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L I Q U I D A S S E T S
Melanie Vere Nicoll discovers how London’s discerning oenophiles find sanctuary in
Hedonism Wines, an intoxicating business venture from polo player Yevgeny Chichvarkin
Early Greek philosophy defined ‘hedonism’
as a belief that pleasure is the only intrinsic
good, and HedonismWines was created
with this ideology in mind. The boutique is
owned by polo player Yevgeny Chichvarkin –
the Russian businessman who made his
millions as the co-founder of Evroset,
which became one of Moscow’s largest
mobile phone retailers.
Chichvarkin now resides in Berkshire
and founded the wine boutique, situated
in London’s fashionable Mayfair, in 2010.
The store was two years in the making
and the result is a feast for all the senses.
An eye-catching chandelier adorns the
entrance, made up entirely of upside-down
wine glasses. Bottles displayed on the walls
are held in place with lobster claws and
handcuffed hands, while others are nestled
in the roots of an ancient tree that wind their
way around the room. The shop feels like
a cross between a temple and a museum.
However, despite its many quirky and
whimsical details, HedonismWines is
a serious business for the serious wine
connoisseur with more than 5,500 bottles
of wine and 3,000 spirits in stock. Ancient
bottles of wine and spirits dating back to
the 18th century are on display behind
glass, and venerable collectors can visit
a vault where the rarest vintages are
reverentially laid out.
Spread over two floors, the wines
to be discovered in-store range from the
affordable to the exclusive, with the most
expensive selling for more than £120,000.
Legendary labels, which make up only
a fraction of the exclusive collection,
include Vin Jaune 1774, Krug Collection
