An Exclusive Look Inside London's Most Coveted Private Wine Club
For those following along, this is the second of five posts about our 10th wedding anniversary trip that included some amazing wine and food experiences. The first post was about PS - a private lounge in Atlanta with its exceptional champagne selection and elevated dining experience.
Before getting into the private club tour and dinner, I’ll recap the highlights of our first three magical days in London! My wife Dio and I visited the Tower of London where we saw the crown jewels for the first time (though photography wasn't allowed in that section.) However, we were able to capture plenty of other incredible sights including the impressive medieval armor displays and historic weapons collections. The Tower Bridge views from the fortress walls were spectacular, and we managed to get some great shots of the classic Tudor-style buildings and cobblestone courtyards that make this historic site so captivating.
We also spent a fascinating afternoon at the Churchill War Rooms learning all about Winston's favorite champagne "Pol Roger" among other wartime secrets.
We capped off our museum touring with a wonderful meal at the Tate Modern's top floor restaurant, enjoying a beautiful Burgundy while taking in sweeping views of the Thames.
On the evening of our third day, we experienced something I'd been anticipating for months - a tour and dinner at the private members’ club devoted to wine: 67 Pall Mall.
THE IMPOSSIBLE INVITATION
Getting into 67 Pall Mall as non-members should have been impossible. This exclusive club maintains a strict policy: no non-members allowed unless a member is physically present to host. Period. But sometimes, having the right connections opens doors you never imagined.
Our entry came through our Borgo Bonelli investment connection. If you haven't read about that investment, check it my blog post about that here. What I didn't mention in that post was owner Michael Kennedy's incredible network of wine-focused establishments worldwide. When we told Michael we were planning our London anniversary trip, he set up a Zoom call to see how he could help us plan experiences that we might not be able to arrange ourselves. That's when we first learned about 67 Pall Mall - a club we had never heard of previously but that Michael immediately flagged as something special.
Through connections with VINIV and Chateau Lynch-Bages, he arranged something extraordinary: a tour as prospective members followed by dinner. This wasn't just any favor - this was gaining access to one of London's most exclusive wine destinations. What made this even more special was discovering that I'd actually tasted wine made at VINIV before - Component Wine Company La Colline - another one of Kennedy's brands that happens to be one of my favorite Bordeaux wines. Small world! This connection really tied everything together beautifully.
MONTHS OF ANTICIPATION
The email correspondence that followed stretched from May through November, building our excitement with each exchange. Michael explained the significance: they were making a special exception that rarely happens. Sabrina Meier, then-Head of Membership, coordinated everything perfectly, even accommodating my seafood allergy and offering a personal tour if we arrived early.
By the time November arrived, Dio and I had researched everything about this place. Founded by Grant Ashton in 2015, 67 Pall Mall represents something revolutionary in the wine world - private members' clubs designed specifically for wine lovers.
THE WINE EMPIRE BEHIND THE DOORS
What makes 67 Pall Mall extraordinary isn't just the London flagship. This is a global empire with clubs in Verbier, Singapore, a resident membership in Hong Kong, and ambitious plans for locations in Bordeaux, Beaune, Melbourne and Shanghai in the next three years. Each location boasts extensive wine lists with unprecedented access - over 5,000 wines from 42 countries in London alone, with more than 1,000 available by the glass thanks to Coravin technology.
The business model fascinated me as both a wine lover and someone who appreciates innovative approaches. Unlike traditional wine lists that mark up bottles at multiples of cost, 67 Pall Mall operates on small cash mark-ups, making exceptional wines accessible at near-retail prices. Membership income compensates for these lower margins, creating a community-focused approach that prioritizes member experience.
What's particularly impressive is their commitment to local adaptation while maintaining their core wine focus. The Verbier club, nestled in the Swiss Alps above the Valais wine region, showcases local Swiss wines alongside their global selection. Meanwhile, their Singapore location occupies a spectacular penthouse space with sweeping city views. Each club respects its local wine culture while providing access to the world's finest bottles.
ARRIVING IN LONDON RAIN
We arrived a few minutes late due to London's notorious traffic, rain pelting the historic building on Pall Mall. The understated exterior gave little hint of the wine wonderland awaiting inside.
After being warmly greeted, we were shown to The Clubroom, the heart of the operation, where an impressive glass bar displaying hundreds of bottles dominated the center of the space. We settled at the bar in this room, immediately taking in the atmosphere of watching the skilled sommeliers work behind the bar while members throughout the space dined, laughed, and enjoyed themselves. We ordered a champagne from the producer Charles Heidsieck, though I didn't take any notes or photos at this point since we were simply absorbing the experience and also weren't sure about photography protocols.
