Celebrated winemaker Enrique Tirado flew half way round the world to raise a glass with the man who helped make his vineyards a global success. He journeyed from Chile to Cheshire to meet Richard Yates, who now runs Corks Out with his wife Ruth.
Richard with business partner Charles Sanderson were the first wine merchants to mass order from the Concha y Toro company, whose primary vineyards are in the Andean foothills, and put the South American country’s wine firmly on the British map.
When Richard first started, 19 years ago, Concha was exporting less than 1,000 cases a year into the UK. Now it is now over three million and Concha y Toro is a household name in this country.
Corks Out, a group of boutique wine merchant shops, opened six years ago in Stockton Heath, Warrington, and now also has stores in Chester, Timperley, Heswall and of course Alderley Edge - which opened on London Road in August.
Enrique, who now specialises in fine wine, said “When we first started we aimed at providing wine of a good quality at an attractive price and it worked very well. Now we are stepping up significantly in quality.”
“We will be selling Don Melchor through specific outlets across the UK, including Harrods in London and Corks Out. I believe Cheshire can be a good market for this high class wine.”
Richard added: “We started something really big all those years ago in Chile and I like to feel the success Enrique has enjoyed since has helped give him the impetus to step up to producing this quality of wine."
“He was told by the owner of Concha y Toro to do whatever he had to do to make the best wine he possibly could. What a marvellous job.”
