Hello all,
Here to kick off is Lewis Drewe, a self-confessed wine geek turned wine-preneur who’s also the owner, manager and business brains behind the hotly-anticipated Single Block wine bar in Manchester.
After 15 years of working in the wine trade, he’s about to realise his dreams of launching a uniquely-curated wine bar that brings fun, atmosphere and diversity to the city’s wine scene.
Despite working hard since lockdown to get the bar ready in time for its grand unveiling, he kindly took a break from getting covered in plaster and paint to talk me through the range of South African wines he picked for my podcast with award-winning wine journalist and judge Tim Atkin(catch up on the episode here).
We also chatted about the wine industry, awkward moments, pipe dreams and celebrity friends… all whilst sipping a glass or two of gorgeous SA wine, of course.
Enjoy.
How excited are you on a scale of 1-10 about your wine bar opening this month?
It’s absolutely a 10. It’s just been a long time coming. Now’s absolutely the time.
And on a scale of 1-10 how anxious are you about the opening?
Oh god, I think it goes from one to ten daily and then back again. But then it’s in conjunction with the excitement as well so it just about reigns itself in.
Why did you decide to call your wine bar Single Block?
Part of the focus was all about finding really niche wines. Block wines can vary so much in each year, so it was just about having that variation of styles in the wine bar. From a marketing point of view, it was quite easy to work with. And I thought it sounded quite cool as well.
How would you describe your bar’s best features in three words?
Big. Windows. And bricks. That’s pretty much what it is. We’ve gone back to brick, it’s very wide. We’re literally taking it back to the bare bones.
You started off by working in wine retail years ago. What three benefits would you say working in a wine shop has for someone who goes on to work in a wine bar?
The good thing about working in a wine shop is you get a really wide product knowledge because you’re working with so many different variations. You obviously get to meet a lot more industry figures as well, which is always really helpful. And that leads on to industry events as well so that probably stands you in good stead.
What wine can we expect to find served in your bar?
I’m all over Pouilly at the moment so we’ve got a fantastic producer for that. Any 2018 Burgundy at the moment is doing really well. Quinta Vista is a Portuguese rose and I’m also a bit of a Vinho Verde fan. We like to throw in something a bit different as well.
What are the three things you absolutely must think about before you open a bar?
Location is always key. You have to ask yourself, is it needed? Always look at the numbers, the numbers don’t lie. If the business plan is good it should work. But you’ve always got to keep your eye on the bottom line. Being sustainable, looking at what longevity you have and working with people you get on with as well. Those sort of core components should stand you in good stead to keep you going.
What are the biggest challenges you’ve encountered?
Well, the big one is COVID. But that’s also helped us take our time to refine what we’ve been doing. So, it’s annoying but at the same time it’s worked out. We’ve had to adapt, which is cool.
What is your favourite wine-related memory?
I was lucky enough to get taken to Champagne so I was drinking champagne on a Sunday morning in a field in L’Epine. I was quite happy about that.
What about your most awkward moment related to wine?
I do recall a time I did a tasting years ago and the client spent a lot of money on the wines. I came to the last wine, it was a sweet wine and it was from the ‘80s. I opened it and the cork was completely jet black and then all of a sudden I saw these little white worms crawling out of the cork like a horror movie. Luckily, I had another bottle in reserve but I haven’t seen that since.
What are the three best things about the wine industry in your view?
It’s a massive industry so you always get the diversity of people. That’s always the quite fun thing about it, it’s all these walks of life that come together. I’d also say working for myself is quite cool. It’s having that freedom of choice now in terms of what I can do. I can tailor ranges and just move in directions that we’re happy to go in.
What about the worst thing about working in the wine industry?
Just like a lot of industries, it’s the sacrifices in time. And it’s a fairly underpaid industry at certain levels. You need a massive amount of knowledge and sometimes that’s not always represented in your wage. But hey, you get to do something you enjoy so there’s a bit of trade-off there. But those are only two big negatives. Maybe black wine corks is another.
How are you deciding on which wineries and importers to work with?
We’re trying to get that balance between working with something that’s different and that you don’t see every day and getting those bums-on-seats household names in as well. It’s also about working with people that I enjoy working with and that I want to work with. That helps the relationship so much. Generally, though, I find most people in the wine industry quite easy to deal with.
