I’ve spent 20 years working in every part of the wine industry from winemaker, to sommelier, to buyer, to marketing for brands as diverse as Aldi and Perrier-Jouet Champagne.
Having lived around the Forest Gate and Wanstead community for over 10 years, I always wondered why there wasn’t an independent wine shop in the area.
So in 2020 when Covid wiped out all my work overnight I decided to go for it and open Daygustation Wines on Wanstead High Street (Dégustation is French for tasting and my surname is Day - get it?!)
I hate shops where you feel intimidated to ask for help – our service is friendly, expert, but never snooty. I have tasted every wine we sell – it’s a hard job but somebody has to do it! Each is selected because I think it is the best, most delicious example of that grape from that place in the world. There is something for everyone at every price point and the range is constantly evolving with customer requests and new discoveries.
First sale this morning was a bottle of our £5.95 French Sauvignon – you won’t find a better value wine in Lidl!
My second customer bought Chateau Yquem Sauternes 1990 – a snip at £350 for one of the greatest sweet wines ever!
We also sell a small range of interesting beers, spirits, sakés, deli items, glassware and razor-sharp Japanese knives (my second passion). We have a weekly cheese delivery from La Fromagerie and gourmet Spanish items from Brindisa – Torres Truffle Crisps are our biggest selling item.
I was a tutor for the London Wine Academy for over 15 years running tastings and events.
I run regular tastings at the shop for anyone wanting to increase their enjoyment and understanding of wine.
Our 4 Week Introduction to Wine starts on the first Tuesday of every month and I run a Cheese and Wine pairing masterclass every Saturday 2-4pm. For groups of 6 or more we can offer bespoke tastings or dinners at the shop or in the comfort of your own home.
Whilst we are primarily a shop, we do have both inside and outside space (very popular when the sun comes out) where you can sit, enjoy a wine by the glass or bottle and people-watch over a charcuterie or cheese board.
Our frozé (frozen rosé) is legendary and in time for the summer we now sell luxury soft serve ice cream and ice cream sandwiches from Happy Endings.
We’ve recently expanded our lunch menu to include healthy meat, vegetarian and vegan option plates made from carefully sourced ingredients such as slow cooked Ginger Pig rump with coco bean and Roscoff onion purée, Spanish white asparagus and green bean salad. We also do an authentic Jambon Beurre sandwich with Parisian ham sandwich and smaller bites like Porcini croquettas and Perello olives.
For the summer we are open 7 days a week 11am-9pm Mon-Sat and 12pm-6pm Sunday. Look forward to meeting you soon!
Find us at 13A Wanstead High Street and give us a follow on Instagram @daygustation_wines
