Ian Elton-Wall

After completing a joint honours degree in English and Italian at Cardiff University, Ian Elton-Wall began working in the wine trade in 1994. His first job was in a branch of Oddbins where he started as a sales assistant; later becoming an assistant manager; and a branch manager – and finally manager of one of Oddbins fine wine departments at (what was then) the Oddbins’ highest grossing shop in Notting Hill Gate. Oddbins provided Ian with a broad range of experience in the sale (and consumption!) of wines from every significant wine producing region. Following 4 years at Oddbins Ian joined Armit Wines in 1998 where he worked in private client sales, before being given responsibility for the private investor trading department.

As well as working on investment sales, during his 8 years at Armit Wines Ian developed a passion for great Burgundy and gained his first direct purchasing experience, visiting many of the greatest Burgundy Domaine whilst on buying trips from 1998 to 2006. Ian left Armit Wines to become Manager of Private Sales for MARC Fine Wines in 2006. Ian’s role once again encompassed direct purchasing responsibilities for Burgundy. At MARC Ian also began to develop an expertise in trade sales and purchasing. In 2010 Ian was headhunted to work for Wine Networks, a subsidiary company of the SK Group, one of South Korea’s largest conglomerates. As ‘Head of Private Sales & Purchasing’ he shared purchasing responsibility for the whole of Wine Networks as well as selling to a broad spectrum of trade and private clients.

Prior to setting up Renaissance Vintners, Ian was part owner and Managing Director of Premier Cru Trading Ltd, assuming overall responsibility for all sales, purchasing and management functions, as well as providing market analysis and consultancy for Premier Cru Fine Investments, the parent company of Premier Cru Trading.  Apart from being passionate about wine from a wide variety of regions, Ian is a keen cook, a passionate golfer and an avid armchair football fan.