Behind the vine

Lucy Wright - Nice Drinks - London, UK

When do you think you fell in love with wine, enough to make a career of it?

My dad was in the wine industry and part of the founding team at Laithwaites and the Sunday Times wine club so I grew up with wine and subconsciously it was in my blood. When I talk to my dad's old friends they always say he was very progressive and forward-thinking about wine, so that rubbed off on me, but I never imagined a career in wine. I always knew food and drink was going to be part of my career, but I was in more consumer packaged goods and wine wasn't there.

I was running my consultancy business and looking for my next idea. One day I saw a canned wine on Instagram - a brand called The Drop - and when I looked at the product it led me to a whole other world. I thought - this is the idea. They were really modernising wine. It was so cool and young which was totally different to the stuffy, old-world reputation wine has. It really brought wine into the new age. What sold it to me was also what I’d seen for myself. If you’re on a train in England on a Friday night you’ll see someone with a beer or a can of gin and tonic, and yet people were still stuck with a wine bottle, plastic cup, wine opener. Wine was so behind the times, and I was excited about the disruption and functionality that we could bring the category.

What story does your wine tell?

We describe ourselves as a future wine company focused on putting consumers first. For so long the industry hasn't thought about consumers. Even now, the main way to buy wine is in a 75cl glass bottle. We want people to feel included, and understand wine. We're always thinking about what our consumer wants and what the best liquid and vessel is for their occasion. We don't pair our wines with food, we pair our wines with moments. You go to the supermarket and think 'I'm going to the park all day’ and you need the best wine for that moment.

When people see our name - Nice - that name goes much further. We're working towards becoming B Corp in the next 7 month which is an accreditation given to businesses that balance people, planet and profit. We always try to be nice and do business in a nice way. Cans are just the beginning!

What misconceptions about wine do you think people should forget?

I have three:

1. Wine is an intimidating category that uses language that 1% of the population knows. A lot of people’s first thought when they’re given a wine list is 'I don't know what that means, or what that word is so i'll just pick the 2nd wine on the list or a grape variety that I know’. People go on autopilot and give the wine list over to the guy or friend who knows ‘more’. I'd love to see menus that are more inclusive in the way they're written.

2. It's a man's world. It’s been that way for so long. I work predominantly with 90% men, and the industry needs to be more inclusive - not just women, but with BAME, LGBTQ+.

3. Wine will only taste good if it's in a bottle. You can get fantastic keg wine, bag in box wine, and canned wine.

What great things about wine do you think people should remember?

The whole process of how wine happens. When you go out to these vineyards and see family-run vineyards, you really learn that the wine is their everything. You can see vines being grown and watered and harvested, the entire process is so cool to learn and understand. I find it interesting to learn about the different grape varieties - which people can be intimidated by - the thought of I don't know how to pronounce that! - there's a real gap for people to make that side of the industry more accessible and exciting. It's such an interesting thing to learn about.

I also love the social element to wine. Wine is a social thing. You can chat for hours drinking rosé on a long summer's day.

What is a piece of advice you would give to a woman interested in breaking into the wine world?

Just get out there and be super curious. When I first entered the food industry, I knew nothing. I walked around Whole Foods, getting in touch with people using emails I found on the backs of cans. Don’t be afraid to go into a shop and ask. Google wine tastings in your area. Think about everyone you know and who knows wine. Ask, ask, ask. It’s about going about it in a really polite way and remembering people who really helped you.

Who is a woman in wine you think everyone should know about?

It would definitely be Jancis Robinson. She's so supportive of women in wine and I've seen that personally. She knew my father and I nervously contacted her when we started Nice. I didn’t think she’d reply to me but she replied within 2 minutes. She received our cans and we had some email exchanges which resulted in an article on her website about me and Nice. It's great because she's a real fan of our wine.

She's also introduced me to Aleesha (_spillingit), who I think is fantastic. She's just done a review on Nice and she makes wine more accessible, she pairs it with the moment.

Where can women find your wine?

You can order directly through our site, and we’re available in Sainsburys, Ocado, Amazon, WHSmith and restaurants from Wagamama to MeatLiquor. We have over 3000 stocking points and will be at festivals/events.