About Us

Bray Valley Wines was established in North Devon in September 2002 to provide quality, easy drinking wines, at affordable prices.

At that time Georgie and Charlie, looking around locally for their daily drinking, were frustrated to find only the big supermarkets. A mammoth tasting was prepared with neighbours, friends and local businesses invited to report on which styles and prices were appropriate.

Charlie used his experience and contacts to collect 80-100 wines from around the world. Competitively priced, they are shipped to the warehouse at South Molton. They are all wines which he likes to drink – and does!

Charlie Cotton has spent all his working life in the wine business. After training in Burgundy, Bordeaux, Portugal and Germany (Port and German wines were important back in the 70’s!) he started selling for a wholesale merchant in London; specialising in the Domaines of Burgundy, his first and enduring love.

In the 1990’s he moved closer to the vineyard, establishing UK distribution for a group of three French production companies, in Bordeaux, the Rhone and Burgundy.

Over this period the wine map has changed out of all recognition, with the Aussie revolution of the 1980’s followed by the arrival of the Chileans, South Africans and so forth.

The wine world today is a bigger and more exciting place than it was when Charlie started out.

In December 2007 the peace and tranquility of the Bray Valley was left behind, and the company moved to a new building at the top of Pathfields Business Park in South Molton.

Our custom-built wine warehouse is positioned close to the North Devon Link Road, a location which allows us to serve our South-West customers very effectively. It also provides excellent access to the M5 and beyond.

We have grown, moved, and grown again; and our aim has remained clear – quality, value and excellent service. Whatever the occasion, whatever the wine, we strive to ensure that our customers are delighted by every bottle.