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Our Buying Team

Our Buying Team

Warm clothes, thick soles and the ability to sniff out an opportunity from 100 paces.

The life of a Buyer involves a good deal of travel, a little bit of luck, and a lot of dead ends. Many is the Buyer who has, already late for the next appointment, endured escapades up hills and off roads in search of tiny specks of ancient vineyards. And of course, vignerons tend to be hospitable people, so there tends to be lunch, every day. Our team of seven Buyers spend, cumulatively, around six months of every year in the pursuit of great bottles from the world’s finest winemakers. It is a labour of love fuelled by a passion for discovery, but also friendship and long-standing producer relationships. Many of our growers have been on the books for decades, generations even. We’ve watched sons and daughters move from school, to cellar hand, to winemaker and finally, patron.

Awarded to Justerini & Brooks

Our Buying Team

Hew Blair

Hew Blair

Hew’s 26-year tenure as Justerini & Brooks' buying director saw him become the longest-serving in the trade, reputedly with one of the best palates.

Now in his 41st year with the company, he remains as likely to be found in a vineyard in Piedmont, a cellar in Burgundy, a chateau in Bordeaux, or Riesling-hunting on the banks of the Mosel as at his desk overlooking St James’s.

Back in the 1980s, Hew made the decision to go direct to the winemaking talent rather than through import houses. He began with trips to Burgundy, the Rhone and Loire, then onto Germany and Italy.

Hew’s early support proved instrumental in the success of many remarkable names. His close relationships continue with these celebrated producers, including Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Bruno Clair, Rene Rostaing, JJ Prum, Domaine Weinbach, Elio Altare and Palliser Estate. In fact, Palliser recently named its 2013 Martinborough Pinot Noir after Hew’s Labrador, The Great Hector.

Hew pioneered En Primeur tastings in London, beginning with the Burgundy 1990 vintage. Today, Justerini & Brooks has an unrivalled collection of greats from Burgundy, shipping from over 50 domaine producers every year.

Hew is a member of the Royal Household Wine Committee, and was recently made a member of The Riesling Fellowship.

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Giles Burke-Gaffney

Giles Burke-Gaffney

Giles heads the Justerini & Brooks buying team of five, who travel the world in search of great wines from family-run domaines and estates.

He joined Justerini & Brooks in 1997 as a cellar hand. It was the aromas while decanting incredible wines for lunches in the dining room at St. James's Street that sparked his passion and drew him into wine as a career.

For 15 years Giles honed his tasting skills and palate, built his wine knowledge, and forged grower relationships under the tutelage of then buying director (now chairman) Hew Blair. Giles took on this highly prized role himself in 2012.

He works closely with around 200 producers, and these relationships that are the lifeblood of the Justerini & Brooks portfolio. He also puts great effort into unearthing hidden wine making talent.

Giles spends much of his year in vineyards and cellars, principally in the wine regions of Europe, and has tasted over 30,000 wines in the last 5 years alone.

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Julian Campbell

Julian Campbell

Jules is responsible for Champagne, Germany, The Loire, The United States, Alsace, Southern France, South America and Whisky.

Jules joined Justerinis in 2005, originally as a member of the private client sales team. His early days involved plenty of decanting and time spent digging around in the cellar for interesting old bottles. He joined the buying team in 2010 and hasn’t looked back – a love of travel and thirst for discovery see him regularly travelling to far flung vineyards, swapping the St James’s Street cellar for those of the vignerons and wine-makers who produce many of the world’s most wonderful wines. An eclectic taste in wine means he’s as happy drinking great Champagne and Burgundy as he is enjoying something oxidative from Jura or an obscure Californian….

Jules is responsible for Champagne, Germany, The Loire, The United States, Alsace, Southern France, South America and Whisky.

Jules joined Justerinis in 2005, originally as a member of the private client sales team. His early days involved plenty of decanting and time spent digging around in the cellar for interesting old bottles. He joined the buying team in 2010 and hasn’t looked back – a love of travel and thirst for discovery see him regularly travelling to far flung vineyards, swapping the St James’s Street cellar for those of the vignerons and wine-makers who produce many of the world’s most wonderful wines. An eclectic taste in wine means he’s as happy drinking great Champagne and Burgundy as he is enjoying something oxidative from Jura or an obscure Californian….

Read full biography

Tom Jenkins

Tom Jenkins

Tom handles Justerini & Brooks' relationships with its Bordeaux negociants, and orchestrates the annual Bordeaux En Primeur campaign.

