About Us

Erik Laan, The Vineking
Having worked for several wine merchants, I set up The Vineking in 2003 from the kitchen table in a 1 bed flat in Earlsfield, London. From the original set up of a kitchen table, a PC and a phone, we now have 3 shops, a warehouse, 2 vans and a team of equally enthusiastic chaps!

From the very outset, The Vineking motto has been “great wines, no nonsense” and this concept has guided us thus far. You’ll often find me in one of the shops, enthusing about my latest discovery as few things excite me as much as finding a truly great wine, at a brilliant price, (especially if it also happens to be a Riesling or Pinot Noir).

The wonder of wine is an ever changing subject, so hop on board with us, as we’re going to have a great vinous journey!

Jez
I’ve worked within the retail industry for over 20 years now, but my love of wine started when I became an off-license manager for one of our leading supermarkets. After completing my WSET certificates I started writing my own Blog about wine as an outlet for the tastings I was going too, after careful consideration I decided I wanted to get into the wine trade further and here I am working for The Vineking.

As for what wine I enjoy to drink, I am currently exploring much of the New World.

Mark
Hi, I’m Mark and I’ve been working at The Vineking for three years. My first real wine tasting experience was visiting producers in Burgundy at the age of 12 at the side of my father from which a seed was sown. Since then I have worked as the Assistant Manager of Harrods Wine Department, and been a Sales Representative for a number of Wine Wholesalers in London.

During my time in the trade I have most importantly tasted a lot of wine but also visited many wine regions from France to Australia. Specialities: Great Wines No nonsense!

Joe
I came to wine through archaeology and this has informed my drinking preferences ever since. 2009 saw me shipped out baggage-class to Burgundy, where I spent a happy few weeks working with Domaine Ambroise in Nuits-Saint-Georges. Having spent a period moving around the companies various stores a lot, I seem to have come full circle and settled back into Weybridge, looking after the more esoteric requests and listening to opinion-dividing music.

As for wine, I’m happiest with northern Italian reds and whites of all descriptions, Pinot and Chardonnay. I’ll rhapsodise over Barbera if given half a chance, get rather excited at the sight of anything from the Cote- du-Beaune, and often find myself arguing over Prosecco. It’s a tough life.