111 | Wine for Everyone: How Brodie Meah Took Top Cuvée from One Restaurant to Retail to National Distribution
Summary
Brodie Meah, co-founder of Top Cuvée, reveals how one neighborhood restaurant in Highbury became the foundation for a "wine for everyone" movement that achieved national distribution.Starting in 2019 with 40 covers nightly, Top Cuvée's journey from restaurant to retail to wholesale exemplifies bottom-up brand building.Having witnessed fine dining's intimidation tactics firsthand in Melbourne, Brodie flipped the industry's most exclusive phrase:"top cuvée" (wines deemed too good for regular guests) into a symbol of accessibility.The COVID pivot unlocked game-changing insights: wine labels matter enormously in retail but not restaurants, £8 glasses translate to £22 retail bottles, and wine's aversion to "openly commercial" marketing creates opportunity.By building trust glass by glass, turning regulars into brand ambassadors, and proving neighborhood hospitality can scale, Top Cuvée transformed from one Highbury restaurant to shops to national wholesale—keeping "wine for everyone" real.Timestamps:00:00 From Fine Dining to "Wine for Everyone" Philosophy03:00 One Restaurant to National Distribution Journey06:00 Wine Intimidation and the Leather Entrance Story09:30 Flipping "Top Cuvée" from Exclusive to Inclusive12:00 Why Wine Bars Shouldn't Feel Educational15:00 Building Community - The T-Shirt Customer Story18:00 Labels Matter in Shops, Not Restaurant Lists21:00 The £8 Glass = £22 Bottle Sweet Spot24:00 Wine's "Dirty Word" Marketing Problem27:00 Trust Engines and Part Two PreviewThe MAFFEO DRINKS Podcast is a leading drinks business podcast, listened to in 120 countries worldwide with 125+ episodes. Honest conversations about how the industry actually works, from the bar and what it means for the boardroom.
This Episode is hosted by Chris Maffeo and brought to you by MAFFEO DRINKS.
This Episode is hosted by Chris Maffeo and brought to you by MAFFEO DRINKS.
Brodie Meah, co-founder of Top Cuvée, reveals how one neighborhood restaurant in Highbury became the foundation for a "wine for everyone" movement that achieved national distribution.
Starting in 2019 with 40 covers nightly, Top Cuvée's journey from restaurant to retail to wholesale exemplifies bottom-up brand building.
Having witnessed fine dining's intimidation tactics firsthand in Melbourne, Brodie flipped the industry's most exclusive phrase:"top cuvée" (wines deemed too good for regular guests) into a symbol of accessibility.
The COVID pivot unlocked game-changing insights: wine labels matter enormously in retail but not restaurants, £8 glasses translate to £22 retail bottles, and wine's aversion to "openly commercial" marketing creates opportunity.
By building trust glass by glass, turning regulars into brand ambassadors, and proving neighborhood hospitality can scale, Top Cuvée transformed from one Highbury restaurant to shops to national wholesale—keeping "wine for everyone" real.
Timestamps:
- 00:00 From Fine Dining to "Wine for Everyone" Philosophy
- 03:00 One Restaurant to National Distribution Journey
- 06:00 Wine Intimidation and the Leather Entrance Story
- 09:30 Flipping "Top Cuvée" from Exclusive to Inclusive
- 12:00 Why Wine Bars Shouldn't Feel Educational
- 15:00 Building Community - The T-Shirt Customer Story
- 18:00 Labels Matter in Shops, Not Restaurant Lists
- 21:00 The £8 Glass = £22 Bottle Sweet Spot
- 24:00 Wine's "Dirty Word" Marketing Problem
- 27:00 Trust Engines and Part Two Preview
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Creators and Guests
Host
Chris Maffeo
Building Bottom-Up Strategies WITH Drinks Leaders Managing Top-Down Expectations | MAFFEO DRINKS Founder & Podcast Host
