The Oxford Wine Company

What The Oxford Wine Company does

The Oxford Wine Company is an independent wine merchant founded in 1840 and headquartered in Witney, UK, operating across Oxfordshire and South East England. The company serves individual wine consumers, university and corporate clients, wedding and event planners, and trade customers through a multi-channel retail model encompassing five physical shops (three in central Oxford at Turl Street, Botley Road, and Little Clarendon Street; the Standlake Wine Warehouse HQ; and a Millets Farm concession), an e-commerce storefront at shop.oxfordwine.co.uk, and a wholesale supply operation. The company is part of The Oxford Wine Group, which also includes four wine bar and music venue sub-brands (The Oxford Wine Café, The Oxford Wine Cellar, The Oxford Wine Tavern, and Sandy's Wine & Piano Bar) and the education arm The Oxford Wine School.

The core product is a curated portfolio of wines, spirits, and beers spanning classic regions (Bordeaux, Champagne, Tuscany) and lesser-known origins (Georgia, Hungary, Austria, Bulgaria), offered through bottle sales, themed mixed cases, wholesale supply, and curated tasting events including the annual Oxford Wine Fair featuring 120+ wines across 20 tables. The technology stack is conventional: a WordPress-based e-commerce platform with advanced search and filtering by country, grape variety, price, alcohol %, bottle size, and specialty categories (vegan, biodynamic, organic, sustainable), with email marketing managed through Campaign Monitor and Drip. The Oxford Wine School delivers WSET Levels 1–3 wine education and online courses, and the company won the Drinks Retailing Awards 2025 Excellence in Training and Education category in its inaugural year.

The business model rests on three primary revenue streams: (1) retail wine and spirits sales through physical shops and e-commerce with tiered delivery pricing (free UK mainland delivery over £100, free Oxfordshire delivery over £55, £15 courier fee below £100, £30 Saturday surcharge); (2) tasting events and WSET education (Oxford Wine Fair tickets £25–35, bespoke tastings, WSET courses); and (3) wholesale and event supply to trade customers, weddings, parties, and university services, with a dedicated Corporate and University Account Manager. A loyalty scheme rewards 1 point per £1 spent, redeemable at 100 points = £1. The company employs 101–250 staff and is privately held by Owner and Chairman Ted Sandbach, with no external investment or parent company identified.

Name

The Oxford Wine Company

Legal name

The Oxford Wine Company Limited

Website

https://www.oxfordwine.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1840

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Oxford Wine Company is an independent UK wine merchant founded in 1840, operating five retail shops, an e-commerce storefront, a wholesale division, and WSET wine education across Oxfordshire and South East England. It serves consumers, universities, event planners, and trade customers with curated wines and spirits.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wine Retail and Distribution

NAICS

Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (44532), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)

SIC

Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine Retail (Bottle Shops & Wine Merchants) (CRANABAB)

Keywords

• Wine retail
• Wine merchant
• WSET wine education
• Wine wholesale
• Wine tasting events

Headquarters

HQ city

Witney

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Retail Wine & Spirits Sales: Sale of wines, spirits, and beers through 5 physical retail locations across Oxford and Standlake, and an e-commerce platform. Products range from everyday drinking wines to fine wines, with a wide selection including wines from classic regions (Bordeaux, Champagne, Tuscany) and lesser-known regions (Georgia, Hungary, Austria). Also stocks spirits including gin, whisky, mezcal, cognac, armagnac, calvados, grappa, pisco, and sake.
2. Tasting Events & Education: Revenue from wine tasting events (including the annual Oxford Wine Fair at £25-35 per ticket), bespoke tastings, and WSET courses (Levels 1-3 in Wine) offered through The Oxford Wine School.
3. Wholesale & Event Supply: Wholesale supply to trade customers including weddings, parties, and university services, targeting venues and event planners requiring bulk wine supply.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Oxford Wine Company is an independent wine merchant that sells wines, spirits, and beers through five physical retail shops in Oxfordshire and a UK-wide e-commerce platform. It also runs an award-winning wine education division (The Oxford Wine School) offering WSET courses, hosts producer-led tasting events and masterclasses, and supplies wholesale customers including weddings, parties, and Oxford University services. The company operates four associated wine bars under The Oxford Wine Group.

Product overview

The Oxford Wine Company is an independent wine merchant operating as a multi-channel retail business. Its core offering includes an e-commerce platform (shop.oxfordwine.co.uk) for wine, spirits, and beer sales, supported by four physical retail shops in Oxford and surrounding areas. The company operates The Oxford Wine School as its award-winning education division providing WSET courses, and offers curated tasting events including producer masterclasses and bespoke tastings. Its wholesale division supplies trade customers, event services for weddings and parties, and university services. The Oxford Wine Group encompasses several venue sub-brands: The Oxford Wine Café, The Oxford Wine Cellar, The Oxford Wine Tavern, and Sandy's Wine & Piano Bar. The company also provides mixed case selections and a loyalty scheme for retail customers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Oxford Wine School: The award-winning education arm of The Oxford Wine Company, offering WSET courses in wine.

