September brought two rather wonderful settings for events: a vineyard in Kent where guests chose to stay beyond the planned finish, and a London terrace with a few unexpected visitors. I’ve also been thinking about the wines that could become tomorrow’s icons.
A Friday at Gusbourne that nobody wanted to end
There was a moment at Gusbourne when the sun was out, we were walking through the vines with a glass of Fifty One Degrees North, and it felt rather hard to believe we’d all come down from London that morning.
I’d brought around 30 women from Ares Management for a vineyard visit. We started with Blanc de Blancs from magnums in The Nest, overlooking the vines, before heading out for a walk and returning for a three-course lunch. The harvest had just finished, and Gusbourne looked beautiful in the sunshine.
When the coach arrived to take us back to Ashford, some guests chose to stay in the garden for a few more hours. I took that as a lovely sign that the day had gone well.
If you’d like to organise a vineyard day for your clients or team, do get in touch. I’d be delighted to help.
Spencer House, with a few unexpected guests
Spencer House is one of the most beautiful places I’ve hosted an event in London. Its historic rooms are wonderful, but I think the biggest surprise is the ground-floor terrace overlooking Green Park. We had 100 guests out there for Skadden’s Italian team event, with plenty of space and a family of foxes wandering through the garden (the unexpected guests!).
The team usually gathers in Milan, so bringing everyone to London gave us a rather fun England versus Italy theme for the wine casino. Nyetimber met Franciacorta, then two Chardonnays from Essex and Umbria went head-to-head. The Italian guests knew their wines and were fiercely loyal to them, which made for plenty of debate.
With that terrace and such a playful theme, it was a gorgeous evening. I’d love an excuse to host at Spencer House again.
In Platinum: the wines that could become tomorrow’s icons
We all know the names that have become shorthand for exceptional wine. What I find more exciting is discovering a producer before everyone else catches on.
That was the idea behind last month’s Platinum: looking at the people and places that might produce the next generation of iconic wines. Sam O’Keefe of Lismore in South Africa is one winemaker I’ve followed for years. Closer to home, one of the Antinori daughters is reviving her grandfather’s old vines near Rome.
There’s something lovely about opening a bottle because you’re curious about where it might be going, rather than because its reputation is already settled.
I’ve shared more of the stories behind these future icons on my blog, if you’d like to read on.
Planning a trip to Alto Adige?
I’ve put together a short guide to the region, with places to eat, stay and drink, and a few ideas for what to do between glasses. The mountain views and local food deserve just as much attention as the wine.
If Alto Adige is on your travel list, save this for later!
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."