Wine Tasting with Richard Pearey

Wednesday, 25th November 2026

A couple of weeks ago Hedonism asked me to suggest some typical Christmas Day wines for a feature by The London Magazine. What I found interesting was just how traditional, even cliché, my selection was. It is perhaps the one day in the year when the whole family meet up, eat and drink and spoil each other. Obviously within the Society we have a huge range of different nationalities, beliefs and celebrations, but the same principle applies, whichever day or occasion you all get together. And you’ll probably all have certain traditions, perhaps established over generations, which have become part of the fabric of the day. That is a long-winded way of saying this is a traditional Pearey Christmas from a wine perspective. W e’d open stockings on Christmas morning, breakfast before church and carols, then come back for a wonderfully long and indulgent lunch.

There will be some cheese and charcuterie to enhance the flavours/line the stomach (delete as appropriate…)

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The venue

Brydges Place is a private member’s club close to Covent Garden, but a far cry from the formal clubs of St James’s and Pall Mall. It was a house long before it became a club and it is still furnished as a home, though undoubtedly that of a flamboyant and generous host who loved to entertain. Membership tends to come from the music, acting and arts world, who want somewhere discreet to relax with friends away from the prying crowds. No Instagrammers here. Even the main entrance is understated – a polished wooden door with a simple brass plaque, but in the back alley; a long narrow alley connecting St Martin’s Lane with Chandos Place and one of a few said to have been the inspiration for J K Rowling’s Diagon Alley in Harry Potter.

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About your host

Richard Pearey DipWSET has been passionate about wine from an embarrassingly early age. His time at Magdalene encouraged him to begin a cellar in 1984 and despite (or perhaps because of) a long career in advertising, film and sports marketing, then men’s luxury shirts, has been drinking steadily ever since. His addiction to the grape has led many of his friends to hand over their wine cellars to his care. He has organised and hosted wine evenings as corporate or staff entertainment for city firms, marketing agencies and private clients, from 8 to 200 people. He has run a wine course for friends, his own wine club – Who Nose – since 1985 and his old school dining society, the oldest in the world, for 26 years. He co-founded a wine event company, We Don’t Spit, in 2013 and learned to spit, at which point he began his official wine qualifications. Covid and lockdown gave time to complete the WSET Diploma; then, probably under the influence, the Master of Wine programme seemed a natural next step. Year one quickly taught him two things: how little he knew and how slowly he typed. It did, however, persuade Hedonism to let him manage the tasting area, which must be one of the greatest jobs in wine.
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Cambridge Society of London Transfer and Refund Policy

i) At least 14 calendar days before the event: We will provide full refunds (minus any booking/transaction fees, which are nonrefundable). Alternatively, if you have found a suitable replacement, we can change the name on the ticket on the understanding that you will reclaim the ticket price from them separately.

ii) Between 4 and 14 calendar days before the event: Our arrangements with our hosts are always finalised 4 calendar days before each event. With more than 4 calendar days’ notice we can still change the name to someone named by you on the understanding that you will reclaim the ticket price from them separately. Alternatively, we MIGHT be able to sell it to someone else; there is no guarantee of that but we will do our best and then refund you if successful.

iii) Less than 4 calendar days: We regret that we cannot offer refunds if given less than 4 calendar days’ notice