Talking wine with Sandiway Define's Jon Campbell

It is a profession and a passion, one that has been part of his life for more than 20 years.

“In the way some people are particularly perceptive about music I discovered I was the same with flavour,” he says.

“When I taste a wine I savour the different flavours and enjoy how different they can be in weight and texture.

“It wasn’t something that was part of my upbringing, it is just an aptitude that I seem to have and always enjoyed.”

With a skill that many people thirst for, it seemed only right that Jon put it to good use so in 2000 he founded Define in Sandiway.

Having worked in, and supped his way through, France, he wanted to offer a stage for the types of wine that inspired him into the trade in the first place.

Now Define has a national reputation as Jon distributes a range of wines and the exclusive Jacques Selosse Champagne to the likes of Claridge’s, the Savoy, Fortnum Mason and Harrods.

“Jacques Selosse is an extreme expression of champagne and has a dedicated fanbase,” says Jon.  “Demand far outstrips supply.”

Champagne and wine lovers don’t have to dine at the UK’s top restaurants to sample some of Define’s finest.

They can simply pop into the business on Chester Road in Sandiway to pick up a bottle of something special.

At £1,500 a bottle of Domaine de la Romanee Conti La Tache is the most expensive you will find in Define, but there are plenty of other ‘icon wines’ at more affordable prices.

Even a novice can make a smart decision on what they go home with thanks to Enomatic tasting dispensers that offer customers the chance to taste up to 32 wines.

Just insert your Define card, look through the guidance notes or speak to the knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff to get the full story about what you are drinking.

“We thought the dispensers were a great way for customers to broaden their wine repertoire so we change the selection monthly,” says Jon.

“It means that someone who makes a few trips a month can get to taste 384 wines by the end of a year!”

That might sound a lot, but it is nothing compared to what Jon will have tasted.

Indeed he’s sampled every one of the 1,500 wines on his shelves so can speak with experience to his increasingly inquisitive customers.

“Financially it makes no sense to stock 1,500 different wines, but we want to provide an outlet that shows off the great diversity of the world of wine,” he says.

“Most retailers will only sell wines that sell in volume, we select ours based on authenticity and quality and love sharing rarities and new finds with our customers.

“What differentiates us from most wine outlets is that we have tasted every single wine in the shop, we’ve met their makers and we’re on the shop floor to share their stories.”

Those stories are often as important as the wines themselves.

Jon has travelled the world in search of vinous finds and his interest in a particular bottle can be swayed by the personalities and ethos of winemakers and their attachment and dedication to their vineyards.

“I’ve seen what goes into making a bottle of wine and have met a lot of inspirational characters that you enjoy sharing a few glasses with,” says Jon.

“When I meet people who tend the same vines planted by their grandfather it adds to the romance of it all.

“These people across the wine world, like us, are in it for the love of what they do.

They work hard all year to create it, and we take great pride in sharing the fruits of their labour. ”

Define aims to bring these vineyards of the world to the people of Cheshire, showcasing some of the most exclusive global wineries as well as emerging talent and wine styles.

For Jon, who has a degree in French, visiting international vineyards is an essential part of business as well as being a great honour.

“It is a brilliant way to see the world and different cultures by sharing a wine with someone in their home,” he says.

“I still like to visit  vineyards to recharge and remind me what ignited that passion in the first place.”

Jon now counts many of these distant winemakers as friends, and loves to welcome them to present their wares at Define’s highly popular wine dinners.

“We’ve been fortunate to share some of the most respected names in the trade with our customers from John Duval to Alvaro Palacios, from Paul Hobbs to Ben Glaetzer, and many more greats,” he says.

Luis from Quinta dos Roques in Portugal and Sami from Massaya in Lebanon are next up, sharing their stories and their wines, matched to dishes prepared by Define’s talented chef, Matthew Dougherty.

This celebration and education is something Jon holds dear and is an important part of what he does.

DeWINE School was launched in early 2017, delivering a range of Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) certificates.

The courses are taught by Miles Corish, one of only 369 Masters of Wine in the world. Unsurprisingly, no one has ever failed.

“It’s part of a responsibility I feel for educating people about wine,” says Jon.

“A lot of people might like how the alcohol tastes, but I want to help them understand, for example, why wine from different grapes have different tastes.”

So for someone like Jon, does the novelty of a fine wine wear off? It seems not.

His hunger to find the next ‘icon wine’ drives him on and has to be one of the reasons his customers keep coming back for more.

 “I’m sure if a customer looked hard enough they could find the wines cheaper on the internet, but they come into the shop because they trust our guidance, appreciate our passion and enjoy our tales,” he says.

“I also build a profile in my head of a customer’s likes and dislikes so I can make suitable recommendations.”

His suggestions appear to be going down a treat as business is booming. About 18 months ago Define built an atrium giving customers a place to dine as well as wine and Jon’s search for the next big thing goes on.

Everyone, it seems, is thirsty for more!