Calendar of events for 2025 - dates for your diary OR leave a review
We release tickets approximately six weeks in advance, they tend to sell out quickly so please sign up to our Spectator Club emails if you'd like to receive our notifications.
Wine Club event dates so far for 2025
7 February - Ch. Beauséjour Lunch
14 February - Lonely Hearts Dinner with Veuve Clicquot
20 February - Spectator Writers' Dinner with Mary Killen
21 February - Cos d'Estournel and Cos Labory Lunch
26 & 27 February - Wine School - Rhône, Home & Away (26 Feb at Gravetye Manor, West Sussex & 27 Feb Spectator Boardroom, London SW1)
5 March - Wines of Portugal Dinner, The Library, upstairs at Old Queen Street Café
7 March - International Women's Day Lunch - Ladies only
13 March - A Caviar Masterclass with Laura King
14 March – BYOB Wine Lunch
20 March - Dinner TBC
21 March - Holland & Holland Spring Shoot & Wine Lunch
28 March - Craggy Range Lunch
6 - 10 April - Champagne Trip
11 April - Grgich Hills Lunch with Ivo Jeremaz
17 April - Spectator Writers' Dinner with Matthew Parris
1 May - British Shellfish Masterclass & Tasting with Mike Warner, Chairman - Shellfish Association of Gt Britain and UK Seafood & Fisheries Consultant for Wright Bros
2 May - A Siepi vertical with Giovanni Mazzei
7 & 8 May - Wine School - Bordeaux, Left and Right Bank. Home & Away at The Vineyard, Stockcross
15 May - Spectator Winemaker Dinner with Christian Seely of Ch. Pichon Baron
16 May - Mehofer Austrian Wine Lunch - Judith Mehofer
22 May - A Masterclass in Magic with Mark Mason
Summer Sessions in the Garden, No.22 Old Queen St - 29 May - Spectator Quiz Night, 6 June - Tutored tasting with Whispering Angel, 12 June - Cigar Masterclass, 26 June - A Cocktail Masterclass with Jonathan Ray, 27 June - Cheese and Wine Matching with Jonathan Ray
6 June - Ch. d'Esclans Winemaker Lunch
19 June - Spectator Writers' Dinner with Catriona Olding
19 -24 June - Budapest Trip
27 June - A Celebration of England Lunch with TV Chef Philippa Davis
2 July - A Masterclass in German Wine (The Library, Old Queen St)
17 July - Spectator Writers' Dinner with Richard Bratby
18 July - Klein Constantia Winemaker Lunch
24 July - Vergelegen Winemaker Dinner with Luke O’Cuinneagain (The Library, Old Queen St)
1 August - Hamilton Russell Vineyards Winemaker Lunch
6 August - Lord & Lady Carnarvon on The Real Downton Abbey, Highclere Castle
13 August - The City of London Walk with Mark Mason
29 August - BYOB Wine Lunch
11 September - Call My Bluff Wine Tasting (The Library, Old Queen St)
12 September - Bodega Achaval Ferrer Winemaker Lunch with Gustavo Rearte
17 September - Wine Tours 2026 - drinks in the garden with KIrker Travel
18 & 19 September - THE CLAYS, CLARET, COGNAC & CIGARS CRUISE
23-27 September - Douro Valley Trip
2 October - Castiglion Del Bosco Winemaker Dinner
3 October - Hill-Smith Family Estates Winemaker Lunch
6 October - Manchester TBC
8 October - Masterclass TBC
9 October - Royal Tokaji Winemaker Dinner at (The Library, Old Queen St)
10 October - Octavian Cellars BYOB, Wiltshire
16 October - Spectator Writers' Dinner with Michael Heath & Pol Roger (The Library, Old Queen St)
17 October - Winemaker Lunch
22 October - Lebanese Winemaker Lunch at Boisdale Canary Wharf
23 October - A Masterclass in Magic with Mark Mason / Game Dinner or Masterclass at The Library, OQS
24 October - Winemaker Lunch TBC
29 October - 02 November - Bordeaux Trip, register interest with Kirker Travel
30 October - TBC Notes On Book Launch Party
5 November - A Winemaker Dinner with Private Cellar TBC
6 November - A Masterclass in Whisky with Paired Canapés
7 November A Winemaker Lunch with Private Cellar TBC
9-11 November - Celebrate Game Week with us at Swinton Estate
20 November - Spectator Writers' Dinner with Rory Sutherland (The Library, Old Queen St)
21 November - Billecart-Salmon Winemaker Lunch
27 November - TBC Winemaker Dinner
28 November - Domaine Chanson Winemaker Lunch
3 December - Lalique Drinks
5 December - Brimoncourt Champagne Winemaker Lunch
11 December - TBC Winemaker Dinner at No. 22
12 December -
15 December - Christmas Lunch with Martin Vander Weyer at Le Beaujolais
17 December - Winemaker Lunch
18 December - Spectator Writers' Dinner
A note on our events: All our events are relaxed and informal (there is nothing so stuffy as a dress code) giving guests the chance to enjoy fine wine and conversation with fellow Speccie readers. Some come in couples, but many come on their own and firm friendships have been forged here over the Cru Classé claret. Do join us!
