Wilkes, who started his career in the wine trade with Hedges & Butler before joining Griersons and then Geoffrey Roberts Associates, lost his battle with pancreatic cancer on Tuesday, April 3 .
He joined Negociants UK, an arm of Australian winery Yalumba, in 1992, leaving in 2004 to set up his own business The Wine Shed in Somerset, UK.
Michael Cox, Wines of Chile’s director for Europe, said: “Guy was my right-hand man at Negociants UK for 11 years, and was a close and loyal friend. The wine trade has lost a genuinely nice, honest, laconic man, full of integrity and charisma.
“His courage in facing his awful illness has been moving and humbling, but his family will cherish the high esteem in which Guy is held by his many friends and colleagues in the trade."
Wilkes leaves behind a wife and three children.
His funeral will take place Friday April 13 at 11.00am at Taunton Deane Crematorium, Taunton, Somerset.
Donations can be made to St Margaret’s Hospice www.somerset-hospice.org.uk and Pancreatic Cancer UK www.pancreaticcancer.org.uk.
