Vagabond launches DTC platform
Vagabond Wines has launched a new direct-to-consumer (DTC) platform, creating a path from “self-pour sample to doorstep delivery”, the drinks business can exclusively reveal. The move aims to serve fans who live beyond its bar network and capitalise on rapidly growing app engagement, managing director Christobell Giles tells db.
Accessible through the Vagabond website and app, the new online shop allows guests to purchase exclusive wines and upcoming Urban Winery releases with next-day delivery. As in the bars, wines are merchandised by style, with more than 50 SKUs available. The platform also offers personalised recommendations, powered by a new engine built around in-bar tasting behaviour.
This creates a seamless path from “self-pour sample to doorstep delivery,” according to Vagabond enabling the winery to gather data that will guide buying, bar list and allocation decisions.
Why launch now?
Christobell Giles, who joined Vagabond as managing director in 2024, says two shifts made the timing right: customers discovering Vagabond when travelling or through friends, but living nowhere near a site; and a rapid rise in app downloads, giving the team “a very real view of how people taste and explore” the wines.
“Joining those two worlds together felt like the natural next step; we can meet guests wherever they are and give them access to wines that have only ever been available in bar, plus some online exclusives too,” she says. “And being part of the Majestic Wine Group gives us the backing and infrastructure to build this properly, rather than as a standalone experiment.” Majestic acquired Vagabond from administration last year.
Data-driven discovery
For the first time, Vagabond can see “what guests actually taste, not what they say they taste,” Giles explains. “It lets us understand flavour profiles, price comfort zones and how people move between styles. That loop of explore in-bar then reorder at home is incredibly powerful for us.
“It also links into a much wider picture across the Majestic Wine Group, helping us understand drinking behaviour across hospitality, retail and distribution.”
The website also becomes the new home for wines made at Vagabond’s Urban Winery at Canada Water, opening 4 December. As production climbs from 25,000 to 100,000 bottles, visitors will be able to discover the wines on site or in the bar and then reorder at home, with free delivery on orders over £99. National delivery is supported by a streamlined logistics partnership with Enotria.
Beyond the bar
Giles notes that Vagabond has “always been about discovery”, and the platform now extends that experience far beyond the bar.
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“Many of our customers discover us while travelling, or they visit our bars but live outside London. Now they can explore wines on the taps, see personalised recommendations in the app and have a case on their doorstep the next day. It creates a seamless journey from bar to home, and it gives us a far deeper understanding of how our guests taste and explore.”
The platform is designed for those seeking a “more explorative approach to wine at home”, with “a bit of adventure and the ease of next day delivery”. The launch, coinciding with the Urban Winery opening, marks what Giles calls the “perfect moment” to reach more drinkers across the UK.
John Colley, Group CEO and executive chairman, adds: “Vagabond has always been a brand built around curiosity, quality and great guest experiences. This new DTC platform brings all of that together and gives customers a way to enjoy Vagabond wherever they are. Integrating the app, the bars and national delivery creates a powerful foundation for growth.”
Leadership perspective
Built on Shopify and connected to Vagabond’s loyalty system, in-app purchasing and national delivery network, the platform will expand in 2026 with deeper winemaker partnerships, exclusive parcels and further integration of in-bar data with at-home e-commerce behaviour.
The site also hosts stories about the winemakers. “A big part of our storytelling comes from mimicking the in-bar experience,” Giles says. All wine descriptions are written by the buying team, particularly Colin Thorne — Vagabond’s first employee. “Colin and Freddie Cobb not only build the range, they also shape the voice and character behind every wine we pour. We have lifted that tone straight into the digital journey so guests get the same clarity, curiosity and warmth as they do on the taps.”
Content is expanding with blogs, producer profiles and short-form videos. The Urban Winery launch adds “an entirely new layer of story tell”, adds Giles.
Point of difference
Giles believes the DTC ecosystem is a genuine point of difference for the business. “The app shows what you have tasted. The bars let you try one sip at a time. The shop then lets you get the wines the next day. It creates a single journey where discovery sits at the centre and the experience does not end when you close your tab,” she explains.
“For us that blend of physical experience, digital behaviour and national fulfilment is a real point of difference.”
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