Bennetts Fine Wines in the Cotswolds

In the very heart of the Cotswolds Bennetts Fine Wines looks every inch the old-fashioned traditional wine merchant - small, atmospheric shop with stone floors and a slightly hushed atmosphere.
Situated on the High Street of the charming Costwold village of Chipping Campden (Glos), the shop does have an impressive array of top quality (and top price) Claret, Burgundy, Champagne and Port. However delve only a little deeper and there are many exciting finds from regional France, elsewhere in Europe and the New World - especially New Zealand.
I have a particular passion for the lesser-known wines of the French regions, and I tend to judge a wine merchant by their discoveries from non-classic France - partly because some are too dismissive of such wines, and also because whilst there are many fantastic wines here, the merchant has to be selective to choose only the better producers, and this can take some work.
Hence Bennetts Fine Wines passes my test with flying colours - not because of the volume of French regional wines, but because their selection looks excellent. I would not have expected to see a Cotes Roannaises AC, a Gamay from the Upper Loire (Robert Serol £6.99). Great to see Madirans from Chateau de Viella, Pic St Loup (Languedoc) from Chateau de Lascaux and the wonderful Jurancons from Domaine Cauhapé. Another rarity are the Collioure AC wines from Domaine de la Rectorie and Domaine Pietri-Geraud!
Well, if the rest of their list is as thoughtfully and adventurously chosen as these, then this has to be a shop worth visiting and a list worth exploring.
The old-style shop is complemented by an excellent website (see www.bennettsfinewines.com), mail order service, nationwide delivery, bottles open for tasting in the shop every Saturday and a series of wine tasting events held throughout the winter.

Bennetts Fine Wines
High, Street, Chipping Campden, Glos GL55 6AG
T: 01386 840392 F:01386 840974