About Us
Passionate about wine, passionate about people
The Past
In 1854, John Lay set up a wine company in Colchester with the aim of supplying the world’s finest wines to his customers and providing them with a personal service.
The Present
150 years on, and those two aims are still at the core of what Lay & Wheeler is all about. We are no longer limited to supplying the residents of Colchester, nor do we still deliver by horse and cart, however we do still believe in personal service, and we are still passionate about fine wine.
Through both decades of relationships with more traditional producers, and a sense of adventure when it comes to the new, we have a broad range of wines from around the world. Our expert buying team, including a Master of Wine, source fine wines from the very best producers and the very best vintages, from classic French regions such as Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone and Alsace, as well as Spain, Italy, Germany and New World. Whilst remaining dedicated to the traditional fine wine regions, we are always on the look out for new and exciting wines to introduce to our customers. Through regular tastings during the year and offers by both post and email, we will make sure you are easily updated with the finest wines we are recommending.
The Team
Our greatest asset, apart from our vast portfolio of wines, is our team. Based at our rural offices in Holton St. Mary, Suffolk, they are enthusiastic and knowledgeable. The members of the sales team are encouraged to taste as many wines as possible in order to be able to provide expert advice to our clients.
We are worlds-apart from being a call-centre; we are committed to providing access to the world’s finest wines, providing in-depth wine-knowledge, and providing excellent service.
Drinking Wines
While it can become tempting in this day and age for a fine wine merchant to begin to view wine as almost a financial commodity, we are still absolutely passionate about wine as a product that should be enjoyed. We maintain a diverse and ever-evolving range of wines that are ready to be drink, from wines for every-day enjoyment through to some of the finest and most sought-after wines in the world.
In Bond and En Primeur Wines
We pride ourselves on our relationships with some of the best producers in the world, and these relationships allow us to offer exciting and exceptional wines to our customers. We specialise in selling wines In Bond and En Primeur, giving our customers access to great vintages and fine and rare wines at the earliest opportunity and at the most advantageous prices. We are able to offer Burgundy and Bordeaux En Primeur every year, in January and June respectively. We also offer Rhone, Champagne, Rioja, fine wines from Tuscany and Piemonte, and German Riesling in good vintages.
Fine Wine Trading
We operate a trading service for fine wines, and as one of the largest managers of private customer reserves in the UK, we have access to many of the world's finest wines. Our proactive wine-trading team are fully attuned to market conditions, and ready to provide up-to-the-minute advice about the wines in your cellar.