Wine merchant Roberson is taking up to 30% off a wide range of top wines as the company prepares to close its London store later this month to focus on its website.
Roberson Wine decided to close its shop in Kensington, south west London, from 30 August, switching its retail operations to its website.
Online wine sales in the UK are worth around £800m, or around 11% of total wine retail sales in the country, according to Wine Intelligence.
But, figures vary, with trade research specialist The Wilson Drinks Report estimating UK online wine sales at £725m earlier this year. Most analysts expect online wine sales to rise significantly in the next few years, however.
As part of efforts to clear its shop, Roberson said it is offering 20% off a range of wines and spirits from today (11 August) to Sunday; escalating to a 25% discount on what’s left between 17 and 23 August, and moving to a 30% discount from 24 to 30 August.
At the current discount rate of 20%, that means that Penfolds St Henri Shiraz 1995 is available for £43.96 a bottle, down from £54.95, while Hermitage 2009, Domaine Marc Sorrel, is priced at £42.36, reduced from £52.95.
Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion 2006 is being sold at £39.96 a bottle, down from £49.95, while Volnay 1er Cru ‘Champans’ 2008, Blain-Gagnard, is £34.36, down from £42.95.
Roberson said it was closing the store as the lease was about to expire, and because the company wanted to ‘focus our energies on other areas that are already growing rapidly.
‘Over the past few years, more and more of our customers have been choosing to shop with us online and by telephone.’
Roberson won best retailer of Americas wines at the 2014 Decanter Retailer Awards.
