Q&A: Steven Spurrier, WSET honorary president

Last month wine expert Steven Spurrier was appointed Honorary President of the WSET. Here, we catch up with the man responsible for the monumental Judgement of Paris tasting on his most memorable wine moment, how wine education has changed over his 50-year career, and what advice he would give to something looking to break into the wine trade.

Steven Spurrier, honorary president of the WSET

How has wine and spirits education changed over the course of your 50-year career?

The change in education/communication in the past half century has been nothing short of remarkable. There were good books even in the 1960s, but mostly written by “foreigners” like Andre Simon and Alexis Lichine. Tommy Layton – Michael Broadbent’s first employer – was before his time with his Wine Primer book in the 1950s as wine was more “romanticised” than “factualised”. History and then facts create the necessary knowledge to move towards wine appreciation, the standard text since 1969 being Michael Broadbent’s Wine Tasting. Learning about wine and learning how to appreciate wine go hand in hand. Today both are available at the click of a mouse.

What makes a WSET qualification, and in particular the Diploma, so valuable?

The early WSET qualifications are merely a matter of knowing the facts, but this is the first building block. The Diploma requires hard work and concentrated attention. I am often asked what the difference is between “drinking” and “tasting” and it is simply “paying attention.” The Diploma requires this almost to the point of dedication, which is why the qualification is so highly regarded.

What does taking on the role of honorary president of the WSET mean to you?

As the title suggests, it is a great honour, especially to follow my acknowledged mentor Michael Broadbent, Hugh Johnson, Jancis Robinson and Gerard Basset, all of whom were brought together by Ian Harris, who has taken WSET international with such continuing success. My wine career over five decades has been dominated by education and lately communication with Decanter Magazine and since I continue to travel all over the world, particularly to Asia, for wine-related reasons, I hope that my presence there will allow me to support the most valuable role that WSET plays in these emerging markets.

What’s the best piece of advice you have been given in terms of your career and what advice would you give someone starting out in the industry?

I don’t think I have ever been given career advice and if so, I would have made fewer mistakes. Wine for me has always been a dominating thread and indeed the title of my memoirs to be published later this year is “Wine, a Way of Life.” For someone just starting I would say “don’t give up” and “keep an open mind.”

Can you share one of your most memorable wine moments?

I always single out just one: Christmas Eve 1954 at the end of dinner at my family house in Derbyshire. My grandfather suggested I was old enough at 13 to have a glass of Port. This was my first taste of wine of any kind and it was amazing. “What’s this Grandpa?” “Cockburn ’08, my boy.” It was this wine that inspired me to go into the wine trade. Fifty-five years later the Symingtons held a tasting of Cockburn Vintages from 1977 to 1885 and the 1908 was the finest of all.

You are known for your part in the judgement of Paris, which transformed the way new world wines were perceived. What wine region/variety do you feel is currently undergoing the most interesting development and why?

I think that regions and countries continually re-invent themselves. As the Prince of Lampedusa said in the great novel The Leopard “For things to remain the same, everything has to change.” Chile, Argentina and South Africa are discovering new terroirs and styles all the time, Australia is un-recognisable and for the better compared to the 1990s. Europe respects tradition and gets the best from it. Rather than regions, I would suggest two varieties, Cabernet Franc for reds and Rolle/Vermentino for whites whose development and diversification will be interesting to follow.

How can the trade best communicate with consumers?

In my view the first thing to communicate is the value that wine offers both as a pleasure and, except for the very basic blends, showing a sense of place. The French Loi Evin, created by a tee-total physician, bans any advertising in France that hints that wine might be good to drink, so 50% of the value of communication vanishes right there. Today “value for money” is the key thing to communicate, but I think “value for pleasure” is more important.

Your wine cellar is on fire and you can only save one bottle. What bottle would you pick?

The one nearest the door, in this case a magnum of Vinedo Chadwick 2010 from Chile.

And finally, what motto do you live your life by?

The motto on the Spurrier coat of arms is “Stimulos Adde” or “Spur On”. It is a good motto to keep in mind.