Vino Italiano is a proudly family-run, British-Italian wine importer, retailer and distributor built on passion, resilience, and a deep love of Italy’s extraordinary wine culture. Our moto is "drink wine like an Italian".

Founded by Angelica Sykes and run in partnership with her father, Paul, the company is a true Britalian family affair, combining British determination with Italian warmth, hospitality, and a genuine belief that wine should bring people together.

Angelica, originally from Yorkshire with strong Italian roots through her mama, has always been entrepreneurial, inspired from an early age by her father’s work ethic and instinct for business. Before entering the wine trade, she built a career in marketing and strategy and, in an earlier life, even competed as a professional snowboarder, an experience that shaped her adventurous spirit and willingness to take risks.

The original business, The Italian Wine Shop, was born from a simple but powerful realisation. During a visit to a well-known Italian supermarket in London, Angelica searched for wines that held personal meaning, bottles tied to memories of time spent in Italy, from family dinners in the Alps to long summer evenings by Lake Garda. To her surprise, many of those wines were missing from the shelves.

It sparked a question that would change everything:

Why were so many small, authentic Italian wines, the ones locals actually drink, so difficult to find in the UK?

From that moment, a new mission began: to bring distinctive, small-batch Italian wines to British tables, and to share not just bottles, but stories, memories, and experiences.

The Italian Wine Shop quickly grew into a respected independent importer, working directly with family producers across Italy. Like many small businesses, it also faced significant challenges along the way, particularly during a period of rapid change in the industry. Those experiences ultimately led to an important decision: to close the original brand and build something stronger, clearer, and ready for the future.

That next chapter is Vino Italiano.

Today, Angelica and her father work side by side as partners, combining their strengths to shape the direction of the business. Angelica leads the vision, relationships, and growth of the company, while Paul brings decades of commercial experience and operational leadership, ensuring the foundations remain steady and reliable.

Together, they have created a business grounded in family values, hard work, and a genuine commitment to quality.

Their approach is simple:

- Work with producers who care deeply about their craft
- Offer wines with character and authenticity
- Provide honest, personal service
- Build lasting relationships with customers and partners

Behind the scenes, the wider family continues to play a role, supporting the business in the same way families have done for generations, quietly, reliably, and with pride.

At its heart, Vino Italiano remains a story about connection.

- Connection to Italy.
- Connection to heritage.
- Connection to people.

And above all, connection to the moments that matter, shared meals, celebrations, and memories made around a great bottle of wine. Drink wine like an Italian....Salute!