The Vintage Festival

 

It's the last night tonight. Been at this party here since I was 35 and it's about to end. Today. And I'm 66 now! Whatapartyitwas!

But … Now, I have to leave the hotel and walk through Westminster's deserted Saturday morning streets and for the last time talk my way past Security into The Horticultural Hall. I have to be cheery and merry, say 'Hi!' in various languages to all the wine producers setting up their stalls, then go up on stage with a microphone and say same to 1000 people. Then tell them it’s goodbye old Hall. Can I do it?

No option, of course. Wine Club President Hugh Johnson is down with some ghastly cough. So they get stand-in Laithwaite … Chairman of The Wine Club … The Sunday Times Wine Club … Founder of STWC actually, though no-one knows that.

The Members wonder what the guy who runs the other wine outfit is doing talking at theirs.  They are often confused. Me too. It was all so long ago. It was a different world back then … outside. But in the Great Hall it was the same then as it is now. The Vintage Fest has never really changed. Well, it has inasmuch as it’s so much better run now. Every year things have been improved. So it's an impeccably run, well-oiled (no jokes) machine, this party.

Javier's Dad Julian – the Big Man of Rioja – came for the first time, last night. Doesn't have a word of English but was dead impressed. They always are, the producers … Les Producteurs. So they come back. Andrée Ferrandiz has retired but is still here. Has been to every party … sorry, I mean 'show'. Like me she's never missed even a single session.  And there are four sessions over the weekend. So that's 31 times four is … a lot of sessions.

I know it's 31 because Henry is 31 and born the year we started this party. It actually started at Kensington Town Hall but after 'the fight' we moved here and fell in love with the place, so have been back every Spring … us, a hundred or so wine growers and a thousand wine club members per session.

I will miss this place so. Does anyone have influence with Westminster School? Why did they have to spoil our fun by leasing this Hall for 999 years? What are their kids going to be doing in here that's more important than the Finest, most long-lived wine show London has ever seen? Boris, Ken, whoever … do something. Actually, what could be better for members of the Upper Sixth than to learn all about fine wine with our Club Members … as always the best behaved wine audience anywhere. According to the Growers.

There will, of course, be a Vintage Festival next year. We are just not sure where. But it will be Central London. And it'll be good. Better, probably. Starting afresh is always more likely to spark up new ideas. 

But we'll so miss the funny old Horticultural Hall.