Michael Sutton’s Cellar
Hidden away just behind Blackpool Sands there’s another world of full bodied reds, crisp whites and juicy rosés. Michael Sutton’s Cellar has been supplying wines from around the world to local families and businesses for over 30 years. Steph Woolvin went to meet them…
A
s you turn away from the main road, sounds of cars and children shouting as they play on the beach soon
disappear. It isn’t long before big gates and a beautiful farmhouse come into view but before reaching my destination I need to negotiate a narrow bridge over the farm’s very own stream. It soon becomes clear this is a bit of a destination for wine lovers. I’m met by 75-year-old Juliet, her son Jonathan, his wife
suzie and the family dog, Drummer. The first stop on the tour is the tasting room which is a surprising contrast to the 18th century barn which houses it. subtle lighting and clean lines provide a funky backdrop to weekly tastings and discussions. “We have quite a bit of fun in here,” Jonathan says with a jolly smile. The family runs free open house tastings where Juliet and Suzie rustle up a few tasty treats to accompany the wines. There are also tutored tastings at £18 a head. upstairs is the main office and events room, which is where we base ourselves for a chat with Drummer nibbling his stick under the table. So what makes people come out
here rather than popping to one of the supermarkets in town? Well, Suzie says it’s all about the personal touch. “We know the names of all our producers, in fact, we often go over to France and have dinner with them! So we can tell you pretty much anything you need to know about these wines. In the supermarkets you have to make a decision based on the small blurb on the back label of the bottle.” When I asked Jonathan what kind of people drink wine his answer was as quick as it was short; “fun people!” He’s keen to point out the wine industry should be light- hearted. “It’s about enjoying what we drink and passing on our knowledge to others. We try and create a relaxed atmosphere here and like it when people come for a tasting who have no idea about wine. Some people think
wine is a snooty affair but we try to dispel all those myths. No question is too silly.” Juliet tells me the business was started in 1985 – by
Some people think wine is a snooty affair but we try
to dispel all those myths.
her late husband Michael who had been a wine lover for some time. “When he retired from farming I said he should turn his passion into a business. He was invited to run the agency for George Vesselle Champagne which started it all off. ” The idyllic estate where he and Juliet lived had been in the family for several generations so it seemed like the right place to set up the business. Juliet says they’ve always taken a personal approach. “Michael’s ethos was to only sell wines that we liked to drink at home and which represented good value for money. He had a wide network of family and friends who became regular buyers and soon the numbers grew. Back then there were no emails or texts, so it was my job to send out wine lists through the post.” The business has grown a lot since then and they now have over 300 people on their mailing list. Over the years Michael and Juliet
travelled to various countries to meet small producers where they purchased wines and brought them back to England to sell. When Michael died in 2011 Juliet decided to keep the business going in his memory. She says it was just what she needed at a difficult time; “it took my mind off things and saved my well being - meeting and talking to people.” It was last September that Jonathan,
Juliet’s second son, came back to live in the house he was born in. “Mother
asked me if my wife Suzie and I wanted to come home and help run the business. It meant leaving our friends in Hampshire but we always knew we wanted to return to Devon one day and last year seemed the right time.” The couple have two grown up daughters and as Jonathan has been in the Royal Navy most of his life the family are used to moving around. All three of them run the business
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