Testimonials

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"Like many people, my first encounter with German wine was an off-dry Riesling. There are some absolutely amazing examples available, but there is so much more to German wine! As a sommelier I am always considering how a wine interacts with food, and German wines are some of my favourites for how versatile and food-friendly they are. Iris is an old friend of Michael’s, and I was thrilled to be invited to The WineBarn’s portfolio tasting – I had been struggling to source German red, so this was an ideal opportunity. It’s wonderful to be able to work with such a specialist supplier and be able to introduce such unique, high quality wines to our guests."
Lauren Sharples, Sommelier for The Angel at Hetton (2024)

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"We have been working with Iris and the lovely WB team for over a decade and they have proven time and again their consistency in supplying quality wines backed up with exemplary customer service and this is what sets them apart from other specialists. They have an amazing selection of wines showcasing the depth of what Germany has to offer. They are knowledgeable and passionate people who deserve all the credit due; no accolade is too small."
Andrew Duncan, Wine Buyer for Harvey Nichols (2024)

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"I have been dealing with Iris for the past 15 years when I was head sommelier at Marcus Wareing until now at Heston Blumenthal’s Dinner at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Her service and selection of wines are impeccable, inspiring and refreshing. There is no other merchant that sells German wine with the same passion as Iris does. "
Michael Deschamp, Head Sommelier for Dinner by Heston Blumenthal at the Mandarin Oriental London (2024)
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“Our wine lists feel incomplete without plenty of presence from Germany. Stellar wines, and still remarkable value, considering the quality. We go to no-one but Iris at The WineBarn to fill these gaps, her relationships with superb German winemakers are unmatched.”
Edmund Inkin, Owner of Eat Drink Sleep (2024)

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“We love working with The WineBarn, the wine selection is purely focused on German wines with artisanal winemakers and wonderful hidden gems. The attention to detail, the enthusiasm and professionalism that Iris and her team have is remarkable. Thank you for your continued research and friendly approach. I wish you all the best”
Melania Bellesini, Head Sommelier of The Fat Duck Bray (2024)

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“We love working with The WineBarn and have for almost a decade, but more importantly with Iris - an amazingly talented lady who is at the top of the wine industry and winning awards left, right and centre. German wine has been put on the map in such a great and powerful way, with not only the wines and regions at the forefront of everything that Iris wants to deliver, but the producers and the consumers also. From Riesling to Grauburgunder, the wines and knowledge of Iris and her team will not disappoint. An incredible joy to work with!”
Gavin Hills, Wine Director for The Hand and Flowers (2024)
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“My first stop for German Wine!
A wonderful range, but above all, a team with real passion and verve for what they do!”

