FromVineyardsDirect was the original brainchild of David Campbell and Esme Johnstone. We offer a small range of delicious drinking wines, principally from France, Italy and Spain, imported direct from the growers, delivered to your door at the click of a mouse, and at prices well below those of traditional merchants.
Direct from the Vineyard
David Campbell
David was introduced to wine publishing in the late '70s and early '80s as International Sales Director at Mitchell Beazley, where Hugh Johnson's Wine Atlas and Pocket Wine Book and Michael Broadbent's Great Vintage Wine were best sellers. As international publisher of Hachette in Paris (1982-90), he invented the Guide Hachette des Vins, France's No. 1-selling wine book.
In 1991 he revived Everyman’s Library, of which he remains the Publisher. Everyman has now published more than 600 titles and sold more than 25 million books. In 2007 he was awarded France’s highest honour the Legion d’Honneur.
Esme Johnstone
Esme's involvement in wine started at an early age when his father gave him a thimble full of wine at dinner with the promise of a full glass if he could get the vintage right—this not only encouraged a keen interest in wine but also in statistics and all things commercial.
Esme founded Majestic Wine, which revolutionized wine buying in the UK. This new format of wine warehouses with young enthusiastic staff and a totally cosmopolitan range of wines was a huge success and spread very quickly. Esme sold his interest in Majestic in 1989 and moved to Château de Sours in Bordeaux where he created critically-acclaimed wines including 'probably the best Rosé in the world.'