Website attempts to change Brits' buying habits

Published: 27 February, 2012

A members-only website which gives consumers exclusive access to hard-to-find wines at attractive prices is launching in the UK.

Following its success in America, New York-based company Lot18 will go live on March 2 in a bid to "revolutionise the way Brits buy wine", according to co-founders Kevin Fortuna and Philip James.

Founded in 2010, the website "has changed the way Americans buy wine after just 14 months of operations," Fortuna said.

Lot18 enables members to purchase directly from wineries around the world. All wines are moved from the producers' and negociants' cellars to Lot18's wine-specific storage center before they're put on sale.

The website will guide customers through their selection depending on their personal tastes. Wines from Sonoma and Napa Valley will be available within the first few weeks of launching, as well as some offerings from Burgundy and Bordeaux.

Lot18 UK aims to expand the website in the future to offer gourmet food products and artisanal goods alongside travel experiences - similar to Lot18 in the US.

Fortuna added: "We hope to be the site for wine amateurs looking to grow and expand their knowledge and interest. Lot18's selection and diversity will grow with their expanded tastes and preferences.

"Every week our objective is to offer fantastic wines, well-known or not, but recognized by the profession and the Lot18 team. We won't offer the cheapest wines or the most expensive - just wines we will always be proud to offer our members."

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