Tom joined the Wine Trade in 2001 and then became Justerini & Brooks’ Bordeaux Buyer in 2008. After record-breaking primeur campaigns, the Chinese boom and bust, and the ‘Bordeaux bashing’ years; his enthusiasm for wine is still unwavering - and he still loves the buzz of a Bordeaux campaign.

Tom joined the Wine Trade in 2001 after a brief stint in the City. He soon developed a passion for Bordeaux, Burgundy, Germany and Champagne. He became Justerini & Brooks’ Bordeaux Buyer in 2008, just before Lehman Brothers’ collapsed and the ensuing credit crunch. After record-breaking primeur campaigns, the Chinese boom and bust, and the ‘Bordeaux bashing’ years; his enthusiasm for wine is still unwavering - and he still loves the buzz of a Bordeaux campaign.

‘Bordeaux is where wine-making tradition meets the corporate world of business and finance; a paradoxical relationship that is quite unique in the world of wine’. For Tom, spending time in the company of the Guinaudeaus, Olivier Berrouet, Francois Mitjavile, Denis Durantou and many other growers that Justerini & Brooks is proud to work with, dispels any notion that Bordeaux lacks passion. ‘This is still a region bursting with discoveries, constantly innovating and pushing the boundaries’.

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Josephine Davies

Josephine Davies

Josephine joined Justerini & Brooks in 2012 after graduating from university in Paris. She is a passionate Francophile with a keen interest in gastronomy and fine wine, particularly the wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy. As a Broker, she is responsible for sourcing fine and rare wines from the secondary market and the Bordeaux Place. She is already a vetran of many a Bordeaux en primeur campaign and has travelled to several wine producing regions to further her knowledge. In 2018, Josephine became a Liveryman in The Worshipful Company of Vintners.

Josephine joined Justerini & Brooks in 2012 after graduating from university in Paris. She is a passionate Francophile with a keen interest in gastronomy and fine wine, particularly the wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy. As a Broker, she is responsible for sourcing fine and rare wines from the secondary market and the Bordeaux Place. She is already a vetran of many a Bordeaux en primeur campaign and has travelled to several wine producing regions to further her knowledge. In 2018, Josephine became a Liveryman in The Worshipful Company of Vintners.

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Mark Dearing

Mark Dearing

Mark is responsible for Spain, South Africa, Australia and Austria. He also supports all direct buying across the portfolio and En Primeur (outside of Bordeaux), namely, Burgundy, Rhone, Piedmont and Germany. He joined Justerini & Brooks in 2013 from wine retail, moving in to buying in 2014. German Riesling remains his first love, but his tastes are broad, encompassing both the classical wines of Europe and those from further afield, particularly the modern Cape white blends and Chenin Blancs of South Africa. He feels privileged to be able to get to know some extraordinarily passionate producers in some of the most beautiful places in the world.

Mark is responsible for Spain, South Africa, Australia and Austria. He also supports all direct buying across the portfolio and En Primeur (outside of Bordeaux), namely, Burgundy, Rhone, Piedmont and Germany. He joined Justerini & Brooks in 2013 from wine retail, moving in to buying in 2014. German Riesling remains his first love, but his tastes are broad, encompassing both the classical wines of Europe and those from further afield, particularly the modern Cape white blends and Chenin Blancs of South Africa. He feels privileged to be able to get to know some extraordinarily passionate producers in some of the most beautiful places in the world.

Read full biography

Peter Downton

Peter Downton

After studying history and law at University, Pete followed his passion for wine, starting on the graduate scheme at Majestic before moving to Ridgeview, where he was in charge of retail sales and events. He joined Justerini & Brooks in 2015 and has been honing his knowledge of wine through WSET diploma and pursuing his interests in Champagne, Bordeaux, Burgundy, German Riesling and Piedmont. His career wine highlight was drinking Pie Franca Cappellano 2013 in Barbaresco with Piero Busso. As a Broker, he is responsible for sourcing fine and rare wines and Whisky from the secondary market and the Bordeaux Place.

After studying history and law at University, Pete followed his passion for wine, starting on the graduate scheme at Majestic before moving to Ridgeview, where he was in charge of retail sales and events. He joined Justerini & Brooks in 2015 and has been honing his knowledge of wine through WSET diploma and pursuing his interests in Champagne, Bordeaux, Burgundy, German Riesling and Piedmont. His career wine highlight was drinking Pie Franca Cappellano 2013 in Barbaresco with Piero Busso. As a Broker, he is responsible for sourcing fine and rare wines and Whisky from the secondary market and the Bordeaux Place.

Read full biography