038 ADVERTORIAL
however, is local Tim Fletcher, who escaped the pressures of working in the City to run the family wine fi rm in the most idyllic of rural locations in Horsmonden.
Fine wines M
delivered to your door!
Horsmonden-based Rodney Fletcher Vintners is a second generation family-run business delivering a broad selection of wines, still, sparkling and fortifi ed, direct to your door – and INDEX readers can get 10% off online orders throughout April
any of us dream of giving up the rat race and doing a job we love but few of us ever achieve that. One man who has,
crossed my mind before but I couldn’t think of a good enough reason not to – and so here I am 13 years later.
When INDEX caught up with Tim it was in the wake of the ‘Beast from the East’ which saw much of this part of Kent severely disrupted by the snow, yet Tim actually enjoyed his journey to work – a 20-minute walk through snow- covered and picturesque orchards! Here Tim talks about his favourite wines, his most satisfying sale and more, plus shares his tips on pairing food and wine and buying wine from an independent merchant.
It’s most people’s dream to give up the city rat race to run a business they love in the beautiful Kent
countryside – but for you, that’s reality…
It wasn’t planned and I was extremely lucky on timings. My father
What has been your most satisfying sale? There have been a few. Perhaps the fi rst order from a restaurant I’d been cold calling once a year for six years looking for an opportunity to get a wine on the list. Or it might have been an unexpected internet order for some wine which a New York couple had drunk while getting engaged on a weekend away in Canada and were searching for more to serve at their wedding. We had a few cases which I thought would never fl y the nest and the customers were happy to arrange the shipment, which cost them almost as much as the wine.
In your opinion, is it really ‘white with fi sh’ and ‘red with meat’? It was in Tunbridge Wells in the 1970s when I was a child. It was socially unacceptable to think otherwise at the
time. Wine and food have changed a lot since then and lighter wines with lighter sauces etc is probably a better guide. Or
drink craft beer, which is remarkably food friendly.
So, what are you drinking? had started making noises
about wanting to sell the business and I happened to be between jobs and looking for a change. Moving back to Kent hadn’t
I’m just fi nishing off a Kentish Ortega dry white and am looking forward to opening a Chilean Riesling and two different red Bordeaux. I usually have quite a few samples open at home so I can taste them over several days and end up pouring a fair amount away, which always makes me feel guilty.
What are you selling? We have about 900 wines in stock, from
£4.50 bin ends upwards, of which 400-odd are core lines, 150-200 are imported by us, many being exclusives. Most of our sales are to the on-trade, which requires us to carry a bit of ‘something for everyone’. It also means that we’re likely to have a van going close to your door at least once during the week if you’re east of Chichester and west of Broadstairs. We’re more than happy to put together mixed cases and you can leave the work to us, just let us know what you want to pay with a few clues about what you like and we’ll pick out a few for you to try.
The next generation?
My two boys often have to come out with me to do emergency deliveries at weekends and do tend to show some sort of enthusiasm. If one or both want to join they have a while to make a decision – I probably have at least another 20 years before I’ll feel the need to take a back seat!
• Contact Tim at Rodney Fletcher Vintners, Pullens Farm, Lamberhurst Road, Horsmonden TN21 8ED, call 01892 724314, email tim@
rfvintners.co.uk or visit
www.rfvintners.co.uk
INDEX READER OFFER! Free delivery on orders over £100, fi ne wines, everyday drinking, port, bin ends and mixed cases, the service is personal and the choice extensive. Visit the website and see for yourself – and INDEX readers can get 10% off their fi rst online order. If you’d rather pop along to see Tim in person, Rodney Fletcher Vintners are open by appointment Mondays and Fridays from 9am-3pm. To claim your 10%, simply choose your wines, go to the checkout then quote promotional code RFV10%OFF.
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