Berry Bros. & Rudd

Berry Bros. & Rudd’s London wine shop at 3 St James’s Street, London, has changed little since it was opened by the Widow Bourne – a woman who lived at number three – in 1698. At that time, a major part of fashionable London life was an outing to a ‘coffee house’ to meet with friends and political allies to plot, scheme and gossip, and this is where the Widow Bourne spotted her business opportunity. In 1698 she set up business at number three, buying her coffee scales and the mill – that are still in the shop today complete with records of customers’ weights spanning three centuries – and began supplying coffee to Boodles, The Carlton Club and the like. These were the beginnings of what is now Berry Bros & Rudd.

Today, the company boasts an extensive range of wines and spirits, from around £5 up to £5,000, and a team of knowledgeable yet friendly staff who offer unparalleled expert advice, no matter what your requirements are. The range incorporates a vast selection of wines, including those from Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Spain and the Rhône, as well as top Italian bottles and New World classics.

From roots as a merchant selling provisions, exotic spices, tea and coffee, No. 3 ultimately became a fine wine merchant and during the past three centuries many famous visitors have passed through Berrys’ doors, from Lord Byron to the Aga Khan. The shop is little changed and traces of its history – including important documents and artefacts – are on view. Berrys’ first supplied wine to the British Royal Family during the rein of King George III and has continued to do so to the present day and currently holds two Royal warrants; for H.M. The Queen and H.R.H The Prince of Wales.

The location includes the spectacular London Cellars at 3 St. James's Street, which date back 312 years. Here, many events are organized, principally tastings, dinners and wine school events. The company has a remarkable heritage of wine knowledge and they are always ready to increase their customers' appreciation.

Berry Bros. & Rudd’s offer an innovative system for building your own cellar. The Cellar Plan system involves monthly payments (starting at £100 per month) by direct debit, and a Fine Wine Advisor who will help you invest into wine. Your own cellar gets a kick start with a free case of Ru Classé Claret. Wines are stored at a state-of-the-art facility in Basingstoke, with small storage charges. Withdrawing wines from a Cellar Plan is easy, with free delivery in the UK, and the possibility of international deliveries. Alternatively, the Berry's Wine Club provides an effortless way of enjoying finest Bordeaux vintages and many other selections, delivered to your door and presenting a selection of fine reds and whites.

Berry Bros. & Rudd also specialize in spirits, with a fine range of whiskys, gins, cognacs, armagnacs and more. The Glenrothes Single Malt Whisky is recognised as the fastest growing brand of Malt Whisky. Also exclusive to this merchant is The King's Ginger, specifically formulated by Berry Bros. in 1903 for King Edward VII. Rich and zesty, the liqueur was created to stimulate and revivify His Majesty during morning rides in his new horseless carriage – a Daimler. King Edward VII was a customer of Berry Bros., as was Edward's physician, who was concerned about the monarch's health, exposed as he was to the elements indulging one of his preferred pursuits, driving his 'horseless carriage'. Consequently in 1903 he commissioned Berry Bros. to formulate a liqueur which would warm and revivify His Majesty. Ginger was chosen as the key ingredient as it has been celebrated for centuries for its medicinal properties. The result is an emphatically ginger liqueur, rich and zesty, an uplifting tonic to be appreciated on its own all year round as well as in any number of cocktails and long drinks.

Opening hours
:
Monday to Friday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturdays: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sundays and public holidays: closed

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APD 8.10.2012