Deep in the bowels of Lancaster House, a mansion in central London near Buckingham Palace, a 32,301-bottle collection of wine lies on shelves. It belongs to the British government and has been a useful tool in diplomatic efforts for more than a century now.
It’s also occasionally a source of controversy, however. A recently released biannual report from the Government Hospitality Office sparked sharp criticism from the opposition party over wine that former Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s administration consumed during the pandemic at a time of social restrictions and lockdowns.
A Wine Cellar for Official Hospitality
Far from the high-tech warehouses that hold many of the world’s most expensive wines, this cellar is nondescript—white-painted brick corridors lined with dusty bottles acquired over decades. A wooden table hewn from an elm that fell in St. James Park in 1830 sits in the main corridor. An alarm rings as soon as anyone enters.
This unique collection is managed by the Government Hospitality office and falls under the auspices of the Foreign Office. It is used for diplomatic functions, entertaining both British and foreign VIPs.
It also has no budget. Since 2011, it has been self-funded. The officials who manage it sell off its most valuable bottles to pay for new purchases, while also taking in occasional modest fees from various government divisions requiring wine and spirits for their receptions.
A Legacy from Empire Days
The Government Wine Cellar's history stretches back to 1908, when a swell of international political meetings led officials to debate how best to receive diplomatic guests and put them in an amenable frame of mind, duly impressing them with British hospitality.
The idea of an official cellar stuck, and the service was formalized in 1922, during the interwar period. Officials were given permission to buy more wine and spirits, which explains the number of rare, old vintages. The collection withstood the Blitz during World War II, the most precious bottles having been secreted to the countryside, only returning to London after the war's end. Wines from the German Embassy in London were added to the collection.
Happy Hours During Dark Times
Vinophiles will enjoy reading the inventory in the latest report, but it triggered a brouhaha when the Labour party noticed that Tory government officials had drunk 124 bottles of wine during the 2020-2021 COVID-19 lockdown. This was 96 percent less than they normally consume, but because strict social distancing rules were in place at the time, some were furious that they had been drinking at all.
Emily Thornberry, attorney general for the Labour party, commented, "They lived the high life at taxpayers' expense while the rest of the country struggled, and it will never be forgotten."
Labour also criticized the government for spending nearly $34,128 (£27,000) on wine during the pandemic. In response, Andrew Mitchell, a Foreign Office minister, argued that all of the events were "in strict accordance with COVID-19 restrictions" and that they had to purchase wine during the pandemic with government funds because they were not able to sell any of the existing wine in the collection.
Plenty of Rare Wines Left
It’s not clear why they were unable to sell the wine, but the lull in trading didn’t last long. In 2022, the cellar sold five bottles of an exceptionally rare Port, the 1931 Quinta do Noval. We won't know the price until the next report, as funds were received in 2023.
But there is still a cornucopia of gems in the cellar, as only could be acquired by deeply knowledgable people with a love of Burgundy, Bordeaux, Champagne and Port. From the Côte de Nuits, a 1988 Domaine Dujac Echézeaux or a 1990 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Echézeaux; from the Médoc, 1961 Château Latour and 1983 Château Margaux; vintage Krug, the 1964 and 1982 in magnums, not to mention three 1945 Ports—Graham, Quinta do Noval and Warre. The most expensive wines were acquired long before prices rose so precipitously. The 1961 Château Latour was bought for 51 shillings and five pence.
The person overseeing the wines selected to be served is Robert Alexander OBE, head of Government Hospitality, who is famously tight lipped about his enviable job. Yet from time to time Alexander has provided tantalizingly opaque glimpses. Chinese delegations might be served a vintage including an 8, as the number is a symbol of good luck. The French consider the 1961 Bouchard Père et Fils grand cru Corton a 'national treasure'. The Obamas happily enjoyed a sip of whatever was offered. Nelson Mandela enjoyed Sauternes.
A Cellar That's Self-Sustaining
The selection of wines to be bought and sold and the detailed cellaring notes are the work of a retired diplomat, Sir David Wright, and four Masters of Wine, all unpaid. The Government Wine Committee meets three times a year, and history shows they appear to know what they're doing. Over the decades, the government spent a total of £804,312 on the current stock, but it’s now valued at £3.66 million. Hard to imagine another public office doing so well on procurement.
More recently acquired wines reflect a persistent fondness for French classified growths along with a smaller, carefully curated selection from Tuscany, Rioja, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, California, Germany, Chile and Argentina. However, the prices are modest. For instance, between 2020 and 2021, the office bought 516 bottles of Bordeaux, averaging £28 per bottle. There has also been a noteworthy dedication toward buying and pouring domestic bubbly. Prepandemic, they were serving upward of 2,000 bottles of English and Welsh sparkling wines each year.
So what were they drinking during the pandemic? Think 1990 Lynch Bages, Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Château Talbot and Domaine de Chevalier; 1994 Château Leoville-Barton; 1995 Drouhin-Laroze Clos de Vougeot and 1999 Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat Vosne-Romanee Les Malconsorts.
One can almost hear the decision-making … those Bordeaux and Burgundies from the '90s? Probably better to drink them. Oh, just spotted the 1998 Pol Roger …
Enjoy Unfiltered? The best of Unfiltered's round-up of drinks in pop culture can now be delivered straight to your inbox every other week! Sign up now to receive the Unfiltered e-mail newsletter, featuring the latest scoop on how wine intersects with film, TV, music, sports, politics and more.
