People

A former Sociology Lecturer, Manuel turned his interest in people to good use in business. Taking up the reigns from his parents Juan and Salome Moreno he directed the wine company they had started and expanded it into an agency business serving all parts of the trade, becoming the top Spanish wine company in the UK. As well as his work in Spain giving customers access to Ribera del Duero, Rueda , Navarrete Rioja, Chacoli and Alella to name a few, he was instrumental in putting Chile on the map in the UK and has encouraged suppliers across the board to raise their game and face the modern challenges of an ever more complicated wine arena.

He continues to build an ever more impressive portfolio that has expanded successfully into France, Italy, New Zealand and Australia. Outside of wine, Manuel has made a major contribution to the history and understanding of Spanish Exiles in Britain and their fight for democracy.

He received the Cruz de Merito Civil from the Spanish Ambassador Carlos Miranda this year in recognition.

Gary heads up our finance department and joined Moreno Wines recently, having worked in a similar capacity in fashion retailing and the manufacturing industry for some years. Gary grew up in Hong Kong and travelled to London when he was 19 to continue his studies. He is married with two daughters and enjoys visiting his local church at the weekend as well as squeezing in the odd game of tennis or badminton. He doesn’t claim to be a wine boffin but does comment that he has found the business ‘ Very fruity and aromatic’ so far. He would like to visit Rioja to see where some of our great wines are made.

Abbi has many fond memories of the wine trade, helping her Grandparents (Juan and Salome Moreno) at the Merchants, by packing cases and delivering wine to the Spanish Restaurant trade in London, during her school holidays, also she got to taste great Spanish food and have the occasional sip of wine. However, she blazed her own trail outside of wine to begin with and started working for a chain of French restaurants in Soho as their area manager. Abbi then followed this with many different roles in different trades, from flowers to fashion, where she gained experiences in various areas of business, from sales to finance. Finally Abbi couldn’t resist the pull of the wine trade and began working for Moreno Wines, the family business, over 13 years ago. She has progressed with Moreno wines in different roles and she is now running the company with Marcel and, off course, her father Manuel.

Email : abbi@moreno-wines.co.uk

Mobile: 07974 260921

Mike joined Moreno in 2007, and has the joint responsibility of covering sales in the Home Counties and selected London accounts, as well as selecting and purchasing wine from France, Chile, Argentina and New Zealand. Through a long and varied career, he has worked in warehousing, distribution, broking, sales and buying, and passed his MW in 2002. Apart from Bonded warehousing, his wine strengths are Spain, Bordeaux and Australia. Favourite wines include a glass of sparkling Torrontes or a chilled fino. He has a lively line in creative writing and this is seen in his pithy tasting notes. Email : mike@moreno-wines.co.uk  Mobile: 07880 872187

Being part of the Moreno clan Marcel has always worked with Spanish wines. At school he too can remember earning pocket money helping his granddad stacking shelves or going out on deliveries with his uncles. Later at Art college in Camberwell and afterwards, he made a small living as an artist and supplemented this with work as a technician, making sculptures in fibreglass and bronze, and of course, working with Moreno's selling wine!

Inga hails from Sweden and has been living in the UK since 1984. She has a colourful and interesting history having worked for the football genius George Best at his Private Members Club in Mayfair "Blondes" as Receptionist and Members Secretary, she then followed George to " Bestie's " Bar & Brasserie working for the soccer maestro for eight years in all.

Since then, Inga has used her considerable customer service skills in four restaurant positions. She joined Moreno in 2007 and is for many customers their most frequent point of contact with us. Inga is very quick to learn and has embarked on wine courses since joining so she really does know Chardonnay from her elbow!