David Hulley
On Wine

Selfridges’ “jukebox” offers a melody of wine tasting


It is lovingly nicknamed “the jukebox.” The manager in charge, Olivier Rigolot was very gracious as he took me through the complete operation of the machine while he meticulously cleaned each part.

“The secret is lemon juice my friend,” he stated as he winked. “All other chemicals are far too harsh. And an occasional ram up the spout with a tiny Phillips screwdriver keeps everything moving.” Olivier’s pride in his machine, his unique knowledge of its maintenance and operation and his delight in the success of his bar were very apparent.

On a recent wine business trip to London, England I made time to visit the “The Wonder Bar” at Selfridges on Oxford Street. Attached to this venerable department store’s wine retail department was a wines-by-the-glass tasting bar. This in itself is not that notable, but the fact that you serve yourself is.

The Wonder Bar provides a selection of twenty-five different wines with the mere press of a button. Guests can even choose their own pour size and the last glass out of the bottle is as fresh as the first due to the shrewd use of inert gas displacement. Wine is forced out of the bottle by sealed nitrogen pressure introduced into neck. A small straw resting on the bottom of the bottle allows the measured wine to escape without any oxidation. It’s a beautiful thing.

So is Selfridges crazy to let customers help themselves? No. Each sample of wine is accessed through a special wine cash card. Guests simply visit the cashier to load up a card with as mush money as they wish and then head off to deplete the funds one glass at a time. Olivier was happy to note that many spouses were taking advantage of the new system by giving their mate a wine tasting at Selfridges. “It takes the guesswork out of gift giving and the “gifter” gets to go shopping as well,” Olivier smiled. Offering both red and white wines at the correct serving temperatures and at prices ranging from a few Pounds to hundreds, guests can sample a variety of wines in a relaxed bar atmosphere before they commit to a bottle or a case for home.

It broke my heart to remember during my visit that our federal government only allows a liter and half of wine to be brought back into Canada without duty. In addition, the weight of a significant wine purchase would have the airlines in an uproar. I can only sit back and hope that some day things will change and someone in Ontario will purchase a “jukebox” that we all may visit. Until that time, I must resign myself to knowing that at Selfridges, they’re playing my song.
(Enologist, David Hulley is president of Enosgroup Consulting, a company specializing in corporate wine/social etiquette training, and wine/winery investments. He can also be heard nationally on Weekends — “Food and Wine with David Hulley.” Locally you can tune him in on Saturdays on 1010 CFRB. David can be reached at david@davidhulley.com)