New York's Sherry-Lehmann to open in California

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Sherry-Lehmann is to open a large shop and tasting space in Los Angeles as part of a plan to become a nationwide wine retailer in the US.

Sherry-Lehmann‘s CEO, Chris Adams, told Decanter.com that he expects a new Los Angeles headquarters and depot in El Segundo to open at the start of December.

There will also be a 12,000-square-foot shop plus a tasting area, all of which would be open by the first quarter of 2017.

Adams said that California was a natural place to set up a second home outside of New York, where it has been based for 82 years. California has an established wine drinking culture and close proximity to vineyards.

But, Sherry-Lehmann is ultimately thinking bigger. ‘We see this as a first step to creating a national platform,’ Adams said.

The retailer is one of the most established players in the high-end wine scene in New York, with 5,000 wines on its books. There won’t be that many wines listed at first in California, but Adams said the plan was to reach that level over time.

Demand for premium and fine wines has been strengthening in the US, said Adams and he said Sherry-Lehmann was prepared to invest in online technology and its luxury offering to maintain its high-end image in different states.

However, he added that Donald Trump’s surprise election as US president last week has created a degree of uncertainty in all areas of the economy.

Adams said Sherry-Lehmann sales were up year-on-year going into the key holiday season in the US, beginning with Thanksgiving on 24 November and closely followed by Black Friday.