Decanter World Wine AwardsJulian Brind dies
- Tuesday 21 December 2010
Brind, who died of a heart attack on Sunday 19 December, was an integral part of the Waitrose wine buying team from 1971 until 2010.
He started in the wine trade as a management trainee at Brown & Pank, part of Watney Mann Breweries, and moved into buying wine under the guidance of Don Lovell MW, who put him forward for the Vintners' Scholarship, which he was awarded in 1967.
He passed the Master of Wine exam in 1970, and joined Waitrose in 1971, where for more than 30 years he was instrumental in evolving the wine department.
He laid the foundations for a wine business which for many people remains the benchmark in the industry and resulted in numerous industry awards and accolades.
Although retired, Julian still worked with Waitrose on a consultancy basis and came in weekly to taste wines for quality control.
He also was still fully involved in wine education and deeply committed to the industry, sitting on the Port and Madeira panel for the Decanter World Wine Award, as well as many other panels.
Waitrose wine buyer Pierpaolo Petrassi MW said, ‘He will be sadly missed by many both at Waitrose and in the wider drinks industry as an an inspirational figure for the trade, a dedicated colleague, a fearsomely competitive racquet sports player, a wonderful mentor and great personal friend to many.’
Another senior buyer, Nick Room, paid tribute to Brind's 'masterly direction' of the Waitrose wine department while 'stoutly upholding the John Lewis Partnership's principles of integrity and fair play'.
He pointed out that Brind ordered one of the first consignments of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc in 1973, 'long before it became anything like fashionable'.
'[He was] always motivated by the desire to find new wines that continue to make Waitrose different, whilst maintaining the customer favourites which were the bedrock of the range. He inspired his team with an eagerness to learn more about wine, indeed his enthusiasm for the subject was continually infectious.
'His manner was impeccable in his dealings with the biggest established suppliers, but he revelled in nurturing the smaller artisanal producer, many of whom still retain a secure foothold within the Waitrose range'In a statement Waitrose said, ‘Julian was a true gentleman and his incredible knowledge of wine combined with superb retail acumen made him a charismatic figure who was respected throughout the industry.'
He leaves his wife Charlotte, four children and many grandchildren.
Have your say!
Nick Cooper
January 22 10:46
Julian was one of the wine trade's most affable characters. A gentleman in every sense. I first met him in 1986 when I faced him on a squash court in the annual John Lewis inter-branch tournament. He was ferociously competitive on court, and great company in the bar afterwards. He inspired me to pursue a career in the wine trade, and was an outstanding role model for me and many others. He will be missed immensely.
Andrew Player
January 03 10:08
I was deeply shocked to hear only today of Julian's untimely death.I joined the team at Waitrose in 1980 and in the five years I was there Julian became my mentor and a true friend. He was a wonderful man in all senses.Honest and with complete integrity.He was by far the best boss I ever had in the trade.Thankfully my wife and I met with him and Charlotte only last year on a trip back to the UK, a fresh and lovely memory.What a profound loss.We send our deepest sympathy to Charlotte,the children and grandchildren.
Andrew and Hazel Player
Byron Bay
Australia
Tom Stevenson
December 24 07:44
One of the very nicest, most helpful and, as Margaret Rand pointed out, self-depreciating guys in the wine business. What he achieved at Waitrose is still revolutionary to this day.
Richard Mayson
December 23 13:51
He was one of the nicest men in the wine trade and did so much to take Waitrose above the other multiples in terms of the quality and range of wines. He will be sorely missed.