Indeed, he was everything you say. I had the extreme good fortune to participate in a number of tutored tastings over six months, led my him, through a Christie's wine department program. We also went out to lunch one time when I was living in London. He also came out to a BC pinot noir festival in 2015 speaking kindly and inspiringly about the place the people and the wines. His approach to every glass was to bring no assumptions, be curious and give your mind over to what was actually there.
A true legend and wine trade great. I was very fortunate to be good friends with him and do a lot of judging with him at both Decanter Magazine and then the Decanter World Wine Awards. A true gent and wine trade great along with others living and dead like Hugh Johnson and Michael Broadbent etc.
Lovely man. I worked for him in Paris briefly and also at the London Caves de la Madeleine in the 80's. Latterly as denizens of Dorset he used to buy wine from me (for Bella!) and I bought his Bride Valley Cremant. Very sad loss.
When working as a young intern in the Médoc in the late 1980s I gave him a lift to Lafite for a tasting. In the same vehicle were Michael Broadbent and his wife, their son and daughter and even her future husband who'd gatecrashed the event. The only passenger who deigned to introduce themselves to me was Spurrier who, as you say, was charming. And low key. Unlike the others who were very aware of their supposed superstar status.
I greatly valued his contributions to Decanter, one of the main reasons for reading it BITD. His judgement was utterly reliable. The informative and accessible wine guide he did with Oz Clarke was excellent too. Thank you for this charming reminiscence.
Indeed, he was everything you say. I had the extreme good fortune to participate in a number of tutored tastings over six months, led my him, through a Christie's wine department program. We also went out to lunch one time when I was living in London. He also came out to a BC pinot noir festival in 2015 speaking kindly and inspiringly about the place the people and the wines. His approach to every glass was to bring no assumptions, be curious and give your mind over to what was actually there.
A true legend and wine trade great. I was very fortunate to be good friends with him and do a lot of judging with him at both Decanter Magazine and then the Decanter World Wine Awards. A true gent and wine trade great along with others living and dead like Hugh Johnson and Michael Broadbent etc.
Lovely man. I worked for him in Paris briefly and also at the London Caves de la Madeleine in the 80's. Latterly as denizens of Dorset he used to buy wine from me (for Bella!) and I bought his Bride Valley Cremant. Very sad loss.
I remember Steven turning up at a lunch with an early Bride Valley vintage it was good but young and very acidic, which he cheerfully admitted.
When working as a young intern in the Médoc in the late 1980s I gave him a lift to Lafite for a tasting. In the same vehicle were Michael Broadbent and his wife, their son and daughter and even her future husband who'd gatecrashed the event. The only passenger who deigned to introduce themselves to me was Spurrier who, as you say, was charming. And low key. Unlike the others who were very aware of their supposed superstar status.
What a great story. I hear that Broadbent in particular could be rather grand.
I greatly valued his contributions to Decanter, one of the main reasons for reading it BITD. His judgement was utterly reliable. The informative and accessible wine guide he did with Oz Clarke was excellent too. Thank you for this charming reminiscence.
He definitely gave the magazine gravitas.