Peter August, Wine Buyer for WSET School London (2023)
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"We’re ashamed to admit that we’ve been left in the dark when it comes to wines from Germany, believing them to be that sickly sweet nectar of the 1980s. Thanks to German wine experts The WineBarn, based just outside Winchester, we are now completely converted and intrigued to try more after having the pleasure of tasting Wirsching’s 2022 Scheurebe dry, as well as Becker's 2021 Petit Rosé dry. Both are excellent accompaniments to a summer picnic. The award-winning WineBarn truly live, breathe and love their wines!"
Elizabeth Kirby, Editor of Hampshire Life Magazine (2023)
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"What I can say, unreservedly is that I certainly like the formula of a mixed case, where I have a wide range of wine to try. It helps me determine those that I especially like. In fact, I have sitting on my desk one empty bottle to remind me of my favourite from the recent mix - the Kochan Platz 2020 Riesling Alte Reben (Old Vines) dry. It sits on my desk, since I have a memory like a sieve sometimes and need the help of a label sitting there to remind me precisely of the details. I can envision it - both as a perfect white to go with most of the seafood dishes I prepare - as well as a white wine to drink by itself."
Lady Alexandra Richardson (2023)
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"We very much enjoyed the Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris) and the Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir). They were the two outstanding wines of the tasting, which was themed around Pinot wines. Every now and then we hold a Germany tasting, and I certainly know where to turn for quality German wines!"
David Brownridge (2023)
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"The event was absolutely amazing - one of the best in my career!
I was happy to be invited, and had an amazing day. I will never forget that I was invited to such a glorious event. Iris was wonderful, and I had a great time with her - she has a great personality. Splendid company, great collection of wines and the event was well presentable, sophisticated & in a lovely location. I thoroughly enjoyed the wine tasting."
Vinoy Wilson, Private Client (2023)
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"Being Patient Zero and still suffering with Chronic Riesling Dependency, I was delighted to receive an invitation to The WineBarn's Oxford tasting event.
Specialising in Germany, this was a snapshot not only of their undeniably high-quality range, but also modern Germany. With an array of wines to taste, and far from exclusively Riesling, it was an immersion back into a country I haven't visited for far too long.
All of the wines today offered wonderful value for money as well as an experience of what is happening in Germany's dynamic wine scene. I would urge you to explore The WineBarn's range, and get a few bottles for your own enjoyment."
Lee Isaacs, Private Client (2023)
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"A chance encounter with a Spätburgunder at a Michelin-starred restaurant in London led us to The WineBarn. Rarely drinking anything other than Pinot Noir, we are delighted with the range and quality of wines offered, as well as the fantastic, knowledgeable and friendly service. Ordering is simple and delivery efficient.The WineBarn is multi-award winning for very good reasons!"
Iain Cullen, Private Client (2022)
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"The wines are fantastic and The WineBarn is now my go to supplier of German wine. However, the reason i have decided to write a review is because of the peerless level of service I have recently received from them. They really do try to know all of their clients personally, have stepped in to sort out my errors out of hours, and then followed up to ensure things were correct and that I was happy. The quality of their wines goes without question, but added to this is their quick, efficient and personal service that is backed up by an admin and warehouse team that are first rate and fully engaged."
Duncan Maw, Private Client (2022)
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"Thank everyone at The WineBarn, and the producers who travelled from Germany, for such a lovely event. While I've been to plenty of wine tastings, I've never been to a portfolio tasting with producers present and confess I was a little anxious that it might be stuffy, formal or pretentious (especially given the venue), but my anxieties were entirely misplaced - it was a very relaxed, informal and enjoyable affair.
Keep up the good work, and I look forward to placing some orders. The Cabernet Sauvignon Sekt Brut from Weingut Kranz was the star of the show for me - amongst many other delights."
Nick Pisaka, Private Client & Annual Portfolio Tasting Guest (2022)
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"What an interesting and enjoyable selection you presented. The Allendorf Red Riesling was a new experience (amongst others), and I shall probably be in touch about one or two others."

Andrew Lever, Wine Steward - Peterhouse College, Cambridge (2022)

"I discovered The WineBarn when, no less than Jancis Robinson, recommended you for German whites in the Financial Times. Of the selection of Rieslings that I ordered, those I have opened have been really delightful. Even when young, they are well integrated with impressive depth and layering - and they pair excellently with food."

Tom Mosher, private client (2022)

"Everyone should have some Dr Heger in their wine rack.Pound for pound, I would always select German Pinot Noir (Spätburgunder) over its Burgundian counterparts, and Dr Heger definitely produce quality Pinot Noirs. They also produce world-beating Weissburgunder."

Mark Deamer, private client (2022)

"I’m a relative newcomer to Riesling and German wines and wanted to find out more, which is why I came to you after seeing a review in the Decanter Magazine. I was delighted with the service and the selection of wines that you put together for me - thank you so much.

I had friends over and we had a tasting of the wines. They all went down very well. Bassermann-Jordan's Deidesheimer Leinhöhle, Allendorf's Rüdesheimer Berg Roseneck and the Bischel wine were blind tasted. Whilst the Leinhohle came out as our favourite, we all recognised that the Roseneck was the quality wine with lots of depth and character to explore. We thought the Leinhohle was a real crowd pleaser, fresh acidity and apple palette was wonderful."

