Stroud Wine Company Wins Prestigious Wine Industry Award

Family owned Stroud Wine Company has won the International Wine Challenge (IWC) Regional Retailer of the Year 2024 award at the prestigious Wine Industry Awards Dinner hosted by Oz Clarke in London.

This honor is in recognition of the company's eclectic wine selection, its entertaining and informative tastings for customers, and its commitment to promoting independent wineries that operate with respect for the environment.

The IWC has been running for over 40 years and has become one of the most respected and judged wine competitions in the world.

Judges were also impressed by their commitment to paying the real living wage, encouraging and funding Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) qualifications for staff and generous staff benefits.

Stroud Wine Co., run by husband and wife Richard and Laura Holloway, opened its first High Street store in Withey's Yard in May 2017, followed by a second store in Griffin Mill in spring 2023.

“We’ve been open in Stroud for over seven years now and the local community is incredibly supportive, and we love being here,” said owner Laura Holloway. “We’re delighted to have won this award and will be hosting a free tasting for customers to celebrate, so stay tuned.”

Stroud Wine Co. also specialises in natural and organic wines and sells a wide range of beers and natural ciders. The Griffin Mill store, next to Bailey Paints, is open 10am-6pm Monday to Saturday. Withey's Yard store is open 10am-5.30pm Wednesday to Saturday. There is a 10% discount on any six wines purchased in either store.

The Industry Awards (formerly the Traders Awards) were launched in 1991, with the aim of recognising and rewarding the outstanding achievements of the UK wine trade, including traders, educators, distributors and agents.

In its 40th year, the International Wine Challenge is widely recognized as the most rigorous, impartial, influential and international wine competition in the world.

IWC evaluates each wine “blindly” and judges each one on how faithful it is to the vintage, region and year.