Gordon S Wine Bar

What Gordon S Wine Bar does

Gordon's Wine Bar operates a single historic wine bar at 47 Villiers Street, London WC2N 6NE (legal entity: Court Pie Catering Ltd), trading continuously since 1890. The venue's defining feature is a vaulted candlelit cellar with original oak barrels from which sherries and ports are served, complemented by a licensed outdoor terrace on Watergate Walk (capped at 168 seated covers under a Westminster Council agreement) and an "award-winning" wine list covering classic European regions, South America, the UK and New World. The food programme is built around more than 15 artisanal cheeses and charcuterie/sharing boards, with most items priced between £10-45; wine by the glass is offered in 175ml and 250ml servings via a Coravin fine-wine programme, with bottle prices ranging from roughly £30 into the low hundreds for premium selections.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer, walk-in model: no general reservations are accepted, with first-come, first-served seating only; the exception is "The Cage," a premium reservable table inside the cellar sold via SevenRooms at a £250 minimum spend per slot. Gordon's monetises experience through a curated calendar of guided and private wine tastings hosted by visiting sommeliers, wine merchants and growers (Henriot, Louis Pommery, Quinta do Noval, Bodegas Raíces Ibéricas, Penfolds via Medocaine), self-guided wine flights (White £15, Red £19, Mixed £26), and event-led dayparts such as the annual Beaujolais Nouveau Breakfast. A wholly-owned sister business, Gordon's Deli, opened in September 2024 to extend the brand into takeaway coffee, sandwiches, salads and picnic boxes. Distribution is also complemented by online gift cards (Pintuna) and vouchers (Giftpro).

The company is family-owned across multiple generations, with no external funding, no parent company, and no disclosed revenue; the senior team comprises family members (Wendy Gordon, Simon Gordon, plus directors B., S. and T. Gordon) and a long-tenured operational staff of roughly 23 people. Technology usage is non-proprietary and limited to standard payment processors (PayPal, Stripe, Square, Shopify), analytics (Google Analytics), booking/gift platforms (SevenRooms, Pintuna, Giftpro) and a vendor-supplied CCTV/facial-recognition security service (Facewatch). Customer segments are diversified across wine enthusiasts, theatre-goers, tourists, and group/private-event bookers, with no named enterprise accounts and a low concentration risk profile.

Name

Gordon S Wine Bar

Legal name

Court Pie Catering Ltd t/a Gordon's Wine Bar

Website

https://gordonswinebar.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1890

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Gordon's Wine Bar is London's oldest wine bar (est. 1890), operating a single Villiers Street venue serving wines, sherries and ports from barrel alongside artisanal cheese and charcuterie boards, supplemented by guided tastings, private events and the 2024-launched Gordon's Deli. It serves walk-in consumers, theatre-goers, tourists and group bookers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wine Bar & Hospitality

NAICS

Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine Bars (THAFAEAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD)

Keywords

• Wine bar services
• Cheese and charcuterie boards
• Guided wine tastings
• Private cellar dining
• Artisanal food pairings

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Wine Sales: Sale of wines by the glass and bottle. Extensive wine list including reds, whites, rosé, Champagne, sherries, ports, and dessert wines. Some wines served from barrel (sherries and ports). Most wines available by the glass with bottle prices also listed. Organic, biodynamic, and vegan options available.
2. Food Sales: Sale of food items including cheese boards (priced by slice), cold plates, meat boards, sharing boards, and extras. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options available. Food designed to complement wine offerings.
3. Private Event Hire - The Cage: Premium private seating option in the vaulted cave. Minimum spend of £250 per bookable slot. Three daily time slots available. Cancellation policy with fees for late cancellations or no-shows.
4. Guided Wine Tastings: Ticketed wine tasting experiences hosted by sommeliers, wine merchants, and wine growers. Events include themed tastings (e.g., Portugal with Quinta do Noval, Spain with Bodegas Raíces Ibéricas, England with Louis Pommery). Prices vary by event. Tickets sold through the website.
5. Gift Cards/Vouchers: Sale of gift cards through third-party platform (Pintuna). Gift cards valid from date of purchase. 14-day cooling-off period for cancellations. Physical gift cards delivered via postal service.
6. Gordon's Deli: Sister business opened September 2024 offering takeaway items including coffee, sandwiches, salads, picnic boxes, cheeses, chutneys, baguettes, olives, artisanal chocolates, pasta, spreads, and trout. Extension of the brand for off-site consumption.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Gordon's Wine Bar operates a historic central-London wine bar offering an extensive award-winning wine list (including sherries and ports served from old oak barrels in a vaulted candlelit cellar), a cheese-led food menu (15+ cheeses plus charcuterie, sharing boards, and vegetarian/vegan options), and a calendar of ticketed guided and private wine tasting experiences. Sister concept Gordon's Deli (opened September 2024) extends the brand into takeaway artisanal food and coffee.

