At DukesHill, we take great pride in partnering with like-minded artisans who share our passion for exceptional quality and heritage. In this edition of Meet the Merchants, we shine a spotlight on one of our newest partners; Corney & Barrow, one of the UK’s oldest independent wine merchants. We sat down with Adam Ketteringham, our dedicated account manager, to talk about the enduring values behind the Corney & Barrow name, how they source their remarkable wines, and what makes their offering such a natural pairing with our own finest British produce.
Can you tell us a bit about Corney & Barrow’s history and how it all began?
In 1780, Edward Bland Corney opened his shop on London’s Old Broad Street, offering a small selection of Port, Sherry and Bordeaux. The business flourished, and in 1838, his son, Thomas, introduced his cousin Robert Barrow to the trade. The Corney & Barrow name was thus born. Today, our offices have grown to London, the North of England, Scotland, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore, and have expanded into every sector of the market.
We have held Royal Warrants since 1912, when they were first granted under King George V. These prestigious marks of recognition are awarded to individuals or companies that have supplied goods or services to the Royal Family for at least five years. Today, we proudly hold two Royal Warrants, serving both His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen.
What does being an independent wine merchant mean to you in today’s market?
245 years later Corney & Barrow are still independent and privately owned, the bulk of our portfolio is exclusive to us – a testament to the dedication of our relationships. Our range has grown to include the highest quality wines, from everyday drinking to the most sought-after fine wines in the world. We aim to offer best in class wines at every price point and from all over the wine world. We have an incredibly passionate and knowledgeable team which is important as an independent merchant.
How do you go about selecting the producers and vineyards you work with?
We aim to offer best in class wines at every price point and our buying team will seek out wines that fit those criteria from all over the wine world, sometimes producers will approach us and sometimes we will approach them. We insist on excellence in everything we do and that translates into our relationships with our suppliers and our customers.
What qualities do you look for in a wine before bringing it into your portfolio?
The mark of a good wine merchant is how they buy, not how they sell, and we will only add wines to our portfolio that we feel meet the requirement for excellence. We want wines that are the best possible example of their region or variety and are produced by people with care and passion. Integrity is one of our core values in business and we look for producers who work the same way.
Corney & Barrow has relationships with some exclusive estates; how are those partnerships built and maintained?
Exclusivities are the cornerstone of what we do at Corney & Barrow. As the only merchants to import these estates into the country, this enables us to be able to bring the wines directly to the customers who will enjoy them and also bring those customers closer to the estates themselves. As a business built on the strength of our relationships, we will often follow a producer when they start another project, or they may refer us to someone they know that may be a good fit. We view our relationships as long-term partnerships and many of them span multiple decades and generations of a family.
How do you balance tradition with innovation in an industry with such deep roots?
Our list will always be focused and considered. At its core our portfolio is based on traditional ‘old world’ wine regions, however we now also offer wines from all over the world, including places like Peru and Romania. The range of wines available on the market is vast, with unusual regions and grape varieties becoming more widely available. Our customers feel comfortable trying new wines on our recommendation as they know and trust our heritage.
What trends are you seeing in customer preference; are people becoming more adventurous in their wine choices?
As a company we don’t follow trends. Provenance and how wines are produced is of increasing importance to people and that is strongly reflected in our range. Buying from us, you can be assured that your wine is what is says on the bottle, and that it has been stored in optimum conditions. We work with winemakers that are farming sustainably and are mindful of their impact on the environment. With so much choice available people want to be sure they are spending their money in the right place… whether that’s on a classic Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Bordeaux or an orange wine made in the hills of Chile.
Sustainability is a big topic in wine; how is Corney & Barrow addressing environmental responsibility?
At Corney & Barrow, sustainability is central to how we buy, trade, and operate. We work closely with trusted, long-standing producers who prioritise sustainable practices — from organic and biodynamic viticulture to regional initiatives like the Sustainability Code of the Chilean Wine Industry and France’s recently established ‘Haute Valeur Environnementale’ (HVE), a framework designed to lift environmental standards. We encourage environmental responsibility across our supply chain and monitor progress against clear standards.
We recognise the management of environmental impacts as a global priority and are complying with relevant environmental legislation, such as the UK Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (“SECR”) scheme, supported by independent 3rd party certification of our scopes 1, 2 and core scope 3 carbon emissions, ensuring transparency and accountability. We qualify for the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (“ESOS”), and we are working on our phase 3 action plan with the support of an expert sustainability team, a process which will see our buildings move much closer to decarbonisation.
As the only UK wine merchant to hold Royal Warrants from both His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen, we are proud to align with their values on environmental stewardship — a responsibility we take seriously across every part of our business.
Can you share a behind-the-scenes moment or story that captures the spirit of Corney & Barrow?
This year we have been taking our entire team to Cecilia Beretta, one of our Italian producers in Veneto. They are a family-owned winery we have been working with for over 50 years. Throughout the year we are taking people from every department: from warehouse to sales and everything in between, as we feel it is important for our whole team to have the understanding and passion for the product we sell.
What’s one bottle from your current selection you think everyone should try, and why?
With the weather getting nicer and barbecues starting to look possible, I think everyone should try the Corney & Barrow Rioja Crianza Bodegas Zugober. It’s juicy and rich, with a lovely freshness. A real crowd pleaser and it definitely hits the C&B brief of being best in class!
What’s your favourite DukesHill pairing in the Corney & Barrow collection?
I really enjoyed the recent pairing we did for Easter of Malbec and lamb. At first glance, it looked quite traditional, but there was a contemporary take on it. The lamb was Lambchetta, done like a porchetta, rolled and stuffed with herbs. The Malbec was from the desert region of Salta in Northern Argentina and had a fresher and more fruit-forward style. I think this pairing showed DukesHill and Corney & Barrow’s understanding of tradition and heritage, but still offered something exciting and new.
As Adam’s insights reveal, Corney & Barrow’s dedication to provenance, integrity, and excellence aligns perfectly with our own ethos at DukesHill. From curating world-class wines to providing a deeply personal service, they remain a trusted name in fine wine and an invaluable partner to us. We hope this conversation has given you a taste of the craftsmanship and care behind every bottle we share from their portfolio.
