A wine wholesaler based in Cornwall with an agile team of just six staff, has been included in the prestigious Harpers Top 50 Drinks Wholesalers for 2025, achieving a remarkable ninth placing.
Old Chapel Cellars is best known to the public for its welcoming and well-stocked wine shop on St Clement Street in Truro, housed in an old chapel.
However, the majority of the firm’s business is done in the wholesale market, supplying Cornwall’s restaurants, hotels, bars and bistros with lovingly sourced wines and supporting their clients through wine list curation and staff training.
It’s this quality and care that has been recognised by Harpers, a leading voice in the wine and spirits industry since 1878.
The Top 50 is a highly competitive listing of the best UK wine merchants who supply the hospitality trade; it’s dominated by big national players and those who make the cut must have “excelled across every aspect of their business – from portfolio and service to ethos and ambition.”
Old Chapel Cellars is co-owned and operated by business partners Lousia Fitzpatrick and Jamie Tonkin.
Louisa said: “Placing ninth nationally is a huge achievement for our small, hard-working team here in Truro. It reflects our ethos of balancing a highly professional service with personal levels of care and attention. It’s also a wonderful recognition of our efforts to build an amazing portfolio of wines, and our commitment to sharing the journey with our customers – from vineyard to glass!”
Jamie, who himself was named Single Venue Independent Merchant Wine Buyer of the Year at the London Wine Fair, added: “With all our clients – retail or wholesale – we’re all about customer service, be that through friendly advice, tastings or sending out that last-minute delivery. It’s fantastic to have that recognised at the highest level here in the UK.”
Old Chapel Cellars has two tastings coming up for those who would like to experience this award-winning service for themselves; on the 15th October the team are hosting a tasting for corporate clients looking to outsource their Christmas gifting, and on 12th November the doors will be thrown open for the chapel’s hugely popular Christmas Wine Fair.
For details, visit www.oldchapelcellars.co.uk.
