Meet Ben Franks, CEO
Ben Franks is the co-founder of Novel Wines, which he set-up alongside business partner Gyorgy Zsiga in 2016. Passionate about English wines and sharing stories from truly unique wineries across the world, Ben was originally an award-winning wine journalist before beginning to buy-in and sell wines directly throughout the UK. Read a bit more about him here.
Hails from: Salisbury, England
Favourite wine? Changes every week! I think I'll always love Grace Koshu Kayagatake, just because it's such meticulous wine-making. My every day favourite is Terra Tangra Mavrud Blend, a big jammy organic red wine, or the Painted Wolf Roussanne, a delicious white. If I'm drinking sparkling, I'll always go English. So hard to choose one but Raimes Classic is always on point.
Favourite food? Food is my first love, so anything new excites me. My other half's butternut squash curry is delicious, especially with a glass of Sula Chenin Blanc. Potatoes in all shapes and sizes, Ramen, fava beans, rich olive oil and fresh bread... the list goes on! However, I could eat properly spicy three-bean chilli all-day every day.
Best cheese and wine combo? For me it's a late harvest sweet white wine and a good blue cheese. Blue Monday or crumbly Stilton are two of my favourites. I'll take either with a bottle of Kardos Fairytale Tundermese. Dry Riesling or Pinot Noir with a cheeseboard, especially the Bibo Runge Revoluzzer Riesling when budget allows!
Outside of work I like to… Read; go for long, aimless walks; travel and eat my way through all the local restaurants; try for the three hundredth or so time to write a novel.
What’s the next big thing? Whoever can get everyone to pay attention to climate change, and the real dangers it brings, is going to be a hero. For me, and through our work supporting YENA, I also know that over the next few years a new generation of young entrepreneurs will start doing incredible things.