SABRINA'S INSIDER PERSPECTIVE
When Sabrina arrived, I mentioned my wine blog and she graciously agreed to let me document our experience and offered to provide pictures of the inside of the club for my blog post since photography is not allowed in the club. What followed was an incredibly detailed tour that revealed aspects of 67 Pall Mall you'd never learn from their website or marketing materials.
As Sabrina explained, the wine towers have become a signature feature across all global locations. It began in the London Club and has been expanded in Singapore where the beautiful tower stretched the length of the double-height ceilings, with step ladders inside for the sommelier team to access the wine collection. The new site developments in Bordeaux and Melbourne will feature even larger designs at the centre of the Club.
The Chapel Room proved particularly intriguing, with its wedding license and views overlooking St. James's Palace. Learning that they can actually perform marriages here added an unexpectedly romantic element to what's already a venue dedicated to one of life's greatest pleasures.
The "Naughty Corner" revealed the club's playful personality. This area combines sketches and artwork with their spirits selection, serving as both a quiet meeting space during the day and a more spirited gathering spot in the evenings. The rotating artwork from various galleries keeps the space fresh and interesting.
BEHIND-THE-SCENES REVELATIONS
Moving through the building, I continued to discover details that showcases the club's thoughtful approach to wine and hospitality. The wood-panelled Marlborough Room hosts private dining events as well as intimate paired dinners and tastings including special occasions such as anniversaries, birthday parties and paired dinners featuring incredible vintages of storied wines - the empty bottles from which have been used to decorate the room.
Image courtesy of Danny Peace
The technical aspects fascinated me as a wine enthusiast. Their 5,000 bottle wine list constantly evolves, with 1,000 wines available by the glass. The private dining rooms feature innovative light panels designed to emulate daylight, ensuring optimal wine tasting conditions even in windowless spaces.
For serious collectors, their wine storage program offers incredible value - up to 120 bottles at £30 per case annually in central London. The £1 per bottle landing fee makes this an attractive option for members who want professional storage with easy access.
THE WINE LIBRARY MOMENT
The Wine Library became Dio's favorite space, and I completely understood why. This stunning room features walls of wine with sophisticated lighting specifically designed for tasting. With no fee to book the room as a member, the only condition is a minimum spend of £500, which seemed remarkably reasonable considering the setting and access to their incredible wine list.
What struck me most was how every detail had been considered for wine appreciation. From the lighting to the design that allows sommeliers to easily select bottles from the custom-built shelving, everything serves the goal of creating optimal conditions for discovering great wine.
THE DOWNSTAIRS EVENT SPACE AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL
Our tour continued downstairs to their impressive event space, the St. James’s Room, which showcased the club's versatility beyond intimate dining. This large room can accommodate between 54 and 80 people for various functions, from engagement parties to casino nights. What impressed me was how they transform this space completely for different events - the lighting, flowers, and setup create entirely different atmospheres depending on the occasion.
The space has its own entrance from the main road, complete with restrooms and kitchen access, making it perfect for larger gatherings while maintaining the intimate feel of the main club areas upstairs. Sabrina mentioned they do everything from wine tastings with winemakers to under-30’s BYOB dinners in this room.
Image courtesy of Haydon Perrior (@haydonperrior)
It was during this part of the tour that we had a fascinating conversation about their glassware standards. Their commitment to quality extends to exclusively using Zalto glasses across all global locations. As someone who has used Zalto as my preferred glassware for years, I was thrilled to learn this detail. Sabrina explained that the Club once placed such a large order that the Zalto factory had to close to all other orders - which may explain why I struggled to find Zalto glasses a few years ago!
Image courtesy of 67 Pall Mall
DINNER WITH EXPERTISE
After the comprehensive tour, we moved to the Members' Lounge for dinner. The space, formerly the Hambros bank, retains historical elements including the original revolving door at the entrance to the room. But what truly captured my attention was the beautiful wine wall behind the Members’ Lounge bar - definitely my favorite feature of the entire space with its elegant design and impressive backdrop.
Image courtesy of Danny Peace
Image courtesy of Danny Peace
Just before we were seated, Sabrina showed us one final detail that particularly impressed me - Grant Ashton's cooling station invention. Thousands of aluminum beads imported from Asia create an elegant wine cooling system that doesn't damage labels, a sophisticated alternative to traditional ice buckets that shows the level of thought behind every aspect of the operation.
At this point in the tour Sabrina let us know we were permitted take pictures of the cooling system and during our dinner as well.
