Straightforward importers of Italian wines
We are always sending wine out, but the warehouse is not always open for visits - so please check our website before visiting ( https://bat.wine/pages/shop-hours ) Awarded first ever UK “Online Specialist Wine Buyer” of the year (inaugural Wine Buyers Awards held by the London Wine Fair in May 2020), we are a mail-order Wine Merchants, also w
ith a retail site in Oakham, Rutland; we have been importing Italian wine since 1994. You can buy wine online from us, over the phone or by email - or visit us at our warehouse in person. We started trading in 1994, a classic kitchen table and van operation that started simply in Uppingham, Rutland and has now travelled all the way to ……. the outskirts of Oakham, also in Rutland, the smallest county in England! This is not as bad as it sounds, as we weren’t in Uppingham very long before we upped sticks and moved to Staffordshire, where we remained until 2003. We have always been a pared down business, as all the frills are found in the stock. At first, we aimed to sell cricket bats as well as a range of wines. The cricket side has been and gone, wine remains a passion, but a much more focused one. We caught the Italian bug badly thanks to a chance meeting and an introduction to the late Felicita Pask-Hughes, a charming Italian lady who came to Britain after the war. She had a remarkable eye for quality and was fearless in the wines she imported. In a time of straw-wrapped bottles of Chianti, she was importing Isole e Olena and Sassicaia. Ben was told (by Felicita) that we should buy her business. We did and the die was cast. Felicita’s influence on us, helped by a six month journey round Italy, means that our emphasis is mostly, but not completely, on the wines of that country. Whether from Italy, France, Spain or Portugal, we have developed a taste for wines made by men and women who cherish the history and traditions of their hills and valleys. Such individuals make wines with a sense of place and unique character. We aspire to follow our mentor’s lead and do not buy wines for our customers – we find customers for our wines. We try to be serious when buying, but never too serious when you are buying from us! Our Wine Club offers two types of membership: Vinicuriosity and Conspirators. Please have a look, it is really special: https://bat.wine/collections/wine-club
Here are some of our customers’ testimonials that we thought you might want to read:
Antonio L: “Excellent Italian wine selection and Ben has a real passion for all things Italian!”
Leah P: “Thank you Emma and Ben for the superb service you provided to Greenwoods GRM LLP. Our virtual wine tasting event ran extremely smoothly, you organised the dispatch of tasting kits to our guests brilliantly and Ben’s insight into the wines and their origin during the event was fascinating. Ben was highly praised by our guests for his ‘extensive knowledge’ which he delivered in an ‘interesting and informative’ way and everyone enjoyed the selection of ‘fantastic wines’. If you are thinking of a virtual wine tasting event, get in touch with Emma and Ben at Bat and Bottle, they come highly recommended.”
Steve B: “it's great to see a wine seller with a range to suit all tastes and budgets, they seem all too rare.”
Maggie B: “I would like to give a recent example of how you go above and beyond customer expectations. When lockdown came into force in March, you were the only suppliers of wine who were able to guarantee and organise next day shipment of wine not only locally, but also to members of my family who live as far away as Cumbria. Your singular approach over the years means that you understand my allergy to sulphites in wine, and are also able to recommend wines which are particularly suited to my palate. You have provided delicious wines for special family events such as weddings and birthdays, allowing us to relax in the certainty that our guests will be happy. You and Ben are always bright and cheerful, nothing is too much trouble for you- even small orders or requests for individual bottles of wine.”
