Our winemakers often say our big Wine Festival is the best they go to.

It's not because of the location. Or because we're their favourite wine merchants (even if we are!)

It's because of our amazing guests who are always so excited to meet them.

You are apparently easily the most enthusiastic people they meet anywhere. And they love that. You’re also the most pleasant and … apparently … the best behaved!

So it's no surprise so many of them have mentioned how much they are looking forward to seeing you all again in our calls about the Wine Festival this year.

After a long break (due to you-know-what) our much-loved annual festival returns to London on Friday the 12th and Saturday 13th May 2023 ... here are 11 of our best-known winemakers looking forward to pouring you a glass of wine.

In 2003 Barbara Laithwaite planted 4,000 vines on a hectare of the Chiltern Hills. The first release, 10 years later, was immediately voted ‘Top English Sparkling’, triumphing at the same time over well-known Champagnes. Other great awards have followed, including last year's Best English Sparkling Rosé from the world's leading competition, IWC. All from Barbara's south-facing, now two-hectare vineyard on the stony gravel soil of the Thames terraces. Only classic Champagne grapes are grown, all three used to make this delicious, fine pink fizz. It’s crafted to capture classic biscuity notes along with brisk minerality, reflecting the cool microclimate of this 100m-altitude site. Who needs Champagne when English fizz is this good?

Paolo is passionate about many things ... his estate, his region; he loves tradition, but never feels bound by it; he’s proud of acclaim, but delights more in the honest appreciation of ordinary wine buyers, with whom he loves to chat at our festival every year.

When asked a question, particularly about his vineyards, the furrows grow more pronounced on his forehead, he screws up his face and strives for precisely the right answer.

Le Vieux Château Guibeau 1966 was the second wine we ever sold and it taught Tony much by comparison with my first. Its maker, old Henri Bourlon, showed him that wine isn’t just about the difference between one patch of soil and another. It’s mostly about different levels of skill and dedication. Many people realise this now, but few did back then.

We buy it from the Brigitte now, granddaughter of Henri, and she is a brilliant winemaker. She likes to call Tony Père Anglais and he has come to know the whole family very well. 

We could never imagine not having Le Vieux Château Guibeau on our list. One day soon we'll probably deal with Brigitte’s daughter, great-granddaughter of the man we first bought the wine from.

Championing brilliant Jaime is one of the reasons we were named Portugal Retailer of the Year. His wines from one legendary vineyard have won more than 70 Golds, including five for his rich, juicy, brambly red Vinha do Fava.

He's a third generation winemaker, having followed in his father's and grandfather's footsteps on their mission to make exceptional Portuguese wines.

He's a true legend in his home country and his wines are legendary with our customers.

As one of South Africa's leading winemakers, Duncan Savage is a purist.

He is the man behind our Vineyard Partner wine Hommage à B Syrah – a sensational red that only happened thanks to the support he received from our customers. It's a tribute to his friend and grower, Boetie, who died too young. With support from our customers, Duncan is able to hold back the grapes from Boetie’s vineyard to make it. 

Unlike a lot of the winemakers we know, Duncan didn't get into the industry because it was in his family. He started working on a vineyard because he needed a job close to the ocean ... so he could surf!

Fortunately he got bit by the winemaking bug and now he's one of the best we know.

Javier Murua is the brilliant, multi award-winning winemaker of Bodegas Muriel in Rioja with a strong international outlook.

Both he and his father have attended our festivals in the past, so he's looking forward to being back in London this May.

Of course, top of the list of the impressive wines Javier makes (and finds) for us is our bestselling Rioja, Barón de Barbón.

Ruth Chávarri Muro is the fifth generation of her family to take the helm at Bodegas Familia Chávarri. The winery has been up and running since 1882, and was the first producer in Rioja Alavesa to have an official bottling number given to them by the Consejo: they are true pioneers.

We love going to visit Ruth's estate when we're in Spain and are looking forward to hosting her here in England for a change.

When Familia Martínez Bujanda moved into their new winery in 1984, they amazed the world with their fruit-rich, modern Riojas. 36 years later, their wines still impress.

Carlos' family estate was the first winery we bought from in Spain, and over the years they’ve remained one of our most trusted suppliers.

He's a lovely chap and we're very pleased he'll be joining us for our biggest festival so far!

Sofia was raised on the family property, and as a child was always playing in the vineyards and the cellar, until she got a bit older and was able to help her grandparents with the wine. They certainly needed all hands to the deck at vintage time.

Today Sofia certainly favours the viticultural side of her winemaking career, she loves the outdoors, the sunshine, following the seasons and being at one with nature and the surroundings.

Always seen with a beaming smile, she'll be delighted to meet you this May.

Fourth-generation family domaine Château Sixtine has been under the direction of Jean-Marc Diffonty since 1993.

With three remarkable ancestors before him who were all forward thinking and hugely innovative, Jean-Marc had a great deal to live up to, but that hasn't bothered him. He has far exceeded expectation and is also making waves.

He'll be pouring glasses of his flagship red, the gorgeous Château Sixtine Châteauneuf-du-Pape, at Olympia Kensington.

His full name's John Quarisa but we know him more fondly as Johnny Q.

For more than 20 years, Johnny worked long hours at some of Australia’s best wineries, including McWilliams, Casella and Nugan Estate. He always dreamt of setting up on his own – but kept putting it off, getting grumpier by the year.

Finally wife Josephine told him to ‘get a move on!’

Now Johnny works even longer hours, but at his own winery and loves being his own boss.