I requested that their sommelier team suggest wines for each course, wanting to experience their expertise firsthand. From the extensive menu, I selected three courses: charcuterie, pumpkin soup, and Hereford ribeye with salad.
The charcuterie course was paired with 2004 Pol Roger Champagne Vintage Brut, which I scored 91 points. I'm fairly certain Sabrina mentioned our Churchill War Rooms discussion to the sommelier, because we were absolutely delighted when this appeared as our first wine - a perfect connection to what we'd learned about Winston's favorite champagne earlier in our trip. This champagne had a distinctive character with real substance and complexity. The bite and heavier feel made it an ideal match for the quality cured meats, with the champagne's weight standing up beautifully to the rich, salty flavors. The pairing highlighted both the champagne's depth and the craftsmanship of the charcuterie selection.
For the pumpkin soup, they originally suggested Williams Selyem, but since I have that producer in my cellar, I requested something different. They switched to 2020 Domaine Louis Michel Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux, which I scored 91 points. The wine showed lovely mineral character with some oak influence and medium weight. While served at a slightly warmer temperature than my usual preference, this actually enhanced the wine's fuller character and worked well with the rich, creamy soup. The pairing demonstrated how temperature can be adjusted to complement specific dishes.
THE GRAND FINALE COMPARISON
The evening's highlight came with the ribeye course, where our sommelier presented two exceptional wines side by side - a masterclass in contrast and style.
The sommelier's presentation was both educational and engaging: "On your left hand side, sir, you are having Nuits-Saint-Georges from Philippe Pacalet. It is a 2014 vintage... Jasper Morris said the Burgundy wine needs to be opened after the ninth birthday of the harvest. So this one, it is just 10 years old and I think right now it is a little bit more mature, more ready to be drunk. Philippe Pacalet is more on the freshness, more on the elegance of the wine - he's 'the OG' - it's one of the best for Burgundy connoisseurs."
The 2014 Philippe Pacalet Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Aux Argillas, earning 94 points from me, was absolutely magnificent. Served from a magnum opened that morning, it displayed everything I love about mature Burgundy. The raisiny nose gave way to an amazing palate with fully resolved tannins and dark cherry notes. A mature banana quality on the nose indicated perfect peak drinking. This wine sang with the 28-day dry aged Hereford ribeye.
The 2019 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon The Reserve To-Kalon Vineyard, which I rated 93 points, provided fascinating contrast. Double decanted the day before, it showed beautifully despite most 2019 Napa Cabernets being quite backward at this stage. The dark fruit nose and medium-high tannins demonstrated why To-Kalon vineyard commands such respect.
After the sommelier's presentation, we had a wonderful conversation about our Mondavi connection. I mentioned our recent visit to Continuum Estate, the new project by the Mondavi family, where we met and spend time with Carissa Mondavi. You can read about that experience here. It struck me as one of those "small world" moments that makes wine culture so special - tasting Mondavi wines in London while discussing our personal connection to the family in Napa. The global nature of wine really came full circle in that moment.
At the conclusion of the meal, the sommelier let us know that both of the red wines were complimentary - an unnecessary but very wonderful gesture that we deeply appreciated.
REFLECTIONS ON WINE COMMUNITY
As we concluded our meal, the full impact of the experience became clear. This wasn't just dinner at an upscale restaurant - it was immersion into a global community that understands wine at the deepest level. From Sabrina's insights about member culture to the sommelier's expertise in selection and presentation, every detail demonstrated why 67 Pall Mall has revolutionized wine-focused hospitality.
The combination of exceptional wines at fair pricing, world-class service, and genuine passion for wine education creates something truly special. For serious wine enthusiasts, membership here provides access to experiences and wines simply unavailable elsewhere.
What impressed me most was how they've maintained the intimate, community feel of a local wine club while operating at global scale. The wine events, member storage programs, and educational opportunities show they understand that great wine is ultimately about sharing experiences with others who appreciate the craft.
For those interested in experiencing 67 Pall Mall themselves, the club offers tours for prospective members. You can contact them through their website to arrange a visit. The membership application process requires a proposer and seconder, though if you don't have connections, they'll accept a biography explaining your passion for wine and interest in joining their community. With multiple membership categories including wine trade discounts and overseas options, they've created pathways for wine lovers from all backgrounds to access this extraordinary global network.
Great start to our wine and food pairing week - ahem, I mean our 10th anniversary week! Stay tuned for my next few blog posts about our experiences at three Michelin three-star restaurants in the UK: The Ledbury, The Waterside Inn, and The Fat Duck.
