Date Published: 22nd September 2016

A toast to Berry Bros

Last week, Alexander McCall Smith spoke to a gathering of wine enthusiasts at the home of the oldest wine and spirit merchant in Britain. The company, Berry Bros and Rudd, was founded in 1698 and is still owned by the original family, operating from the same historic site in London’s St James’s. Berry Bros and Rudd hold two Royal Warrants for H.M. The Queen and H.R.H. The Prince of Wales and are proud hosts to the display of a tiny wine room from Queen Mary’s Dolls House, complete with miniature bottles of wine. Alexander spoke at a lunch which featured no less than seven stunning Italian wines – we were, of course, celebrating UK publication of My Italian Bulldozer.

The lunch was held in the Napoleon Cellar and Alexander was in-conversation with wine expert Will Lyons. He wrote a poem for the occasion and has promised that we can host it here on the website in due course.

A delightful afternoon was had by all!