Wine merchant Justerini & Brooks marked 275 years in business last week via the launch of several exclusive products at its grand anniversary celebration at Burlington Arcade in Mayfair.
With a staggering 275 years of trading under its belt, Justerini is currently pulling out all the stops to mark the occasion.
Speaking at the anniversary event on Thursday (24 October), buying director Giles Burke-Gaffney underscored the longevity of business via several other historical milestones.
Burke-Gaffney, who himself has been at the business for 25 years – almost 10% of its history – said Justerini was operating in St James, “Before the first vintage was put on a bottle of Champagne, before the United States was founded, before the accidental invention of German late harvest wine in 1775”.
To mark the occasion, the business took over the entirety of Burlington Arcade where producers, trade press and other guests gathered to try an impressive collection of special bottlings and ‘once in a lifetime’ vintages from Justerini’s catalogue, including top wines from Bordeaux’s left and right banks, standout Napa Valley wines and large format bottles, including a Balthazar of 2010 Barolo, La Serra by Roberto Voerzio. Whisky heritage was also on display, featuring rare bottles from distillers across Diageo’s portfolio in Scotland including Talisker and Mortlach. Justerini & Brooks was included in Grand Metropolitan’s merger with Guinness PLC in 1997 to form Diageo.
The event also saw the launch of the new Limited Series. The most limited is the Justerini & Brooks 275th Anniversary Case, featuring the wines of top producers in their respective regions: Echezeaux, Grand Cru, Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, 2013; Barbaresco, Crichët Pajé, Roagna, 2016; and Château Lafleur, 2016. Just 30 sets are available, priced at £4,500 per set (including duty and taxes). Each are hand signed by the winemakers and were selected by Burke-Gaffney. Justerini & Brooks has also selected a special 275th-anniversary own label bottling from Vosne-Romanée, Burgundy, priced at £22.70.
Justerini & Brooks was founded during the reign of George II by Giacomo Justerini with with its eye on selling sophisticated wines and spirits to London’s elite. Over the years, it has drawn patronage from historical figures, including Oscar Wilde. It has also been awarded the Royal Warrant by every consecutive British monarch since King George III in 1761 to Queen Elizabeth II.
Naomi Alston, general manager at Justerini & Brooks said: “From Giacomo Justerini’s original vision of bringing Europe’s finest wines to London, to today, 275 years later, we have remained true to our commitment to exceptional quality. Reaching this incredible milestone is a testament to our dedication and passion. As we celebrate our past, we also look forward to the future, continuing to evolve, offering exclusive experiences, and serving collectors and connoisseurs across the globe.”