Ed Veasey, private client (2021)

"I discovered the German Pinot Noir (Spätburgunder) three or four years ago, and since then, I have fallen in love with it. It is one of my favourite wines, in particular, those produced by Dr. Heger. All my friends that have tried it can’t believe it and wonder why such gems are still quite unknown!"
Giuliano Malacarne, private client (2021)

"I am delighted with the three wines you advised me on. I find these GG (Grand Cru) wines exceptionally delicious, and think that they are really good value. They seem to me to be underrated in this country. I look forward to buying more from you in the future."

Tom Beazley, private client (2021)

"I really enjoyed a case of wine from Weingut Bercher. Their Spätburgunder 2018 1G Erste Lage was elegant and fruity and their Jechtinger Weissburgunder dry was refreshing and most enjoyable. I had the pleasure of visiting Weingut Bercher in September at harvest time in the beautiful town of Burkheim, so it was nice to revisit Burkheim through a WineBarn delivery!“
James Humphrey-Evans, private client (2021)

“The WineBarn does a brilliant job with German wine, which is such an exciting category right now and they are very worthy Decanter winners. Check them out!”

Peter Richards
Wine Writer, TV Presenter, Decanter Judge and Master of Wine (2021)

“Lockdown has been especially fierce on those specialist importers that have supplied the very fine restaurants we have in this country. Iris Ellmann’s The WineBarn is one such specialist that we absolutely need in our industry. It is comforting to know that in order to drink great German wine, you only need to remember one phone number, and one website; www.thewinebarn.co.uk.”

Joe Wadsack
Presenter of The Drinks Coach (2021)

"Iris Ellmann runs The WineBarn and she is a German wine dynamo. With a collection of estates from all over the country, covering all styles and grape varieties I can highly recommend looking at her website if you are curious to discover more about top-flight German wines."

Matthew Jukes, Wine Critic (2020)

"Having had a great lunch in Baden with fantastic wines, I thought I would try to find out if I could buy these in England. Luckily, I was put in touch with The WineBarn. I am woefully ignorant of German wines but The WineBarn has been incredibly helpful and informative. I am working through my first batch of wines (it doesn’t take long), and will be going back for more. Thank you Iris and your team."

Michael Holden, private client (2021)

"I first became aware of The WineBarn through an article in the Daily Telegraph. In addition to a review of a book The Wines of Germany by Anne Krebiehl, I learned that the company was now selling wine to private customers. As I have had a long interest German and Austrian wines, I shortly afterwards placed an order for a selection of white wines. I was not disappointed in the quality and value for money. Subsequently, I purchased more wines, and, again I was not at all disappointed. Ordering is simple, and I have had no difficulty in placing an order either by telephone or through the website. I have particularly enjoyed the recommended selections. Iris Ellmann regularly communicates by email with updates. This is very much appreciated, and I feel a valued client. If you have an interest in German wines, this is THE outlet for you!"

Alexander McMillan, private client (2021)

"You have made this lockdown period quite special for us. We have had plenty of time away from our offices to explore unfamiliar wines - and yours have been our greatest discovery!

I have seldom drunk wine at lunchtime and I have preferred red wines in the evening, so we have drunk very little German Riesling. But now we have - and your wines have been the highlight of lockdown. So thank you for that!"

Stephen Bourne, private client (2020)

"We have been soaking up the sun and drinking Bassermann-Jordan's 2017 Estate Riesling QbA dry from your "Stay Home Stay Safe" case. We count ourselves fortunate to be drinking such pleasant wine whilst locked down in such a beautiful place!"

Tim Barthorpe in Orkney, private client (2020)

"Had a fantastic evening at Kyoto Kitchen with The WineBarn, who paired delicious servings of Japanese dishes with a range of German wines. The wines were all bursting with flavour and divine aromas. Two vineyard owners explained the region where the wines are produced and how the grape varieties flourish from the soil and weather. Lovely Pinot’s, a red that was like a light Rioja and the most delicious balanced desert wine. My table of 10 are now avid German wine supporters! Thank you."

