Exel Wines Wins at Independent Retail Awards

There’s little better in life than a proper wine shop. You know the type I mean;  rows and rows of glorious ruby red bottles, pale crisp whites, and lush pink roses. Labels reminiscent of medieval coats-of-arms on one shelf, uber-cool minimalist brands on another. There is an air of both sophistication and indulgence in a truly great wine shop, and whether you’re an expert or a scoffer, a wee half hour browsing the shelves and studying the vast selections of new age, old world, popular and lesser known wines is a great way to while away some time.

It seems that the people who run the Scottish Independent Retail Awards feel exactly the same way as we do! They now have a category dedicated to regional off-sales and have had thousands of entries flood in from all over Scotland.  And wouldn't you know, their winner for the North East Off-Sales Scottish Independent Retail Award (try saying that after a heavy bottle of burgundy!) was Perth's very own Exel Wines! WHOOP!

We caught up with Russell, Exel Wine Manager and he had this to say,

“Wow, we were just thrilled to be nominated in the first place, but then to triumph amongst some serious competition was just the icing on the cake.  And I do mean that literally as it was also my Birthday! It was a great celebration of the hard work and dedication that everyone at Exel Wines puts into what we do, but what made it really special was the fact that all the nominations came from our customers.  I think that says something about the great job all of the team do and I hope they are as proud of themselves as I am of them.”

If you’ve never been into Exel then get yourself round to South Street and have a browse. They have an outstanding array of great wines and pride themselves on what they call their ‘quality-to-value’ ratio. Basically, whether you’re looking for great tasting mid-week supper plonk or something extra special they work hard to make your pound go further.

They like to source wines as close to their origin as possible and work with small scale niche vineyards, where wines are made as a passion. By doing this they can put their hands on their hearts when they offer you a product that has integrity and provenance.

As well as a great selection of wines they also stock craft beers from local breweries, local craft spirits and a marvellous choice of fine Scottish Malts. The staff  are knowledgeable and passionate about their products and can chat for hours and hours about wines from across the globe. Throw in the same level of love and commitment to whisky and spirits and you have yourself a little haven of hospitality and a #PerthLoveFest favourite just waiting to be discovered.

Russell gave us a flavour of what’s to come for 2015 at Exel!

“It is set to be a busy year of events and fun goings on for Exel Wines. From the second annual 'Home of Whisky Festival' in May to regular tasting sessions at the shop and a new website launch planned for the early part of this year, we've plenty to see and do. Keron is now firmly in place as the shop manager and is bringing a fresh wave of enthusiasm and passion to the team.  It is an exciting time to be part of Exel Wines"

Well done from all us – South Street will be groaning under the weight of their awards before long!

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Amongst the other Perthshire businesses triumphing on the night was Willie Little's Fish in Crieff in the Fishmonger category which gives me a perfect excuse to call one of my favourite Perthshire Personalities! Willie, we’re coming to get you!
  
The Scottish Independent Retail Awards are all about supporting businesses who work within their local community. They aim to highlight the value of independent retailers to the communities they operate within and hope to recognise and reward the entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen which lies behind the thriving independent retailers. And in true independent spirit, they are voted for by the general public.

Here in the Small City, we simply call it #PerthLoveFest!