Brexit strengthened Maison Sichel’s grip on the British wine market

Maison Sichel, a Bordeaux wine house founded in 1883, says Brexit has worked to its advantage in the British market, even as many French producers have struggled with the added costs and paperwork that came with the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union.

Speaking about the company’s experience in the years since the 2016 referendum and the U.K.’s formal departure from the bloc in 2020, Max Sichel said the new trading system created obstacles for many exporters but not for his family business. “For us, it has been an opportunity,” he said, adding that while duties have risen and documentation has increased, the company already had long-standing ties with importers and established logistics for Britain.

The comments stand out because Brexit was widely seen by wine producers in France as a threat to one of their most important export markets. New customs barriers forced exporters to register with customs authorities and file specific export declarations. Some producers were advised to hire agents to manage consignments, at a reported cost of €50 to €70 per shipment, because of the complexity of the process.

Maison Sichel said its position in Britain helped it avoid much of that disruption. Allan Sichel, who leads the company and previously served as president of the Bordeaux Wine Council, said smaller or less established suppliers had found it harder to justify the administrative burden. Before Brexit, he said, it was easier for almost anyone to send small quantities of wine to Britain. Now, he said, many cannot do so economically because setting up the required systems is too cumbersome.

By contrast, Maison Sichel said it had already invested in the infrastructure needed to keep serving British customers. The company works with major U.K. retailers including Marks & Spencer, Waitrose, Booths and Co-op. It also has its own address in Tiverton, Devon, which it says helps simplify distribution and reduces the need to create separate labels for each importer.

The company said that setup supported a record year in 2025 after sales had risen over the previous five-year period. It did not disclose figures. Max Sichel said he spends about three weeks each month in Britain, underscoring how central the market remains for the business.

The case offers a clear example of how post-Brexit trade rules can reshape competition in the drinks business. For wine exporters, and potentially for other beverage companies selling into Britain, higher compliance costs may weigh more heavily on smaller operators than on groups that already have local logistics, importer relationships and administrative capacity. That can make the U.K. market harder to enter while strengthening the position of suppliers that are already deeply established there.

Maison Sichel also pointed to changes in British drinking habits. Max Sichel said white wines and sparkling wines have gained ground in recent years, with consumers showing more interest in fresher, fruitier styles and wines with lower alcohol by volume.

For Bordeaux producers watching demand in Britain, that shift matters alongside the trade barriers themselves. Even where customs procedures and duties have made exports more expensive or more complex, companies with scale and local presence may still find room to grow if they are aligned with what British retailers and drinkers want.