Our Story

Theatre of Wine was created to escape the boring. Established in 2002, Theatre of Wine is a retailer, importer and wholesaler with one of the most eclectic ranges of wines, beers and spirits in the UK.

We embrace classic European wines, such as Bordeaux and Burgundy, Barolo and Chianti, Rioja and Riesling, alongside wines from emerging regions such as Romania, England, Greece, Bulgaria and Croatia, and forgotten treasures such as Sherry, Port and Madeira.

We also have a range of handpicked spirits, including single malt whiskies, gin and boutique rums, not to mention craft beers from around the world and a selection of Cuban cigars.

Theatre of Wine has extensive experience of instore, corporate and private tastings, having hosted over 1,000 events ranging from our weekly tastings to corporate functions with over 300 guests.

We also offer many of the services of a traditional merchant, such as glass hire, ice and UK-wide delivery, and the ability to set up a wedding or cellar list.

To keep in touch with upcoming tastings and special offers, please join our newsletter, or follow us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

Who We Are

Daniel Illsley

Born in St.Ives in Cornwall in a flat on the Fore St, a stone's throw from the ocean, Daniel worked in theatre, film and TV for 10 years, most notably at the ground-breaking Citizens Theatre in Glasgow.

In July 2002 he created Theatre of Wine with Jonathan Warren, David Simmonds and a lot of helpers. The name came about through the fusion of two loves - theatre and wine - embodied in antiquity in a single entity, the god Dionysus.  

The shops are a stage for our wines, and at our weekly tastings we let these characters interact and reveal their personalities. While the team has changed, the philosophy is the same: to give a stage to wines that have something interesting to say.

Jon Jackson

Having worked in the student bar whilst studying for a Business degree, Jon decided to combine the two interests into a career, joining Majestic Wine in 1990.

Seventeen years later, having fitted in store management, teaching Wine and Spirit Education Trust qualifications to over 400 staff, and judging at international wine competitions, he decided that Majestic had got too mainstream and ran away to join Theatre of Wine’s troupe of underappreciated grape varieties and little-known wine regions, where he has spent the last decade allowing his wine-geekiness full rein!