Trading banks for Beaujolais
IT’S HARDLY news that the City enjoys the odd glass of wine (or five) but as the UK gets ready to celebrate the launch of its biggest purpose built winery, Rathfinny Estate (owned and run by an ex-hedgie), it’s hard not to notice the number of financial whizzes foregoing derivatives for decanters.
Mark Driver is the man behind Rathfinny, and Vince Cable is hoofing down there this Friday to officially open it. Driver once co-managed the Horseman Global Fund but when it wound down in 2009, he looked into English wine next. He’s hardly alone; former Icap-er James Dawson started wine business Humble Grape, Graham Shore, director of Shore Capital owns winery Domaine Vintur in Provence and chief executive of the London Stock Exchange Xavier Rolet owns Domaine de la Verriere, also in Provence.
“When you work in finance you do a lot of entertaining and end up drinking lots of wine,” Driver explained to The Capitalist. “From there it can become a real passion – it’s also nice to do something completely different, something with your hands.” We bet it tastes better when it’s all yours too.