Nicholas Collis, who formed this small wholesale wine business – trading as: “The Pewsey Vale Wine Company” in September 1994 has already had a long and interesting wine trade experience – stemming from March 1972.

Prior to starting The Pewsey Vale Wine Co., Nicholas formerly trained and worked with Gonzalez Byass (the famous Sherry shipper) in sales. Although he held an initial role as a promotional support representative for the UK sales force during his first year, he later became responsible for sales in S W London, Surrey and Sussex. To maintain a wide exposure and a reasonable sales growth, he later gained the support of two salesmen, which enabled him to tackle other responsibilities for duty free trade and certain national accounts.

In 1986 he joined Michael Druitt Wines as Brand Manager for the prestigious Don Zoilo range of Sherries and Gran Duque d’Alba Spanish Brandy. Although this was a marketing role, he also maintained a sales role for the duty free trade and certain national accounts. Other prestigious brands included were Champagne Perrier-Jouet, Leon Beyer Alsace and Berberana Riojas.

After redundancy in 1992, he spent two years with a Cornish based wine broker and set-up a new agency division for wines from Australia, France and Spain.

Trading Name – Origin: During the mid ‘80’s ~ ‘90’s Nicholas lived in the Pewsey Vale of Wiltshire at Woodborough, near Pewsey. With an initial concept to supply “wines by the case” to his friends, it seemed pertinent to use an apt trading name “The Pewsey Vale Wine Company”. Although in 1995 the business relocated to Mildenhall – locally known and spelt as Minal (see Contact Us page) – the trading name remains unaltered.

Since the winter of 2008, Nicholas and his company have become closely linked with Victor Marques of Vitoria Koi Ltd., Tua Valley, Douro, Portugal with whom he now has an international role as "Global Ambassador".

Victor Marques and his family, whose vineyards occupy over 100 acres on the steep hillsides of the Douro Valley (in an area, once described as "the largest mountain vineyard in the world") can aptly be described as "winemakers extraordinaire".

Victor Marques is indomitable, enthusiastic and an avid wine marketeer of his family's Douro Valley wines, Port and Olive Oil particularly, together with being an ardent marketeer and supporter of his many associate wine producers in the Vinho Verde and Douro Valley wine regions in the north of Portugal.

Anyone interested in knowing more about Nicholas and his association with Vitoria Koi should "take a look" at www.ecademy.com/user/Wines4all and visit both www.vitoriakoi.pt and www.flordomonte.com