Wine venture aims for a vintage year

Cheers . . . Linzi with a selection of Red Retro Wine’s collection

RED Retro Wines is a Chadderton family business with its roots firmly in Bulgaria.

It was founded by Oldham businessman Dave Turner soon after he and his wife, June, retired to the holiday idyll of Burgas, close to Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast.

Not one for clicking his heels, Mr Turner, after a few months of enjoying the quiet life, started investigating local wines.

He found the 2,000-year-old viniculture of Bulgaria produced outstanding natural, good-tasting wines.

He spotted the business opportunity and after nine months of research and making contacts, Mr Turner, who used to live in Chadderton, struck a deal with one of the biggest wineries in the country to exclusively export wine to the UK.

He was joined in the new venture by his daughter-in-law, Linzi, who wanted a change from the corporate life in food sector business development, and his son, Colin, who live in Chadderton.

Linzi has taken charge of business development and handles clients.

They have recruited wine bars, restaurants and gastro-pubs to the portfolio and have plans to go national, which will mean recruiting distribution and sales staff.