Happy 2026. This Episode is hosted by Chris Maffeo and brought to you by MAFFEO DRINKS. A Deep-Dive Analysis of This Episode is Available at maffeodrinks.com

Brodie Meah, co-founder of Top Cuvée, reveals how one neighborhood restaurant in Highbury became the foundation for a "wine for everyone" movement that achieved national distribution.

Starting in 2019 with 40 covers nightly, Top Cuvée's journey from restaurant to retail to wholesale exemplifies bottom-up brand building.

Having witnessed fine dining's intimidation tactics firsthand in Melbourne, Brodie flipped the industry's most exclusive phrase:"top cuvée" (wines deemed too good for regular guests) into a symbol of accessibility.

The COVID pivot unlocked game-changing insights: wine labels matter enormously in retail but not restaurants, £8 glasses translate to £22 retail bottles, and wine's aversion to "openly commercial" marketing creates opportunity.

By building trust glass by glass, turning regulars into brand ambassadors, and proving neighborhood hospitality can scale, Top Cuvée transformed from one Highbury restaurant to shops to national wholesale—keeping "wine for everyone" real.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 From Fine Dining to "Wine for Everyone" Philosophy
• 03:00 One Restaurant to National Distribution Journey
• 06:00 Wine Intimidation and the Leather Entrance Story
• 09:30 Flipping "Top Cuvée" from Exclusive to Inclusive
• 12:00 Why Wine Bars Shouldn't Feel Educational
• 15:00 Building Community - The T-Shirt Customer Story
• 18:00 Labels Matter in Shops, Not Restaurant Lists
• 21:00 The £8 Glass = £22 Bottle Sweet Spot
• 24:00 Wine's "Dirty Word" Marketing Problem
• 27:00 Trust Engines and Part Two Preview

This episode is brought to you by MAFFEO DRINKS, an Advisory helping drinks leaders execute bottom-up growth while managing stakeholder expectations. You can get in touch at bottomup@maffeodrinks.com