Charles Taverner appointed MD of Champagnes & Châteaux UK
Charles Taverner has been appointed as managing director of premium wine distributor Champagnes & Châteaux UK, and will join the company after 21 years with Maisons Marques & Domaines.
He will take on responsibility for managing the company on 1 October, ahead of the retirement of founder and current MD Christophe Galez later this year.
This comes at a gloomy time for luxury fizz, with shipments in the eight months to the end of August declining by 1.8% on the already low figure achieved in the same period of 2024, with Champagne imports to the UK plummeting by almost three million bottles last year – taking the market back to its size in 1997.
But Taverner is optimistic. He is “absolutely delighted” to join Champagnes & Châteaux, and looked forward to developing the distribution of “such an excellent portfolio of wines” across UK channels.
He continued: Their London on trade customer base is of the highest quality and Christophe has built a highly successful specialist wine business over the years. The opportunity to work with an excellent team and take the business forward building on his legacy, with the support of some truly dynamic owners and top producers is hugely exciting.”
Next step
Part of Arvitis, the Battersea-based company represents Champagnes Thienot and Canard-Duchene, the Bordeaux properties of Dourthe, Argentina’s Clos de los Siete, as well as other family-owned wine producers around the world.
Taverner, who has worked in the wine industry since 1992, will join the company after 21 years with Maisons Marques & Domaines, where he initially managed the London on trade and prestige retail business, before being promoted to the position of National Accounts Director in 2009.
His career history also includes five years with Paragon Vintners, a stint as president of the Wine Trade Sports Club and current chairman of their trade charity, the ‘Foundation’.
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Reporting to owner Stanislas Thienot, he will also oversee the integration of the company’s brands into the national retail business.
Looking ahead
Galez, who co-founded the company in 1989 with Alain Thienot of the independent Champagne house Thienot in 1989, said: “The last 36 years have been an extraordinary journey.
“With the unwavering support of the Thienot family, the dedication of our team and the loyalty of our amazing customers, we’ve built a solid portfolio of independent wineries and established one of the prominent specialist merchants in the UK.
I am delighted to welcome Charles who will make our little gem shine for years to come.”
Stanislas Thienot, whose business is broadly considered one of the youngest Champagne houses, expressed his “sincere gratitude” to Galez, whose vision and dedication over his time at the business had “established Champagnes & Châteaux UK, as a benchmark in specialist wine distribution.”
‘Legacy of excellence’
Thienot said Galez had created a “lasting legacy of excellence, fostering a culture of integrity and strong partnerships that will endure”.
He continued: As we open a new chapter, I am delighted to welcome Charles Taverner, whose experience and deep understanding of the UK market make him exceptionally well placed to carry this foundation forward.
I have every confidence, that under his leadership, the company will continue to flourish, strengthening the values that have guided us from the beginning and carrying them into a new era of growth and opportunity.”
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