I joined the wine trade in 1965 as a trainee with IDV (International Distillers and Vintners) and is now part of the Diageo group). During my ten years with the company I was involved in retailing, wholesaling, wine education, quality control and purchasing of French Wines. In 1975 I founded my own company, Andrew Gordon Wines, which specialized in French wines. This importing business ran side by side with a Fine Wine and Vintage Port division. In 1985 my wife Edwina, and I bought a 40ha estate in the Côtes de Duras area of South West France, Domaine du Grand Mayne. We totally transformed it into an award winning vineyard with 34 hectares of quality grapes, a state of the art winery and an underground maturation cellar. This vineyard was the inspiration and reason for the creation of WineShare Ltd, the opportunity to “rent a row of vines” In 1990 Andrew Gordon Wines was bought out by the Australian company BRL Hardy. I was technical director and left after 5 years.

In 2008 my wife and I sold our vineyard so I am retired now. As far as my Champagne Academy educational trip was concerned, I remember it was a great treat and fascinating. Also I remember the jolly weekend we had in Paris and a great night club, the Lido with fantastic music and dancers!