About Us

Welcome to Specialist Cellars. We’re a group of New World wine warriors, brought together by Melanie Brown, founder and CEO of Heist Group - which incorporates our online Specialist Cellars, our Pop Brixton store and The Laundry at Walton Lodge; an all day neighbourhood bistro and wine shop.

Melanie’s a New Zealand chef, wine maven and entrepreneur who has worked with the likes of Raymond Blanc, Peter Gordon, Jamie Oliver and the wine-lovers at Vinoteca. Brixton has been her home for the last eight years – using her experience in restaurants and wine retail to bring the best of NZ and the New World wines to the UK.

What do Specialist Cellars do?

Specialist Cellars curates the harder-to-find, best of, new release and most delicious New World wines all in one place for the UK market. It brings together the extensive wine catalogues of The New Zealand, Australian and South African Cellar, with new territories and producers joining our invigorating list of wines all the time.

We host all kinds of wine-related events at our Pop Brixton store and at The Laundry – bringing you news, tastings and expert advice from our partners and producers across the world. We’re available for guided in-home and in-office tastings too. And of course for parties, your own or work events. Gifts? We’re all over that too – basically we’re happy to help with anything wine-related – we’re obsessed!

Our mission? To make great New World wine accessible, affordable, less mysterious and – above all – an experience. That’s whether you enjoy a glass in our Pop Brixton store, with a meal at The Laundry, give something truly special as a gift, glug a glass or two at your office party, or to be that person with impeccable taste and a cellar stocked with dynamic, less-ordinary wines.

Up your wine game

Explore our New World of wines, learn something dinner-party-humble-brag-worthy from our blogs, easily find your favourites to stock up on or come to an event and discover new favourites. We’re here to help and share our love of wine and great food with you.

Tell me about the Laundry Restaurant and Wine Bar

The Laundry is an all-day dining spot, with two snazzy private dining rooms and exciting wine events. Inside, the two story Edwardian steam laundry, you’ll find exceptional coffee and cocktails. Seasonal, fresh, local… the menu uses high quality ingredients matched with an epic global wine list from the wine shop. Inspired by a traditional bistro, The Laundry is a mix of old-world authenticity with a hint of our New World energy. See you there soon!

And who are Heist Group?