ONE of Britain's major wine companies has opened a depot just outside York.

Berkmann Wine Cellars says it continues to go from strength to strength and has 'invested' in Kinloch House, a new 18,355 sq ft high-tech warehouse on Northminster Business Park at Upper Poppleton.

The company is the largest family-owned and family-run wine importer in the UK and supplies the region's leading restaurants and retailers.

Berkmann has been selling wine to restaurants across the UK since 1964 and now promises an award-winning portfolio of over 1,400 wines, representing wineries from 20 countries.

Based in Clerkenwell, London, the company is headed by second generation family member Rupert Berkmann.

The company said: "We give support, advice and bespoke training to help restaurants, hotels and bars provide an unbeatable wine experience for their customers. By combining national buying power with local knowledge, we deliver competitive prices and unrivalled service across every region of the UK.

"From our origins in the restaurant business, our unique scale and reach extends across all trade channels, bringing Berkmann service and on-trade flair into the retail environment."

The company says its new York warehouse will ensure that the wine is stored in optimum conditions to create the perfect taste experience for customers in the region.

To support the development, Berkmann Wine Cellars has recruited four new staff members who have been trained in handling and selecting fine wines.

Furthermore, the company says Kinloch House will be more than a warehouse, it will also provide Berkmann Wine Cellars with a business hub, offering unparalleled added value to their clientele with Graphic Design and Wine List services in addition to their highly valued, staff training programme.

Charles Marshall, Chief Operating Officer, told the Press: "Quality and flexibility of service remain a fundamental commitment to our customers and a core component of the Berkmann Wine Cellar offer.

"The decision was made to invest in Kinloch House to enhance service levels to a position that differentiates us from our competitors.

"We will continue our personal approach with each bottle handpicked from the warehouse ensuring all of our wines are handled with the utmost care”.

For more information about Berkmann Wine Cellars, go to www.berkmann.co.uk or for customer enquiries email wineorders@berkmann.co.uk