Giles Burke-Gaffney

Spear’s Review

Giles Burke-Gaffney joined Justerini & Brooks over a quarter-century ago as a cellar hand. In the following decades, he worked in close quarters with the firm’s founder, Hew Blair, whom he succeeded as the firm’s head in 2012. He now leads a dedicated team of five experts looking to source the finest vintages globally. 

When Spear’s caught up with the wine aficionado, he told us that a new generation of wine growers were placing a strong emphasis on the provenance of their wines — with young producers focusing on sustainable viticulture and creating a healthy vineyard. ‘They’re very conscious that a wine should have something to say about where it’s from,’ he says.

A key part of Burke-Gaffney’s role is fostering relationships with vineries and growers scattered throughout Europe, which he visits frequently to refine his palate and keep abreast of the latest enological trends. 

Adviser Profile

Giles is the Buying Director for Justerini & Brooks, heading the wine buying team. ‘We have a team of seven people, sourcing across the world; we want to find wines that are going to give our customers ultimate drinking pleasure and offer them a real experience’ says Giles. 

The team travel globally in search of great wines from family-run domaines and estates, ‘finding the most exciting wines in the world for our customers’ is the aim of these trips’, says Giles. The buying team source wines from over 300 producers, with Giles having tasted over 15,000 wines in the past 5 years alone. 

Having joined the company as a cellar hand, Giles is now celebrating his 26th year with Justerini & Brooks. Through decanting incredible wines in the dining room at St. James’s Street, a passion for wine was sparked. ‘Good wine should stir a passion in you, have something to say about where it is from and should be a memorable experience’, says Giles. 

Giles has a great belief in his buying team - saying ‘we believe in ourselves, we believe in the wines we buy. First and foremost the quality of what is in the bottle is paramount, and we use our collective tasting experience to judge this. Whilst scores or reviews can prove useful guides, they are of secondary importance. We have the courage of our convictions to buy a wine if we think it’s good and if we think our customers will like it’. It is through Giles’ unwavering belief of his team that the Justerini & Brooks wine portfolio is as comprehensive as it is. 

The breadth of the portfolio is one of the reasons that Justerini & Brooks has opened its first tasting room and boutique within Burlington Arcade. The space ‘offers a unique experience in London, from fine wines for future enjoyment to those ready to savour immediately’ says Giles. The retail boutique offers consumers an opportunity to discover the Justerini & Brooks portfolio and experience the knowledge of the team first hand.