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Wine merchant and former restaurateur Joseph Berkmann passes away

One of the big names in the UK wine trade, Austrian-born Joseph had a passion for life that steered him through ownership of what became a significant French-leaning restaurant group in London, introducing Beaujolais Nouveau to his customers along the way.

That, in turn, lead to the formation of Genevieve Wines, named after his first restaurant venture, Genevieve, and which was set up to supply wines from the list to customers wanting to buy for their own table.

The restaurant business was wrapped up in 1982. However, having developed a taste for wine and the wine world, he went on to launch Berkmann Wine Cellars, which he successfully grew to become the largest family-owned wine importer in the UK – a status it retains today under the leadership of his son Rupert Berkmann.

Those who encountered Joseph during his lively and multi-faceted trajectory, which also took in consumer wine writing and a wine company founded with Alexis Lichine in New York, will remember him as a raconteur and bon viveur with many an anecdote drawn from his well-connected circle of friends and peers in the wine and restaurant worlds.

Jancis Robinson MW, writing in the FT, perhaps best summed up Joseph’s approach to his varied and colourful life, quoting: “I’ve never done things for money. I just wanted to do things I was passionate about.”

In later years, Joseph spent much of his time at his St Tropez home, with the running of Berkmann Wine Cellars passing fully to Rupert, assisted by purchasing director Alex Hunt MW and the wider team.

A frequent high flier in Harpers Top 50 Wholesalers, the company created and driven by Joseph Berkmann’s passion remains an important part of the premium wine scene that defines the UK trade today. And its aim, “to connect the world through taste”, very much reflects its founder’s vision.

• wine trade
• founder
• died
• Berkmann Wine Cellars
• Joseph Berkmann
• Genevieve