The Sampler was started in 2006 by Dawn and Jamie – who turned their hobby into The Sampler. Dawn still works in Islington while Jamie lives in France and makes his own wine in the Juarancon - Domaine D’Audaux, which you can hear about in our newsletter.
The Sampler was the first wine shop to have sampling machines in the UK. In fact, we helped change the law regarding how wine could be served. We have a rotating roster of 80 wines to sample – you can therefore try before you buy, or you can try something you are curious about but could otherwise never afford.
We are a fine wine shop, with many unusual wines and older bottles, but we also have some of the best sub £15 wines around. We were one of the first shops to import Grower Champagne and continue to do so. Our philosophy has always been to be against wine snobbery, in whatever form that takes, and to allow you to experiment and make up your own mind about what you like.
Over the years we have been delighted to have helped many wine novices and enthusiasts, sommeliers, WSET and MW students sample their way through all the countries, styles and trends that make the wine world so interesting.
