Thursday 17 December 2015

Wine tasting at the Royal Horseguards hotel, London



The 5-star Royal Horseguards hotel has long been a favourite haunt for politicians, aristocrats and civil servants. Built in the style of a French château in the 1880s on the former site of Whitehall Palace, this hotel has certainly led an interesting life. 

It housed the original Scotland Yard. One Twenty-one Two (1212), the Royal Horseguards’ acclaimed restaurant, bases its name on the former telephone number of the London Metropolitan Police which was known as Whitehall 1212. 

The National Liberal Club, founded by William Gladstone in 1882, has its home in the northern end of the building adjoining the hotel.

From secret service meetings held during the two world wars to playing host to the Treasury and bankers tasked with sorting out the credit crunch, the walls could reveal a tale or two.




The 5-star Royal Horseguards hotel




Taking the marbled spiral staircase, reputed to be the largest free-standing one in Europe, I found myself in the cellar. Behind a closed door, so the rumour goes, is a secret passage that Winston Churchill had commissioned to lead from the National Liberal Club to the next door buildings.

What a perfect setting for the main event, a wine tasting with educator Kelly Bayliffe who promised to divulge a few of her tips.

Our first challenge was to test two sparklers to see if we could guess what they were. There was no mistaking the dry, fresh bubbly with toasty, biscuity nuances. It was so delicate and elegant  that it had to be Taittinger Brut Réserve (glass £15, bottle £85). This is an extremely drinkable champagne which works well as an apéritif.



Ready for the tasting




A feisty sparkler with less yeast than the champagne tingled the tongue with apple pie flavours. This turned out to be Chapel Down Brut Blanc de Blancs (glass £11, bottle, £60). If you have not tried English fizz, you could be in for a pleasant surprise.

Then it was on to the wines. When flavours persist in your mouth, according to Kelly, you won’t drink as much. “A good wine should make your mouth water,” she says. So, it is worth going for quality over quantity.

A great piece of advice from Kelly is to smell the wine before you drink it. After swirling, smell the aromas. It will help you to appreciate the taste.

For every half an inch you smell the wine away from your nose, you should, she advises, be prepared to spend £5 more on the bottle in a bar or restaurant. 




Wine educator Kelly Bayliffe




She also recommends sampling it before you buy even if you are buying a glass . “If the establishment will not comply, go somewhere else.”

There are wines for the different seasons of the year. Kelly feels that as we change the weight of the clothes we wear each season, so we should change our wines.

The aromatic Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand (bottle, £72) always delights my palate with its fruitiness and crunchy acidity.  

But, how right the lady was. On a cold winter’s evening I prefer something slightly heavier. A number from Saint-Véran (bottle, £42) although quite feisty, was more intense. I could envision myself drinking this chardonnay with turkey.

When you are pairing wine with food, Kelly says to ensure that they do not overpower each other. When eating out, ask the sommelier for guidance. Tell him what you like and do not like.

Pinot noir is one of the hardest grapes to get right but when it is, the velvety smooth wine bursting with cherries and raspberries is a real treat. It can also mature with more vegetal tangs.

The Gamay-Pinot Noir Coteaux Bourguignons Rouge (bottle, £38) crammed with summer fruits was so light, it slipped down a little too easily. 

Oozing blackcurrants with bags of charm and flavour, the robust full-bodied red we tried next was Veramonte Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile (bottle, £33).

As Kelly was at pains to point out, the soil where the grapes are grown will play a part in the final taste of any wine. For example, try a cabernet sauvignon from France and one from Chile and you should taste the difference.

After some delicious food and a few more drinks under our belts, the evening was all too quickly over. 

If you are wondering what wines to accompany your holiday feasts, remember Kelly’s words: “There is no wrong wine if you like it.”

By Daralyn Danns

For more information about wine tasting at the Royal Horseguards hotel visit


Twitter & Instagram: @horseguardsLDN