Product overview

Gordon's Wine Bar operates as a single unified hospitality establishment offering wine, food, and experiential services. The core product is the historic wine bar (est. 1890) featuring a vaulted candlelit cellar with wines served from oak barrels. Supporting products include Gordon's Deli (takeaway opened 2024), guided and private wine tasting sessions, self-guided wine flights (White/Red/Mixed), and The Cage private booking. Food offerings center on artisan cheese boards (15+ varieties) and charcuterie sharing boards. Revenue streams include gift cards and vouchers sold through Pintuna and Giftpro platforms. The wine program features over 100 wines by the glass with a Coravin fine wine program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Gordon's Wine Bar (core wine bar service) Historic central-London wine bar offering an extensive award-winning wine list (sherries and ports served from old oak barrels in a vaulted candlelit cellar), 15+ cheese selection, charcuterie, vegetarian/vegan options, and year-round outdoor terrace seating with heated awnings. Walk-in only for general seating (first-come, first-served).
• Gordon's Deli Retail takeaway deli next to the wine bar offering artisan coffee, sandwiches, salads, picnic boxes, cheeses, charcuterie, artisanal chocolates, pasta, spreads, trout and similar gourmet food items for off-site consumption.
• Guided Wine Tasting Experiences Curated, themed wine tasting sessions led by sommeliers, wine merchants and wine growers, featuring regional or producer-focused flights (e.g., Bordeaux Grand Cru Classes, Penfolds Icons, English sparkling, Spanish, Portuguese). Ticketed via the Gordon's website and Square checkout.
• The Cage (Premium Private Table) A single large reservable table inside the vaulted cave behind the cellar bars, seating up to 12 people. Three daily time slots (12pm-3pm, 3.30pm-6.30pm, 7pm-10pm) with a £250 minimum spend per slot and a £125 late cancellation/no-show fee.
• 130 Years Wine and Cheese Tasting Premium fixed-price tasting experience for two (£79) featuring 10 wine flights (100ml each) from oldest family-run wine growers paired with 5 artisan cheeses (50g each). Pairs specific wines with specific cheeses (e.g., Fino Sherry with Manchego, Messias Gordon's Ruby Port with Stilton).
• Self-Guided Wine Flights Pre-curated wine tasting sets sold in the bar: White Wine Flight (£15, 3 x 100ml), Red Wine Flight (£19, 3 x 100ml), and Mixed Wine Flight (£26, 4 x 100ml).
• Cheese & Charcuterie Boards Artisan cheese boards (15+ cheeses including British, French, Italian, Portuguese, Swiss; priced by slice at £10.95/£16.90/£25.90), cold plates (Burrata, Scotch Egg, Smoked Trout, Pork Pie, Roast Beef), and themed sharing boards (British, Italian, Portuguese, European, Charcuterie, French, Meat Sharing). Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options available.
• Wine List (Award-Winning Selection) Extensive award-winning wine list featuring selections from family-run vineyards across Europe, South America, the UK and the New World; sherries and ports served from old oak barrels in the cellar. Most wines available by the glass (175ml/250ml) as well as bottle, with a Coravin programme for fine wines by the glass. Bottle prices typically 2.5–4x the glass price.
• Gift Cards Gift cards sold online via the Pintuna platform, valid from purchase date, redeemable at Gordon's Wine Bar for food and beverages; 14-day cooling-off period; physical cards delivered via post.
• Gift Vouchers (Experience Bundles) Vouchers for products and experiences at Gordon's Wine Bar processed via the Giftpro platform (shop.gordonswinebar.com), including experience and product bundles, administered by ClearCourse Retail Limited.
• Beaujolais Nouveau Breakfast (Annual Event) Annual ticketed breakfast event celebrating the release of Beaujolais Nouveau, including a full English breakfast, coffee, fresh orange juice and Beaujolais Nouveau wine.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Medocaine (Grand Cru specialists)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2025Partnership with Medocaine for November 2025 tasting events featuring Bordeaux Grand Cru Classes and Best Terroirs wines, and Penfolds Wines Luxury and Icons selection.
• Quinta do NovalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 July 2025Portuguese wine tasting July 2025 featuring Quinta do Noval - an historic Douro Valley winery known for Port wines since the early 18th century. Introduced Douro wines since 2004 vintage.
