From perfect pairings to wine on tap: Lanchester Wines is combining innovation and sustainability to meet the changing demands of the wine trade.
LANCHESTER Wines used its presence at Wine Paris 2026 and the Northern Restaurant & Bar trade Show (NRB) to demonstrate how creativity, sustainability and operational scale can work together to deliver for the modern wine trade.
A long-established family-owned business, which began in 1980 on a kitchen table in County Durham, Lanchester Wines is part of the family-owned Lanchester Group which brings together complementary operations, including Lanchester Wines, The Wine Fusion, Bon Bon’s confectionery, Spicers of Hythe, Full Circle Brewery, and wine bottling facility Greencroft Bottling.
Lanchester Wines is fiercely proud of its northern heritage and its founders, Tony and Veronica Cleary, owners of the aforementioned kitchen table, are still very much at the helm of the independent business.
Its portfolio consists of around 3,000 sku’s to the UK’s on-and off-trade channels. Its multi-faceted operation ensures it can offer specialist wines shipped in bulk to pub groups and wholesalers and high-end agency wines to independent retailers and restaurants.
Chocolate and Wine Challenge
The Lanchester Group’s premium confectionery offering, Bon Bon’s, recently acquired artisan chocolatier Choc Amor.
Choc Amor uses ethically sourced single origin Colombian cocoa through the Chocolate Dreams programme, producing chocolates with bold, layered flavour profiles that have earned recognition at the Great Taste Awards, International Chocolate Awards and Academy of Chocolate Awards.
Bon Bon’s focuses on premium gifting ranges for sister company Spicers of Hythe, while Lanchester Wines and The Wine Fusion supply much of the wines included in the hampers.
The complexity of chocolate and wine pairing was brought to life at Wine Paris, where the Group unveiled a ‘perfect pairing’ concept that set out to challenge conventional thinking around wine and chocolate.
“Chocolate and wine can be challenging to match,” says Mark Roberts, Lanchester Wines’ director of sales.
“Our approach was to select wines with the structure, aromatics and flavour definition needed to stand up to Choc Amor’s layered profiles.
“Each pairing highlights a specific point of harmony: bright acidity to lift spice and citrus, varietal aromatics that complement bold inclusions, or subtle tannins that work with richer cocoa notes. The result is a set of combinations that are daring but well‑balanced, designed to spark interest for retailers, buyers and hospitality teams looking for fresh ways to engage consumers.”
The Pairing:
- Chili & Lime chocolate with Nika Tiki Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand)
- Orange & Jalfrezi chocolate with Tombacco Falanghina (Italy)
- Rum & Raisin chocolate with Penny Island Pinot Noir (Russian River, California)
- Salt Liquorice chocolate with Estelar Carménère (Chile)
- Twisted Latte chocolate with Champagne Moutard Cuvée Six Cépages (France)
Tombacco Masterclass
Third-generation winemaker Cristian Tombacco of Italy’s Vinicola Tombacco, highlighted distinctive Italian varietals at a Masterclass during NRB.
The winery was founded in 1919 in the Northern Italian Veneto region after Cristian’s grandfather Giovani Battista transformed his land from growing peaches for the German market into growing vines, mainly Cabernet and Merlot red grape varieties.
The family now has three wineries producing a variety of whites and red across 150 hectares. Prosecco and Pinot Grigio are the best-selling wines to the UK market with 50% of the total hectares producing Prosecco. Cristian and his brother Andrea are joint owners of Vinicola Tombacco.
The Prosecco wines shown in the tasting varied depending on where they were produced. Those grown in the hills had lower production, more perfume, and more elegance.
Cristian also delved into Raboso, the local grape variety producing red wines. It is also called Raboso Piave, from the name of a river near where it is grown. It produces deep-coloured wine, with high levels of tannin, medium alcohol content, and high acid. The name Raboxo in the native Venetian language means ‘angry,’ because angry is the sensation in the mouth when this wine is drunk young. It is perfect for blending and sparkling wines.
Tasting the Wines
Tommy Bacco sparkling wine (0%) ABV.
Non-alcoholic beverage using selected grape must. Bright yellow straw with intense notes of white fruit, hints of apple, pear, and peach with delicate floral undertones.
An excellent ‘toasting’ wine.
- Baglietti Prosecco Spumante D.O.C. (11%) ABV.
A bouquet of elegant fruity notes of green and golden apple with floral notes of dog rose and wisteria. Perfect as an aperitif and versatile to match with various dishes. - Baglietti Spumante Rosato extra dry (11%) ABV.
Elegant floral notes on the nose with sensations of small red fruits on the palate.
This wine highlights the beauty of Italian craftsmanship. Perfect paired with light appetisers and an ideal choice for celebrations and gatherings. - Ballancin Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore D.O.C.G (11%) ABV.
Elegant fruity notes of sour apple, acacia, and glycine flowers.
