ask Monkeyshed!
  • an occasion – wines for Mid Summer's Eve and the straw wrapped sea bass on the barbeque.

► Accompanying tasting and background notes. More background than tasting, as is my wont – although we’ll point you towards the gooseberries and cats pee where necessary.
► Variety. The selection that will vary in size, perhaps a dozen bottles, perhaps only six, but always great value!
► Cost. Order it as you like for £130 delivered or take away the risk of missing out sign up and get that bi-monthly treat for just £120.

The Food File
► With every box we'll review a recipe and perhaps include a parallel food offer in The Box. Gourmet smoked eels, handmade aniseed biscuits, a bottle of olive oil or even a six pack of olive oil as the monthly box.

Cellar Services
► Whether it’s a rescue mission or a blank canvas we have the technology.
► We’ll value your stocks, assess drinking habits and look at your cellaring needs all to deliver a Plan.
► Then build, sell and buy to meet the plan and give you a working cellar.

Our extra dimensions.

For those that want a more involved experience the world is your oyster. There are no ideas too outlandish only, only ..... er martians? (or however it goes.......)
Try us, you'll like us.

Alexander Ignatieff
Monkeyshed Wines
+44 (0) 7771 936297 (mobile)
(alex@monkeyshed.com)

 

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