Products and services

• The Oxford Wine Company Online Shop E-commerce platform for purchasing wines, spirits, and beers online with delivery throughout the UK. Features advanced search and filtering by country, grape variety, price, alcohol %, bottle size, and specialty categories including vegan, biodynamic, organic, and sustainable wines.
• Retail Shops Physical retail presence with three shops in central Oxford (Turl Street, Botley Road, Little Clarendon Street), The Wine Warehouse at HQ in Standlake, and a concession shop at Millets Farm. Staffed by WSET-qualified wine advisors with click-and-collect available.
• The Oxford Wine School Award-winning education arm offering WSET courses in wine at Levels 1-3, plus online WSET courses, available for booking for the 2025/2026 academic year. Winner of the 'Excellence in Training and Education' category at the Drinks Retailing Awards.
• Tasting Events Wine tasting events including producer-led tastings, masterclasses, themed events (such as An Evening of Riesling), and the annual Oxford Wine Fair featuring over 120 wines across 20 tables.
• Mixed Cases Curated selections of wines in mixed case formats, including themed cases like South Africa Discovery, Bordeaux, Italian Classics, Spanish Special, and premium Emily's Fine Wine selections. Prices range from £90 to £250 for six-bottle cases.
• Wholesale Supply B2B wholesale supply service for trade customers and wholesale accounts, with a dedicated Corporate and University Account Manager. Includes event supply for weddings, parties, and university services. Ranked 21st in Harpers Top 50 Drinks Wholesalers.
• Weddings & Parties Event Supply Dedicated event supply service for weddings and private parties, offering curated wine selections tailored to event size and menu, with delivery and professional pairing advice.
• University Services Wine supply service for Oxford University events, functions, and collegiate occasions, managed by a dedicated Corporate and University Account Manager.
• Bespoke Tastings Private, custom-designed wine tasting experiences for private groups, available for corporate and personal occasions, hosted by WSET-qualified staff.
• The Oxford Wine Café

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Gulp Fiction BooksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration with Oxford independent bookshop Gulp Fiction, pairing books with wines from The Oxford Wine Company's range. A cross-promotional content and experiential marketing partnership.
• Salters SteamersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaborative event 'Rosé on the River' combining Thames river cruise with wine tasting, creating a unique Oxford summer experience.
• Table 13minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPlant-based supper club Table 13 (run by Georgia Gallacher) collaborated on a vegan wine and canapé pairing event hosted by The Oxford Wine Company.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Berry Bros. & Rudd: Long-established UK independent wine and spirits merchant with retail, wholesale, and education arms. Directly comparable as a heritage UK merchant combining curated wine retail, trade supply, and tasting events.
• Majestic Wine: Largest UK specialist wine retailer operating physical shops and nationwide delivery. Competes in the same UK wine retail and wholesale channels with overlapping customer base.
• Corney & Barrow: UK independent wine merchant with strong trade and hospitality supply, plus private client sales. Closely comparable mix of retail, wholesale, and events in the UK market.
• Jeroboams: London-based independent wine merchant with multiple retail shops and a strong fine wine focus. Comparable as a multi-shop UK independent with similar curated artisan positioning.
• Laithwaites: Major UK direct-to-consumer wine retailer with shops, online, and a wine club/subscription model. Comparable for combining retail, e-commerce, and recurring wine club revenue.
• Yapp Brothers: Long-running UK independent wine merchant with a curated artisanal portfolio. Comparable as an independent UK merchant focused on regionally distinctive, lesser-known producers.
• Hedonism Wines: London-based fine wine and spirits retailer offering premium and rare bottles. Comparable as a UK independent wine merchant focused on premium selection, tasting events, and experiential retail.
• Bottle Apostle: Independent UK wine merchant with multiple shops and an artisan, education-led positioning. Comparable as a multi-shop independent with strong cellar-door-style curation.

Broad incumbents

• Waitrose Cellar: Supermarket-affiliated online wine retail platform with nationally distributed selection. Competes in the same UK e-commerce wine category but as part of a larger grocery retailer.

Emerging players

• Naked Wines: UK-based online wine retailer with a crowd-funded subscription/angel model. Comparable on the e-commerce and direct-to-consumer wine channel, though operates a different funding model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/theoxfordwinecompany
• Xx.com/theoxfordwineco

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Oxford Wine Company