Carol simply loves wine. She has a soft spot for French wine, especially Champagne and Burgundy, but she's fascinated with wines from all over the world. She's travelled near and far to visit wineries and meet producers in wine regions like Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Rhône, New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, Oregon and Washington. She's passionate about taking the mystery out of wine for her customers and introducing them to new wines that they are sure to enjoy "My best day is when I help someone find a wine that will surprise them and make them happy!"
Carol has some simple beliefs about wine that are obvious in The Wine Reserve shop and website. First, there are great wines for all budgets – that's why Carol and Tim spend so much time tasting new wines. Second, food can bring out the best in wine and wine can bring out the best in food. Carol and the team are always available to recommend wine pairings to make any meal a special occasion. And third, there's no right and wrong with wine – it's just a matter of taste. The Wine Reserve has a wide selection of hand-picked wines to help you discover what you like.
Her all time favourite wine is Vosne-Romanee from Burgundy. Ask her about her special attachment to this wine next time you are in the shop. Her favourite Tuesday night tipple is a German off-dry Riesling, which is her perfect match for a kedgeree. And for special occasions, her go-to fizz is Bollinger Grand Annee.
Carol teamed up with Tim to buy The Wine Reserve in May 2015, after working in the shop for two years. After many successful years in retail and brand management, she took advantage of an opportunity to make the wine business her second career. Contrary to popular belief, Tim and Carol are not married (as Criscia and Jo can attest), even though you might catch them bickering in the shop! They have very different tastes in wine, which is what makes their partnership work so well. Carol likes to say that Tim is the best wine buyer…in Cobham!