(SkyNews) - Majestic Wines is exploring a sale of its entire UK retail portfolio as it shifts its focus to the online business that trades under the Naked Wines brand.

Sky News has learnt that Majestic's board has appointed bankers at Rothschild to sound out prospective buyers for its retail and commercial operations, which encompass an estate of about 200 stores.

Private equity firms have been contacted in the last fortnight to gauge their appetite for a potential acquisition of the divisions, City sources said on Tuesday.