Wine merchants celebrate fifty years of house claret
A county wine merchants has been celebrating 50 years of its claret.
Tanners Claret, the best-selling wine from Shrewsbury-based merchant Tanners Wines, has reached its half century – and the firm's Wyle Cop shop is adorned with a spectacular mural dedicated to the anniversary.
The idea for the Tanners Claret was devised by the late Richard Tanner.
Working in conjunction with Peter Sichel of the famous Bordeaux Sichel family, owners of Château Angludet and part-owners of Château Palmer, Tanners had already been shipping from the Sichels since the 1890s.
The claret first went on sale in autumn of 1972 at the grand price of 88p per bottle – 75p to the trade.
Fifty years on James Tanner, current chairman of Tanners Wine Merchants and the fourth generation of his family to work in the company, said they were thrilled to have reached the anniversary.
He said: "My father, Richard, always maintained Tanners was the first merchant to sell a ‘house claret’ and a scout through old wine lists from other merchants seems to corroborate this.
"We’re delighted to have reached this milestone and are able to celebrate with an anniversary label."
Tanners said the the Merlot-driven claret has "all the brambly fruit and adaptability of a classic Bordeaux", adding "full of hedgerow-fruit and plums, it is sumptuous and highly drinkable."
While the popular style remains unchanged, Tanners are celebrating the milestone with a new, eye-catching label.