How do you plan on training and inspiring your staff to provide top quality service?
I always want people to feel relaxed. I think if they’re relaxed then they’re more likely to take on board what we’re trying to teach. And I think by tasting and letting them discuss and throw ideas around, they’ll be more immersed in that world. It helps them get used to speaking about wine with a bit more confidence too.
What are the most interesting characteristics of South African wines in your view?
I think it’s the diversity of range. They can apply their hands to a lot of styles. South Africa emulates that European style but it’s beefed up, it’s a steroids sort-of style. You’ve got the intensity but they go from simple to refined very well and generally they will come in at a fairly good price and I think that that’s one thing that gets overlooked.
If you could choose three celebrities dead or alive to come to your bar in Manchester, who would they be?
You had Tim Atkin on your podcast earlier. Tim would always be a good guy to speak to about wine. Maybe Ollie Reed because we all need a friend like that, and then I suppose I’m showing my age, but I’m a bit of a Hendrix fan. Get Jimi Hendrix in and maybe he’ll bring his guitar in and play a bit as well.
It sounds like a fun party. I hope I’m invited.
Yeah, everyone’s coming!
What are your two top places to drink wine in London?
I used to live in London many moons ago. I always loved going to The Sampler up in Angel. I worked across the road as an Oddbins kid when they first opened and it was my first experience of enomatics. And if there’s time I’ll always pop in for a martini at The Wolseley, next to the Ritz, because it’s just a great little bar and you can just sneak on in there.
Do you remember the first wine you ever tried in your life?
Other than minesweeping at family weddings years ago when I was probably not supposed to, I suppose my first consciousness of trying a wine that I really loved was when I worked for Oddbins. There was a range that Concha y Toro did called Winemaker’s Lot and it was nothing out there in terms of price but it just made me go wow, what’s that in that bottle? And it was just a simple Syrah but it turned me onto wine. Never saw it again after that.
If you could work in any other industry which one would it be?
It’s a pipedream but I’d love to be a professional surfer. I can’t surf but it looks like a great life. Just to travel the world, surf the planet... I think if I could do anything without killing myself, that’d be it.
What is your favourite thing to do outside of wine?
It’s got to be cooking and music really. They go hand in hand. So just relaxing and trying to get back up to speed with everything that’s coming out and just taking time out really.
To anyone whose dream it is to open up their own bar, can you give them three tips?
Do your homework as planning is crucial. Always look at the numbers and just keep going through them. You can always find a way to trim. And be a bit patient because you’re relying on other people quite a lot of the time so just make sure you put that in the planning.
What is your favourite life quote?
I suppose it’s Carpe Diem, really. Seize the day. Time’s short so you just need to go for it.
Cheers to that!
I hope you enjoyed the interview as much as I did. If you’re ever in Manchester, show Lewis some love by hopping over to Single Block Limited on Liverpool Road. I know I’ll be doing the same.
In the meantime, here are the three bold and beautiful South African wines Lewis recommended for us to try.
Laborie Blanc de Blancs 2011
Wine of Origin: Western Cape
Varietals: 100% Chardonnay
Lewis says: “Laborie’s great because it’s vintage without charging vintage prices. You get that nice fluctuation of style year on year. They’ve always got that fresh, explosive and elegant style to them and there’s a real generosity of fruit.”
Pictus VI 2017
Wine of Origin: WO Coastal Region
Blend: Grenache Blanc 43%, Chenin Blanc 37%, Viognier 20%
“This is what I love about South African wine. It ticks all the boxes. It has balance, it’s got tonnes of fruit but then tonnes of acidity and it all mixes up and balances out and brings this lovely finish to it.”
The Mentors Petit Verdot 2017
Wine of Origin: Stellenbosch
Components: 100% Petit Verdot
“This is very striking. It has shelf presence but what’s inside is fantastic as well. I can’t fault what these guys do. I love Petit Verdot especially as you get that sweetness and grip on the palate, it’s just fantastic.”
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And if you wish to have a closer look at these wines or are interested in buying them you can do so through here.
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