Melissa Collins Pell, private client (2020)

"Thank you for a brilliant evening at the Fusion Tasting Dinner. It was wonderful to meet you and the event was superb - amazing wines, sublime food and a great atmosphere. We loved it all!"

Hugh Lumby, private client (2020)

"When we decided to organise a tasting of German wines for our group we didn't know quite where to start. We discovered The WineBarn and didn't look back. Iris was incredibly helpful and knowledgeable and suggested six wines from different areas and using different grapes. It certainly changed the opinion of our group about German wines. The WineBarn has to be the 'go to' place to buy German wines, they have a very wide ranging stock and extremely knowledgeable staff - well done The WineBarn."

David & Pam Harverson, private clients (2019)

"A thoroughly pleasant experience from start to finish. The website is easy to navigate and the selection is vast. Delivery was superbly managed, despite many challenging variables. I can strongly recommend The WineBarn for anybody wishing to explore the wonderful world of German wines"

Sophia Dürr, private client (2019)

"I am delighted to have made a further order at The WineBarn. The first delivery was a revelation to me, as the quality of the wines was exceptional. Thank you so much for all your help and the outstanding products you provide."

Robert Brown, private client (2019)

"It is a really fantastic portfolio that you have and we look forward to exploring more of it in the future."

Harry at The London Shell Co. (2019)

"An impressive restaurant wine list cannot be complete without wines from The WineBarn."

Marco Mägi, Head Sommlier at Lympstone Manor (2019)

“I discovered the wonderful WineBarn when searching for a specific German Pinot Noir after returning from a trip to Copenhagen - and what a discovery it has proven to be. Iris and her team stock arguably the finest collection of German wines available in the UK.

If you have never sampled the delights of a Spätburgunder Gross Gewachs Pinot Noir or explored the incredible variety that is German Riesling, then I highly recommend The WineBarn to begin a journey of discovery. Quite simply unbeatable for high quality German wines with a friendly, helpful and highly knowledgeable team.”

Stephen Kelly, private client (2019)

“With The WineBarn, one can have total confidence in the soundness of advice, the quality of the wines, and the certain knowledge that each bottle opened would lead one into the pleasurable world of savouring German Wine at its best.”

Tim Barthorpe, private client

“There has never been a better time to enjoy the incredible quality of the top German wines. Between the beautiful traditional styles of the classic wine growers to the vibrant wines of the very ‘avant-garde’ producers there is so much to enjoy. The great Rieslings of course but also the superb Pinot Noirs and much more. Delighted that The WineBarn, a top German wine merchant, is presenting such interesting wines.”
Gerard Basset

Former World Champion Sommelier, Master of Wine,
Master Sommelier and MBA Wine honours.
http://gerardbasset.com/

“I managed to taste all the wines shown at last night’s WineBarn Tasting in London and it was thrilling to taste the wines of two excellent growers in particular, one of whom was completely new to me; Göttelmann of the Nahe and Friedrich Becker of Schweigen is famous in Germany for the quality of his red wines, but they are difficult to find outside Germany. This is why we need enthusiastic specialist importers such as Iris Ellmann of The WineBarn.”
Jancis Robinson, OBE, MW

“I did greatly enjoy everything I did taste. I tasted through the whole Wirsching range, which I found very impressive in terms of quality and value, and was particularly struck by the 2016 Iphöfer Kronsberg Scheurebe Alte Reben.”
Neil Beckett, World of Wine

“All of the wines were excellent. The best food pairing was Chardonnay with the pork, having said that there wasn’t a poor wine or food matching at all. The choice of wines were excellent. Without your guidance I’m sure it would have been a case of “hit or miss”. Thank you for your assistance again and I really must complement the quality and value of your wines.”
William Findlay, private client

“As you know, I was at the heart of the Wine Society for a decade or so, and it remains at mine, so I anticipate that I’ll continue that relationship into my old age! Meanwhile, I’m full of admiration for what has been achieved at The WineBarn. My compliments!”
Stephen Bourne, Chapter Clerk & Administrator, Ely Cathedral