Shekleton Wines opens in Chapel Yard off North Street, Stamford

A wine-loving couple have opened a shop inspired by their passion.

John and Charlotte Shek decided to take a ‘leap of faith’ and begin their own business after investing ample time into exploring their passion for wine.

Shekleton Wines in Stamford stocks an extensive range of alcoholic drinks - all of which have been taste-tested by John and Charlotte.

John, 41, said: “My wife and I had always been in accountancy but in the past five or six years we became more interested in wines and did the relevant qualifications, gaining the knowledge in tasting.

“It got to the point where we had invested so much time and interest into that passion. You only live once, and so we decided to open it to the community.”

The pair planned to open the business on November 6 and, despite the Government lockdown, were still able to do so, due to off licences being counted as ‘essential’.

While many people love wine, it is the uniqueness each type has that inspires the pair.

John said: “It’s the variation. You can pair it so well with food but if you choose the wrong one it pairs badly.

“It’s the fact you can have one grape grown in Bordeaux in France but if you take that same grape and plant it in Australia it can taste so different.

“The more you get into it, the more you realise that a fermented grape has so much more to it.”

For John, it is difficult to choose a favourite wine.

“It’s like asking a parent to choose who is their favourite child,” he said.

“It really depends how you feel on that day and what you are having the wine with.

“For instance, on a cold winter night you would choose something fuller that gives warming sensations. If you were out in the summer having a picnic, your choice of drinks would be very different.”

The couple will help customers select a suitable wine by describing it and advising which foods it can be paired with.

Shekleton Wines - which got its name from a combination of John’s surname and Charlotte’s maiden name - also stocks a range of artisan spirits, beers and cider.

Located in Chapel Yard off North Street, the shop is open on Fridays and Saturdays from 10am until 6pm and Sundays between 10am and 4pm. People can also book an appointment.