• Louis Pommery EnglandminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2025Exclusive tasting event hosted June 2025 featuring Louis Pommery England's award-winning sparkling wines. Hosted by head winemaker Will Perkins during English Wine Week. Champagne Pommery was first Champagne House to plant vines in England at Pinglestone Estate.
• Bodegas Raíces IbéricasminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2025Spanish wine tasting event May 2025 featuring wines from Bodegas Raíces Ibéricas. Raíces Ibericas mission is to share the hidden value of Spanish wines, beginning with their 1998 project featuring 21 indigenous grape varieties.
• AquAidminorOthersWater cooler supplier with unique charitable component. With each purchase, a donation is made to The Africa Trust which builds 'Elephant Pumps' - modified rope pulley systems providing clean drinking water in Africa. Gordon's has been sponsoring an Elephant Pump in Africa since installing watercoolers.
• Sherry Houses of JerezcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing relationships with sherry producers in Jerez, Spain. Some sherries served directly from the barrel, reflecting historic supplier relationships built over decades. These are family-run businesses with generations of experience.
• Port Producers of PortocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished relationships with port wine producers in Porto, Portugal. Ports are served from the barrel, maintaining traditional serving methods. These family producers have their own histories and generations of expertise.
• Champagne HousescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding relationships with Champagne producers. Featured Champagne houses include Hennessy, Louis Pommery England, and others. Partnerships enable exclusive tasting events and curated Champagne selections.
• Family-Run Vineyards WorldwidecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRelationships with family-run vineyards across Chile, India, and other wine regions. Sources wines from classic European regions to South America, UK and New World. Emphasizes artisan growers who care about quality and provenance.
• The Kipling SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for special literary-themed wine tasting event 'A Night of Wine and Rudyard Kipling' held October 2025. Ties into the historical connection between Gordon's location and Rudyard Kipling's former residence.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels: Long-standing Covent Garden wine bar with strong natural and biodynamic wine focus. Directly comparable to Gordon's as a small, atmospheric central London wine bar serving curated wines by the glass and bottle.
• Vagabond Wines: Self-serve dispense-format London wine bar chain. Comparable as a London wine bar operator taking a different (modern, tech-enabled) route to the same on-premise wine customer.
• Champagne + Fromage: Small London wine bar chain centred on Champagne and cheese pairings. Comparable as a focused, food-and-wine pairing concept operating in central London.
• Corkage: Independent London wine bar focused on curated, often small-producer wines by the glass. Comparable as a similarly sized, wine-specialist central London venue with food pairings.
• The French House: Historic Soho public house with a long-standing reputation for wine and simple food. Comparable to Gordon's as a heritage London drinking institution with a similar traditional, walk-in culture.
• The Remedy: Fitzrovia wine bar offering an extensive by-the-glass list. Comparable to Gordon's as a small, wine-led central London bar with a curated, food-paired offering.
• Bedales of London: Independent London wine bar and retail concept with multiple central London sites. Comparable as a wine-led on-premise operator emphasising curated, often organic/biodynamic lists and food pairings.
• 28°-50° Wine Bar & Kitchen: London wine bar group focused on French-led wine lists and modern European food. Comparable as a multi-site central London wine bar competitor with similar food-plus-wine proposition.

Broad incumbents

• Corney & Barrow: Established UK wine merchant with on-trade and tasting offerings. Comparable to Gordon's at a category level (UK fine wine, producer relationships, tasting experiences) but at much larger scale and with a wholesale-led model.
• Berry Bros. & Rudd: Historic London wine merchant (est. 1698) with tasting events and on-site hospitality. Comparable to Gordon's as a heritage wine business with deep producer relationships, though it operates primarily as a merchant rather than a wine bar.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/gordonswinebar
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gordon-s-wine-bar

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Gordon S Wine Bar