Surveyed
Jonathan Charles founded The Dorset Wine Company in 2006, bringing close to thirty years in the wine trade to a retail shop at 11 Queen Mother Square in Poundbury, on the edge of Dorchester. The shelves run to wine, champagne, spirits, beer and cigars, with a deliberate lean toward small, family-owned producers over larger commercial brands. Organic, biodynamic and natural wines make up a large share of the stock, on the reasoning that a wine's quality starts with how the vineyard itself is farmed. The shop doubles as a licensed venue, so bottles can be ordered by the glass and drunk on the premises rather than only taken away. Free parking at Poundbury makes it an easy stop for anyone picking up a case rather than a single bottle.