Direct Wines Limited
The firm now ships more than 50 million bottles of wine a year through two businesses, Laithwaites (formerly Bordeaux Direct) and the "Sunday Times" wine club. Both operations sell wine online. Founder Tony Laithwaite first entered the wine business by importing French wines and selling them from a rented railway arch in 1969. When the "Sunday Times" in 1973 published an expos on some of the dirty tricks of the British wine trade, Laithwaite wrote to distance himself from the bad press. The letter drew 2,000 reader responses and prompted the newspaper to establish a wine club with Laithwaite's help.
Contact Details
Office Address
Direct Wines Limited
New Aquitaine House, Exeter Way, Theale
Reading, Berkshire, UK RG74PL
Phone: +44-870-444-8383
Fax: +44-870-444-8182
Executives
Chairman
Tony Laithwaite
Co-Chairman
Barbara Laithwaite
Managing Director
Oliver Garland