September is here, the events calendar is waking up again and Champagne is having a very early harvest.
Everyone's back. Now what?
If you work in events, you become surprisingly familiar with the school calendar.
August goes quiet. People disappear on holiday, inboxes slow down and getting everyone needed for a decision in the same place becomes almost impossible. Then September arrives, and suddenly everyone's back at their desks, looking at what's coming up between now and Christmas.
I actually quite like the change of pace. August gives me some much-needed time to work on the business and develop new ideas, but by September I'm ready to get back into a room with people.
And this part of the year moves very quickly. September becomes October and then, somehow, we're talking about Christmas parties.
So, if you've come back from holiday with an autumn event sitting somewhere on your to-do list, now is probably a good time to get it moving.
Sixteen journalists, two tables.
Last month, I hosted a wine tasting for Coventry Building Society at Lady of the Grape, with 16 journalists around two tables.
I always find journalist events fascinating because you never quite know where the conversation is going to go. We started with the wines, but very quickly we were talking about climate change, changing drinking habits and what's happening across the industry more broadly.
It reminded me how much the people in the room shape an event. You can arrive with six wines and plenty you want to talk about, but sometimes the best thing you can do is let people be curious and follow where the questions take you.
Lady of the Grape was perfect for that. It's warm, intimate and completely unpretentious, and by the end we'd covered far more than I could ever have planned for.
I think that's probably why I enjoyed this one so much.
If you're bringing clients, journalists or colleagues together this autumn, I'm always happy to talk through what sort of format might work for the room.
Champagne is early this year
There's been a lot of talk about Champagne's 2026 harvest because it's set to be one of the earliest in recent years.
After a hot, dry growing season, picking was expected to begin around 20 August in some areas. But does an early harvest mean 2026 is going to be a brilliant vintage? It's still far too early to say.
Warmer conditions can give you riper fruit, but they can also mean lower acidity, and that freshness is hugely important in Champagne. Producers will be watching sugar levels, acidity and grape health incredibly closely to decide exactly when to pick.
And then there's blending. Different grapes, vineyards and, for non-vintage Champagne, reserve wines from previous years can all be used to keep that balance and maintain the style of the house.
I'm very interested to see what comes out of 2026. We can't call it a great vintage yet, but an August harvest does show just how much the growing conditions in Champagne are changing.
Corporate luxury on the railway
I recently experienced an unforgettable day out on The Belmond British Pullman.
If you’re looking to impress clients, reward your team or simply do something a little different, you can hire an entire carriage and enjoy the glamour of travelling by Pullman.
For a group of 12, the new Celia carriage takes things to another level. Set within an original 1932 Pullman carriage and designed by Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin, it features a private cocktail bar, lounge, dining and entertainment area, along with your own private chef, butler and steward.
It’s luxurious and theatrical, the sort of corporate experience your guests will still be talking about long after the journey home.
Elizabeth Hawthornthwaite
Founder, Elizabeth & Wine
📸 @elizabethwinegirl
Contact:
📞 07850 855818
✉️ elizabeth@elizabethandwine.com
"The wine tasting was genuinely one of the highlights of the day.
We had so many people tell us how much they loved the experience."