How Champion Wines began:

My name is Penny Champion. I started in the wine trade back in the early 80's in Perth, Western Australia, where I met a local boy who introduced me to South East London. And the rest, as they say, is history.I have worked in the UK wine trade ever since. The UK discovered Aussie wines in a big way in the early 1990's and my role was to grow the business through the High Street.

My dream has always been to have my own wine shop and wine bar. A place where people could buy good wine, but wasn't stuffy or intimidating. So in 2011, I embarked on making that a reality.

In addition to our shop, we have a Wine Bar that came along a year later. It's a great way to try wines that you may not normally choose and perhaps pair it with a tasty cheese platter.