Cru Wine toasts success at 10th Anniversary Dinner
Cru Wine Events: 10th Anniversary Gala Dinner
On Thursday 3rd October, we were privileged to bring together clients, friends of the company and colleagues past and present as we celebrated an incredible milestone in Cru Wine’s journey, our 10th Anniversary, in sumptuous style!
If there’s one thing we love doing at Cru Wine, it’s bringing people together and creating some memorable wine experiences. Well this was no exception! As both Gregory Swartberg, our CEO and Founder and our Chairman, Philip Yates, mentioned on the night, it was incredibly special to bring everyone together in one room to toast to the company’s journey and future successes. It was a truly memorable occasion for the whole team and one we will treasure for a long time.
Now as a company in the world of fine wine, there was only one way to properly celebrate this evening and that was with a few very special bottles. Guests were greeted on arrival with a glass of Dom Perignon 2015 for the black-tie event, hosted at The Queens Club in Kensington, before we sat down to a delicious three-course meal.
We were very privileged to serve an array of extraordinary Burgundies, Bordeaux, Champagnes and Tuscan gems thanks to some generous donations from friends of Cru Wine, including Ch. Angelus, Corney & Barrow, LVMH and our own Gregory Swartberg, and delving into the Cru cellars to pick out some favourites for our guests.
Our starters were paired with an absolutely cracking 2022 Meursault, Vieilles Vignes, Domaine Buisson-Charles that our Head Buyer Stephane Cutty has been championing since he arrived, so he was delighted with how well it was showing and the praise it received from our guests!
During the dinner, guests could carry their glasses across to the “Fine Wine Station” where we had some special single bottles and large formats to sample, including a double magnum of 2014 Le Carillon d’Angelus and a jeroboam of 2003 Château Mouton Rothschild.
Each time we have a team tasting or dinner either as a team or with guests, we always choose a wine of the evening. Votes were collected during the evening and it was a tight contest with such high calibre on show. In the end it was a draw with two wines receiving 26% of the vote each; the magnificent 2003 Mouton Rothschild and to the delight of Stephane, the 2022 Mersault!
Our Senior Client Account Manager, Jack Grosvenor summed up the evening’s wines beautifully when sharing his vote the next morning: “When it comes to the ever-important question of the ‘wine of the night’, this is a contest that was always going to be fierce. With the likes of Mouton Rothschild 2003 and Le Carillon de l’Angelus 2014 on show – both in magnificent large format, I might add – we were indulging in Bordeaux royalty. However, for me, the finest nectar came from elsewhere in France. Domaine Buisson-Charles’ Meursault Vieilles Vignes 2022 was quite simply magnificent, as it has been on every single tasting prior to this. Rich and creamy yet beautifully elegant, this has an acidity that makes it the perfect companion for food, whilst offering luxurious drinking all on its own at the same time. So whilst I certainly didn’t shy away from the aforementioned Bordeaux delights (and they really were), my star of the show came from Meursault!”
Speaking at the event, our CEO Gregory Swartberg said: “It’s hard to believe it’s been ten years since we began this journey. Tonight is all about celebration, reflection, and immense gratitude. To reach this milestone has been nothing short of an incredible experience, filled with hard work, passion, and, most importantly, the support of so many people, many of whom are here tonight. I am beyond grateful to stand here with you all.
“Ten years ago, Cru Wine was just an idea, a vision shared by a few passionate individuals. Tonight, we stand here with five warehouses across Europe, thousands of clients from more than 50 countries, and relationships with over 200 suppliers worldwide. Over the years, we’ve bought close to £100 million worth of wine, and while we’ve come far, I truly believe this is only the beginning of our journey.
“One thing I’d like to highlight is how important feedback from our clients and our community has been in shaping our journey. You have continuously shared your thoughts on how we can improve, and that feedback has been invaluable. It has helped us develop new features, introduce new services, and refine our ways of working to ensure we are always delivering the best possible experience. So, to our clients and community, thank you. Your input has been a vital part of our growth, and we look forward to continuing this dialogue as we evolve together.”
Our commitment remains to serve you with the same passion, dedication, and excellence that has brought us this far. Together, with your support and feedback, we will continue to make fine wine collecting effortless, transparent, and available to all.
Here’s to the next decade!
Full line up of wines served:
- 2015 Dom Pérignon
- Delamotte Brut Private Cuvée
- 2022 Meursault, Vieilles Vignes, Buisson-Charles
- 2021 Vosne-Romanée, Domaine Gros Frère & Sœur
- 2019 La Peira en Damaisela, Les Terrasses du Larzac
- 2014 Biserno, Tenuta di Biserno
- 2014 Ch. Giscours
- 2015 Ch. Lascombes
- 2014 Carillon d’Angelus (Double Magnum)
- 2003 Ch. Mouton Rothschild (Jeroboam)
- 30 Year Old Tawny, Graham’s
