Wine Tasting at the Stafford Hotel

17:06 Alyson 1 Comments

One of the best things I have done for myself in London has been to get involved in a lot of different organisations and activities. From the UK Texas Exes to the Junior League of London, these have been fantastic ways for me to get involved in the community and make some friends in the process.

In addition to all the volunteering I get access to through the Junior League, we also have great events on the side to help raise money for our philanthropic activities. We had one of our first fundraisers of the fall a few weekends ago and it was just up my alley! Wine tasting at the Stafford Hotel, with a selection of 5 wines especially selected by their Master Sommelier.

 The wine wasn't the only thing that made it special; the event was held in their amazing wine cellars in the basement of the hotel. The cellars were built more than 350 years ago in the 17th century by a Lord under the basement of his stables.

Since they have been built, the cellars have also served as a hiding space for soldiers during WWII when London was under siege. They have a special section of the cellar dedicated to this history, with memorabilia and trinkets left behind from the soldiers who stayed there.

The cellar is home to more than 6,000 bottles selected by the Master Sommelier, meaning there is something for just about everyone.

After our wine, we popped up to the American Bar at the hotel. The trinkets in the wine cellars are nothing in comparison to the bar. It started with a traveler living a gift of a small totem pole from his travels, and has morphed into just about anything and everything be left as gifts, from sports caps, to toy planes, to undergarments (one of the more recent additions according to our waiter)! The restaurant/bar is cosy, we sat at a small sofa and chairs, and for dinner, they brought us a cushion to eat off our laps. It felt like an old time home, welcoming us with good food, and drinks of course.