French Boy Wines founder Tom Fry has worked in the wine industry for over 17 years. His love for the hospitality business, coupled with his passion for wine and wide range of experience compelled him to start his own business. Here are a few questions that summarize his journey:
WHAT IS THE VISION FOR FRENCH BOY?
“The goal has always been to open a wineshop & bar, a space that can feel like a second home to my customers and community of wine-lovers that I've spent years building. I haven't found that physical place yet, but I don't want that to stop me from getting started with tastings and experiential events, something I've specialized in for the last few years. I want this community to be involved as the brand grows and eventually moves to the next stage.”
HOW DID YOU GET INTO WINE?
“Funnily enough, I didn't chose to do so. In a weird turn of events wine chose me. I didn't do particularly well at school and my options were limited, so rather than go to university I chose to work. I began in kitchens early on, then moved to barwork. Most people my age were pursuing an education, but I felt quite at home doing my first shift behind the bar on my 18th Birthday. I enjoyed the buzzing atmosphere of social interactions in their various forms, brought to life by the clanking symphony of glassware, flying ice cubes and rattling boston shakers. I moved around a little, showing some interest in mixology and eventually wine, a world I found fascinating. That's when I landed my first wine-job at Oddbins, who sponsored my wine education. It was a humbling experience, I'd been a stereotypically cocky young barman until then. All of a sudden I was surrounded by book-wormy wine nerds who corrected me all the time. I was lucky and learnt from some of the best at the company during my 5 years there, which provided me an off-ramp for a wide range of opportunities. That ramp shot me into a Head Sommelier position for D&D group, and after that I ran a wine bar for a couple of years in Brixton. I then worked for the Sampler for roughly 6 years, which has a very special place in my heart. It's there I truly fell down the rabbit hole. I was given a lot of autonomy and carved out my own niche hosting wine tastings and scheduling the year's event calendar. That's when I realised: Hey! I'm actually pretty good at this! And started thinking of my own venture. Another place that has a special place in my heart is The Winemaker's Club, where you can still find me schmoozing tables when I'm not being French Boy.”
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF FRENCH BOY?
“Working in the wine trade has been an amazing gateway for me to reconnect with my French heritage. I spent some time living in France when I was young. My mother is from a small town in the Maconnais and we spent joyful summers there before my rebelious teenage years. It's in some way an hommage to her humble start in life on a tiny farm as well as my innocent memories of childhood. She always impressed upon me the importance of my French heritage, instilling a deep sense of pride about my Burgundian roots through-out my life. Despite growing up in London's urban landscape, she never let me forget the rural French countryside - part of the French Boy story has been rediscovering that identity through my career.”
SO DO YOU ONLY FOCUS ON FRENCH WINE?
“Not at all! French Boy as a name is not alluding to the portfolio I'm curating. While at risk of sounding biased, I can admit some of the best bottles of wine I've ever had might be French, I'd be crazy to ignore the incredibly vast wine-world that exists beyond France. I've had the privilege of working in the world's most international wine market (London) with access to categories of wine you simply can't replicate in France: Rieslings from the Mosel, Nebbiolo from Piedmont, dessert wines from Santorini or Tokaji, Sherries from Jerez or many New World wines that live in a category their own. The wine world is big, and part of the fascination is discovery, it's why folks get into it in the first place.”
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE WINE?
“I sort of hate this question because I see a bottle of wine as a transient, versatile experience that is best enjoyed depending on the mood of a time and place: There's something for every occasion and it’s often easy to forget in professional circles that wine is about enjoyment, not scoring points. That being said I have some favourite categories or regions, or bottles that became special because of how they are synonymous with a powerful memory. As a region Champagne fascinates me. I like to say that my blood is Burgundian but my heart lies in Champagne. The appellation has been undergoing incredible changes over the last few decades, led by small growers and winemakers who are redifining the landscape of wine with purist farming philosophies and innovative winemaking. I go there every year to meet new winemakers and learn about their practices.”
WHAT MAKES FRENCH BOY DIFFERENT?
“I see French Boy in its current state as a great vehicle for bringing renewed interest in wine to both older and younger generations. Wine Tastings are a great way to learn about wine, and what we want to do exceptionally well is tread the fine balance of making wine accessible and educational, while at its core maintaining an informal approach that isn't alienating. Wine can be seen as elitist or associated with pomposity, and I’ve found over the years that the industry can't afford to be that way. If I can get people interested in wine through experiences, it's one step in a positive direction for the industry as a whole. In terms of when French Boy opens its wineshop & bar, you'll just need to come and visit to see what makes it different.”
