Meet Our Team
Darren Kirkham
I spent many years travelling with global companies and I have tasted a variety of wines which made me realise the blandness and sameness of wines consumed in the UK.
Having met Lucia, my beautiful Slovak partner, I was introduced to the amazing Slovak wines from the Slovak Tokaj region - a perfect antidote!
Those who have heard of Tokaj (pronounced as "tok-ai"), associate it with only sweet wines. However Slovak wines are so much more than this! Having sampled these unique wines I believe they are such a refreshing change to the wines normally drunk in the UK and I hope you enjoy them, too!
Lucia Dovalova
As a wine-loving Slovak living in the UK, I have observed the local wine menus become increasingly homogenous.
Having introduced Darren to Slovakia, we quickly discovered a mutual passion for Slovak grapes and started to miss the wonderful tastes of my homeland whenever back in the UK.
Conversely, I have observed the increasing appreciation for uniqueness and diversity in wines, which inspired me to set up The Naughty Grape with Darren. The goal is to bring the exceptional wines of my homeland to the forefront, showcasing their qualities and sharing the stories of the passionate winemakers behind them.
The perfect pairing
Through The Naughty Grape, we aim to bridge the gap between Slovak winemakers and UK wine enthusiasts, creating a platform that celebrates and promotes the rich wine heritage of Slovakia. By doing so, we hope to share a piece of Lucia's homeland with a broader audience, one glass at a time.
We hope to give you the chance to taste something truly different and delicious and we are very excited to take you on the journey.
If we are successful we will bring many more interesting wines from the region and its surrounding areas.
For now, kick back, enjoy every sip and "na zdravie"!