An ideal companion for various culinary delights or as an aperitif. - Conte di Roccaluna Falanghina I.G.T del Beneventano (12%) ABV.
Intense, fragrant with warm notes and pleasant hints of toasted hazelnut.
This wine reflects the character of the Southern Italian Benevento territory.
Pair with seafood dishes and Mediterranean cuisine. This wine matched perfectly with Choc Amor Orange & Jalfrezi chocolate. - Trevisana Bio Raboso I.G.T Veneto Frizzante Organic and Vegan (11.5%) ABV.
Elegant and intense with hints of Morello Cherry and wild berries.
An excellent expression of the authentic character of Raboso grape variety.
Perfect for savoury and as an aperitif. - Le Argille Cabernet di Cabernet I.G.T Veneto (15%) ABV.
Complex aromas of ripe berries, plum and black cherries with hints of vanilla, tobacco and dark chocolate and green pepper.
Pair with rich dishes and aged cheeses. - Tombacco Primitivo di Manduria D.O.C. (15%) ABV.
Intense aromas of blackberry and plum jam with notes of pepper and vanilla.
Pair with grilled meats and aged cheeses.
Sustainability Moves Centre Stage
Alongside the more creative elements, Lanchester Wines used both Wine Paris and NRB to highlight its dedication to sustainability.
Three wind turbines tower over its mini business park just outside of Durham, the headquarters of the group and home to BRC AA+ accredited Greencroft Bottling.
To support the growth of Greencroft Bottling, significant investment has been made into developing Greencroft Two. The £20million building is more than 22,000 square metres (equivalent to four football pitches). It has the potential to more than double the capacity at Greencroft Bottling to up to 400million litres per year, the equivalent to a quarter (28%) of all wine sold in the UK.
Lanchester Wines also owns and operates over 1million square foot of Class A bonded warehouse, and a sister energy business.
The latter oversees the Group’s renewable energy and heat generation through solar power, wind turbines, and geothermal heat pumps.
“Nobody can touch us on sustainability. “They can’t come close,” says Tony Cleary, Lanchester Group CEO.
Wine on Tap
The group highlighted wine on tap, with its growing range available in 20-litre Key Keg formats and 10-litre bag-in-box.
The Key Keg system offers a compelling sustainability proposition for the on-trade.
By eliminating glass bottles, corks and outer packaging, each keg replaces around 26 standard bottles, significantly reducing waste, transport weight, and associated carbon emissions. The closed, one-way system, also prevents oxygen ingress, extending shelf life and virtually eliminating spoilage.
For operators, that translates into both environmental and commercial benefits with less waste, greater consistency and improved margin control.
Combined with the portable Lindr distribution system, where no gas is required and its ability to chill the wine within 10 minutes. The system can run on standard cellar equipment and with the Keg Kegs can keep wines fresh for six weeks.
The Keg Keg range reflects a clear focus on accessible wine styles suited to serving wines by the glass.
Core lines include:
- Bianco Frizzante (Italy, Glera)
- Pinot Grigio (Puglia, Italy)
- Sauvignon Blanc (Italy and South Africa)
- Merlot (Veneto, Italy)
- Cabernet Sauvignon (Veneto, Italy)
- Primitivo (Puglia, Italy)
- Malbec (Argentina)
These are complemented by a 10-litre bag-in-box White Zinfandel from California, offering additional flexibility for venues.
The emphasis is firmly on reliability and drinkability, while maintaining enough regional and varietal identity to appeal across a broad spectrum of on-trade listings.
Two Shows and a Masterclass
While Wine Paris provided a platform to reconnect with international suppliers and highlight the Group’s integrated capabilities, the commercial impact was more immediately felt at NRB.
NRB hospitality trade show, held at Manchester Central in March, delivered strong engagement with operators, and generated a number of quality leads, underlining its role as a key event for driving new business in the northern domestic market.
Looking Ahead
Taken together, the two exhibitions highlight a business balancing creativity with pragmatism.
On one side sits innovation, wine and chocolate pairings designed to spark interest and open up new merchandising opportunities. On the other is a clear focus on scalable, sustainable solutions such as Lindr and Key Keg that address the operational realities of the on-trade.
“Sustainability is not a ‘desire’ but a ‘must have’ now for many wine buyers,” says Cleary.
“Consumers are demanding it because of environmental concerns and legislative pressures pushing the agenda along.
“With the added pressure on margins continuing, formats that reduce waste while improving efficiency are likely to play an increasingly central role.”
For Lanchester Wines, the opportunity lies in combining those practical solutions with added-value concepts that help customers stand out, whether through alternative formats, cross-category collaboration, or more engaging ways to present wine to the end consumer.
To find out more about Lanchester Wines go to: www.lanchesterwines.co.uk
Contact? sales@lanchesterwines.co.uk / 01207 52 1234
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