The Team

We have over 50 years experience across our small team in sourcing the finest spirits and wines the world has to offer. Get to know the people behind CHW Cellars.

Luke Colyer

FOUNDER

As deeply passionate about sourcing the finest & rarest wines, as I am about finding the undiscovered gems that have a flavour profile that could rival some of the most coveted bottles.

Having studied Business Management and Accounting at Cardiff University and coming from a family of accountants this was the path I had thought I would follow. However, after a short stint in the city, it was clear to me that I needed more personable interactions with clients and so followed my nose and got a job in retail focusing on one of my passions, wine. My love for wine started at University with a great friend, when rather than heading out on another night out drinking questionable beverages we decided to buy the best bottle of wine that we could afford and cook a good dinner instead. The wine in question was a Joseph Drouhin Chassagne-Montrachet and the food moule marinere. It is safe to say from that moment wine and food have played part in my life.
My love of wine and whisky is equally matched to my interest in business and I’m incredibly fortunate to have found a way through my careers to combine these passions. Having been lucky enough to try some exceptional wine and spirits in my time there are a couple that have always stood out. A magical bottle of Petrus 1964, one that even with the hype surrounding it surpassed my expectations, an otherworldly and seemingly everlasting bottle of Vina Tondonia Reserva Blanco 1964 and having always had a soft spot for Islay, an Ardbeg 1974 that I luckily sampled on my last visit to the distillery. My motivation for building clients cellars is for them to experience the same emotions I get from the wines I collect, be it iconic vintage Bordeaux or new wave South African wines, there is always something new to discover.

Book a consultation

Jon Higgs

FOUNDER

Whether it’s a legendary Barolo or a humble village Burgundy that punches above its weight, my joy lies in truffling out the bottles that truly deserve a place in your cellar.

After a tumultuous time in education but with a fondness for food, I went straight from the classroom into restaurants, and spent over a decade exposed to a variety of cuisines in multiple roles from pot-wash to chef to management before falling in love with wine and making the move into retail. After spending 8 years in one of London’s finest retail merchants, I gained experience with a very broad range of wines, running multiple ‘en primeur’ campaigns for Bordeaux, Burgundy and Rhone whilst exploring a wide range of products from around the world. Following my time in retail, I went off to South America and spent 3 months working the harvest at Errazuriz, one of the most famous estates in all of Chile. With a passion for working with private collectors, I followed this time away by joining a small, London-based, international brokers in 2012, in its infancy as one of just three employees that today is a highly regarded worldwide. I played a pivotal role in developing the company to its current stage with eighteen employees and a second office overseas. I pride myself in building long term relationships with clients and suppliers as well as my ability to truffle out the most exciting products from the best and trusted sources.
For white wine, nothing holds more power over me than White Burgundy, but I also love dry German Riesling and can easily be won over with a glass of prestige cuvee Champagne. For reds, I have a real passion for old vine wines from Rhone and Spain, but will never say no to a glass of mature Barolo, Bordeaux or Burgundy. Career highlights include Roederer Cristal 2002, Comtes Lafon Meursault Perrieres 2010, Guigal Cote Rotie La Mouline 1999, Borgogno Barolo 1939 and real gem from Armand Rousseau, a delightful entry level Gevrey Chambertin Villages 1991 that punched well above its status. My ultimate wine for the cellar is Bruno Giacosa’s 2004 Barolo Riserva Rocche del Falletto, something I consider has the potential to be the greatest Italian wine of all time.

Andrew Macdonald-Lockhart

SALES CONSULTANT

Ever since a midnight harvest in Champagne at sixteen, I’ve been fascinated by every step from grape to bottle, and I love nothing more than sharing that passion with the collectors I work with.

My first experience of the Wine and Spirits industry was at the age of 16 arriving in Champagne at midnight during the harvest and loading grapes into the presser, a moment I won’t forget. I fell in love there and then fascinated by the whole process from grape to bottle. This naturally led on to other harvests around the world gathering as much experience as possible before joining one of the largest, traditional merchants in London where I looked after a portfolio of private and trade clients across the UK.
As an avid lover of fresh shellfish from the west coast of Scotland, my go to for wine would most likely be white Burgundy and I would look to seek out something very special from 2011 or 2013 right now. I have been lucky enough to recently try some Chevalier, Batard and Puligny from these vintages and they are stunning. The Loire, Jura and the beautiful whites being made in South Africa now would also definitely come into play. My knockout moment was a few years ago now but I had the great fortune to drink a 1985 Romanée Conti, enough said!

The Broader Team

Martin Colyer

Non-Executive Director

Sarah Keeble

Marketing

Elevate your collection

We like to start our client relationships with a call to understand the wine you enjoy drinking, and your cellar aspirations. A call usually takes 15- 20 minutes and is usually done over a good old fashioned phone call. We can then tailor our communication and offers we send to you in the future. The journey starts with getting in touch with the team and we can take it from there. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Get in touch