Cancellation policy: Many of our events have a waiting list and so, whilst we cannot guarantee a refund, we will always try to refund tickets when given good notice.
Spring 2026 - Napa Valley Trip
Also in planning Alsace, Burgundy, Rioja, Provence and Tuscany
Autumn 2026 - Moselle Valley German Wine Trip
If you've enjoyed our one of our winemaker events and value them as a subscriber benefit we'd really appreciate it if you'd leave a review here.
Recent quotes from guests:
'Thank you so much from us both for yet another splendid evening. Mike was a revelation in talking about sea food. Who would have thought that anyone could wax lyrical about the joys of oysters, and the different tastes? And ever so slightly worrying, the best method of killing a crab, or a lobster? How clever to have found someone who managed to combine huge knowledge, and passionate enthusiasm. A very good follow up to the caviar tasting; it’s so interesting for someone who has an abiding interest in foods, and then to have them explained by someone who knows their stuff, The whole experience is very much in the Speccie’s DNA: enabling those of us who know a little, to know a whole lot more, and opening up new doors.' C & J L.
"I just wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for such a wonderful lunch at the Spectator Headquarters. It was an absolute honour to be part of such a vibrant and inspiring group of women, all coming together to celebrate fine wine, great conversation, and the spirit of International Women’s Day. The selection of wines was truly exquisite, each glass telling its own story, and perfectly complemented by the divine food choices. The atmosphere was warm, engaging, and full of energy, laughter and shared passion". JF
"I have never had a disappointing event at The Spectator. The food is consistently good, the company interesting, friendly and lively, and Johnny is always a welcoming and entertaining host. The Veuve Cliquot dinner was a real treat, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. It was good to try something different from my usual favourites when exploring champagne, and the detailed information from the in house expert was fascinating. The fish main course was particularly good, incidentally, and that is something quite tricky to get right. Mine was cooked to perfection. Thank you to the team at the Spectator Club." SB
"The wine lunch this past Friday with Anthony was brilliant and educational. I learnt so much. The wines were lush too". PA
"I'm so, so glad to have come last night. A huge thank you to you, Jonathan and Laura for a truly excellent evening- a Masterclass indeed. For the first time, I feel enlightened about Italian wine and the timing of yesterday's event couldn't have been better because I'm going to Venice next week for a few days. I just hope I can remember most of what Laura told us so brilliantly." AT
"It was a joy, delicious lunch and perfectly compered by your mate Johnny Ray. Olivia is a dreamboat, warm, charming, great personality and clearly a superb cook." TB
"Thank you oh so much for putting on such a lovely event. I felt so welcome and thoroughly enjoyed the whiskies, company and nibbles. I will be ordering some this weekend!! I am going to endeavour to come to a wine lunch as soon as I can and look forward to meeting you and your team again." PZ
"I thought Claire Ridley was entertaining, engaging, knowledgeable and an excellent ambassador for the Chateau. This time I did not make any notes on the wines unfortunately. I thought they were all delicious but the best unsurprisingly was the 2005. After that my preference was for the 2016 and 2014. The Beef Wellington was exceptionally good. As usual the company and the exchanges both of which add to the enjoyment of these occasions was full of knowledge and good humour." MB
"I had a spiffing time thank you and I didn’t even shoot! I will be ordering some wine. The Spectator has certainly revolutionised my social life. Can’t wait to get to Bordeaux. I almost never review anything but the organisation of your events is exceptional - they're just great fun and one can be guaranteed great wines!" KB
“Had a great time on Friday. Excellent ambience and shooting. The food and wine were superb and I have just purchased 6 bottles of the Champagne. Excellent presentations, the day was very good value for money when you considered the quality of the food and wine etc." WW
