The Drink Column: A vine time hidden away in Battersea

Apart from the quaintly bibulous tone of the name, nothing about Philglas & Swigott in Clapham's Northcote Road prepares you for the gems within. It could be just another local wine merchant struggling to make ends meet. But wander in and across to the imported jarrah timber flooring of a new extension, browse around, and the chances are that Karen Rogers will have enticed you to buy.

Not with fancy sales or marketing gimmicks, but with an infectious knowledge and enthusiasm. A combination of a constantly evolving quality range backed up by the friendly and obliging personalities of Karen and Mike Rogers make Philglas & Swigott worth the detour. How otherwise could two wine trade virgins have developed a business starting with a tiny selection in the depths of recession in 1991 into an established London landmark with a range of 800 wines and an expanding list of satisfied customers?

Originally from Queensland, Karen's interest in wines was kindled by trips with the family to the Barossa and Hunter Valleys. Karen met Mike, her husband, then with Shell, in London in 1987. After investigating diving and rainforest tours, they settled on wine retailing. "The only qualification we had was that we were both passionate about wine and felt we were good 'people' people," says Karen. "We foolishly thought that retailing was the part of the trade that needed the least experience." Starting up was doubly tough not just because of the recession but because, to distinguish themselves from supermarkets and off-licences, their prices were high.

The economic outlook may have been poor, but the location in an increasingly affluent residential community and the timing, with Australian wines about to take off, were spot on. As the unrivalled selection of eclectic Australian quality wines expanded, customers came in search of what they couldn't buy off the supermarket shelf. "Supermarkets do a great job in creating wine drinkers," says Karen. "Eventually they get far enough upstream and come to us."

Karen and Mike soon fell in love with Italy and now stock 150 of the most mouthwatering Italian wines in the country. "Italy started bringing on wonderful vintages from the Nineties," says Karen. The French range has grown too. They like to stock unusual wines like Irouléguy and Bandol. Burgundy has expanded and they are now a source of individual bottles of Bordeaux from older vintages.

New areas of excitement for Karen and customers (sometimes it's hard to tell who's more excited) include Austria and New Zealand, and South African reds which Karen believes "can give Bordeaux a run for its money". Australia continues to grow with a move away from the heavily oaked style and more to riesling, sauvignon/ semillon blends, pinot noir, elegant Western Australian reds and the new wave of Côte Rôtie-style shiraz with a touch of the softening grape viognier in them.

Karen gets upset if they're called expensive. "Our pricing is as good as anywhere. Our customers don't necessarily know what they want but they're confident they'll be given advice that's honest and save them the legwork. We always look for complexity, character and personality but also something that'll be broadly appealing. Give customers what they like and they're hooked." Karen does the fill-glass, you and I the swig-it.

Philglas & Swigott is at 21 Northcote Road, London SW11 (020-7924 4494), e-mail: philandswig@aol.com