Peter WattsWines

Peter Watts Wines began in 1979 at the family's cottage in nearby Feering and now trades from Wisdom's Barn on Colne Road, on the edge of Coggeshall. It stays a family concern, with Peter and Lyn joined by sons Jack and Tom, buying directly from more than fifty growers across Europe, the Americas, Australasia and beyond. The barn shop is open to the public six days a week and sells the same range that supplies local pubs, restaurants and hotels, so the list runs well past supermarket staples without tipping into intimidating. Staff talk through bottles rather than upsell them, and the business handles home delivery, click-and-collect and event supply for weddings and parties. Saturday mornings are shorter than weekday hours, closing at one. For anyone in the Colne Valley after a considered bottle and a straight recommendation, it is a long-established independent merchant.