by John Stimpfig at Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux
A cold, crisp winter’s morning by London’s Southwark Bridge was the backdrop to a remarkable gathering of family, friends, colleagues and associates of the late, great Steven Spurrier.
The occasion was a poignant and celebratory service of thanksgiving held last Thursday, the 19th of January at the church of St James Garlickhythe.
Inside, it soon became ‘standing room only’ as the pews filled up. The cream of the UK wine trade from the last half century was represented with fellow journalists, authors, buyers, merchants, restaurateurs, educators and publishers all present. Amidst the throng were Hugh Johnson, Jancis Robinson and Sarah Kemp. Bartholomew Broadbent and Jean-Charles Boisset had flown in from the US. There was also a significant Anglo-French contingent. Christian Seely, Fiona Morrison, Mark Williamson and Tim Johnston had all managed travel early and beat the strikes in France.
The service was exquisitely constructed by Bella Spurrier and the family. Steven’s son Christian, welcomed everyone and spoke of his father’s boundless ‘positivity, optimism and zest for life’, before reading the poem, ‘Farewell my Friends’ by Rabindranath Tagore.
The first of two eulogies was given by Sarah Kemp, Steven’s great friend and Decanter collaborator over a quarter of a century. Sarah spoke movingly about the full arc of Steven’s life and achievements, including his devotion to family. You could have heard a pin drop.
VINTNERS HALL
Mark Williamson, one of Steven’s many protégés who went on to great wine trade careers, gave the second. In so doing, he took us back to the 1970s and Steven’s glory days of Les Caves de la Madeleine, L’Académie du Vin and the monumental Judgement of Paris tasting.
Father Tim Handley, Rector of St James Garlickhythe gave the sermon and there was music from Tallis and Mendelssohn, performed by the choir. Appositely, the congregation sang the rousing hymn, ‘He Would Valiant Be’ as the finale. We then left the church to the familiar, rasping voice of Edith Piaf singing ‘Non, Je ne regrette rien.’ It was pure Spurrier.
Without doubt, Steven would have been the ‘life and soul’ of the subsequent reception at his beloved Vintners Hall, just across the road. Bride Valley still and sparkling were served alongside decanters of Stag’s Leap Cellars’ 2013 Cabernet. More tributes were given by Marc Nadeau who in 1987 took over the Toronto branch of Académie du Vin, which had been opened in 1984 by Steven and Bartholomew Broadbent. His long-time friend, Ben Howkins also said a few words as did Simon McMurtrie of the Académie du Vin Library, Steven’s last vinous adventure.
Thereafter followed a rising hubbub of reminiscences and laughter, as we recalled our collective memories of Steven and his extraordinary exploits across several decades and continents. Slowly, the bright sunlight on the stained glass windows gave way to dark as the afternoon advanced. And finally, it was time to return home – secure in the knowledge that Steven Spurrier had blazed a trail in the wine world that will continue to be talked about for decades to come.