About Us

MBM’S origins derive from a passionate love of wine and the consequent desire to promote wine culture through an intelligent, value-orientated wine selection and first-class service in markets where wine-drinking is relatively novel.

Background

Our founder was previously involved in the international petroleum industry, spending long periods of time in business development and project negotiation in the Middle East in the 1970s and 1980s during which time the search for a decent glass in such areas was so much more difficult than he felt it should be. It was clear to him that early importers of alcohol did not recognise the evolving importance of wine as a key element in hospitality and personal lifestyle, putting the emphasis on beer and spirits sales with wine as an after-thought. Wine purchasing, such as it was at that time, was based not on value but on price: at the top end the world’s greatest wines were imported for those with the ability to purchase them and for the rest the cheapest wines of any category were offered, with no apparent regard for quality/price ratio.

After some 25 years of complaining about this situation, in 1997 a challenge was offered to our founder whilst assisting in the development of the national oil company of the Sultanate of Oman. An important oil official, who also controlled an alcohol-importing business, offered him the opportunity to “improve our wine selection”…

Our first shipment of wine to Oman was in early 1998 and since that time MBM has sold wine from around the world to these “emerging wine markets”, principally in the Arabian Gulf, Central Asia, the Indian Ocean Basin and East Africa. We have developed long-term and close customer relations with our clients based on the shared goals of quality and service and constantly strive to achieve the vision of our founder: to transform the wine culture in these markets.

Our Team

We are a small, experienced team priding ourselves on personal connections, professional service and outstanding wines.

Andrew Gordon, Managing Director T: 01353 721 999 M: 07795 973 371 E: andrew@privatecellar.co.uk

Andrew Gordon -Managing Director

Nicola Arcedeckne-Butler MW

Nicola Arcedeckne-Butler MW

Alasdair Lawson-Dick, Sales T: 01353 721 999 M: 07776 692 998 E: alasdair@privatecellar.co.uk

Alasdair Lawson-Dick – Sales

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Lettie Fardon – Sales

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