The Spectator Reviews 

Fun, informative German Wine Tasting Masterclass at IOD, Pall Mall.... well organised, entertaining speakers & now know more about the magic world of German wines.

Great venue, interesting people, well organised. The wine was very good and the wine Makers were incredibly knowledgeable entertaining and helpful. Highly recommend @

A fascinating event, and completely unique. Everything was right, the way the wine was presented, the choice of venue, the food, the interesting content and presentation. I also enjoyed talking with other guests, and meeting up with previous acquaintances.

The Spectator lunch event at the Caledonian club had all the winning elements for a superb event, namely enlightened speakers from the world of wine and global politics, delicious food and amazing wines from winesofchinauk.co for which the tastings were curated by Janet Wang author of 'The Chinese Wine Renaissance'. A truly enjoyable event!

I have been trying to renew my subscription to nearly two weeks.
Subscriber for more than 45 years.
Frustrated is not the word!
Colin S Heaton

Here is my Spectatoresque review of The Spectator...

Yay. Twas brilig 'pon the October morn and - such was the closing in of the evening - one had but a frettles-cusp of a chance to snarf down my Chateau Margaux 1998 'fore old mother night swept in across the Cambridgeshire sky.

Dark and ripe twangs of berry fruit did tickle - not just my memory sweet and dear reader, but also pangs in - dare I to mention - the trouser areas of my personage and wardrobe - but memories still were resurged of Perpignan summers, Bouillabaisse evenings, and such pleasant twaddle bespaken twixt young floppy-haired fools such as I.

At that very moment I was both "was" and once was - the thought swept in as ghostly and instant as the October night: "Are there any other verb-ese (verbose to obese) who might drabble-out something such as the aforementioned stanzas over so simple a sentiment as a sup of wine?"

My quest and new purpose stood to attention like a soldier chastised mid-droop, when there was only one place where the twinkling grandiloquence and saucy societal reach-arounds were celebrated in sufficient aplomb. The Spectator.

Abash and shy - somewhat like a young Mediterranean fish market apprentice handling a furious-sharp filleting knife for the first time - I entered the gentle covenant of a trial subscription. Hope bubbled up like a teenage swig of Lambrini straight from the bottle, huddled within a cinema bus stop. This abstract emotion soon bubbled up the nose, spluttering gaffaws, and lurid backwash - dearest, sweetest, genteelist cherubim of a reader.

In the shortest time reality yawned out the grizzled trouser turnip of reality - the writing therein was foppish, frumptulated, gumphified and self-proctating. The same instant I suffered the fatal instinct that my time were never to be returned, so-fore and henceforth, never shall my subscription be, I decreed.

This - my undulated joy explosion of a reader, perhaps nay surified as the readiest of readers in Christendom - is where my piffling snivelfest of a tale disappears down it's own gynaecological examination. As many moons later my bank statements reveal the shock-horror that The Spectator hath unashamedly been billing even though I cancelled!

6 months - half a year - 15,780,000 seconds and I am still unable to get my £40+ pounds refunded. I learned a scathing and slippery life lesson. Riddle me this... is there anything grander and more entitled in life than the Spectator's opinion of itself? Pith, twaddle, and a shiny penny to any who can answer.

Bought the Spectator subscription through there online app, which uses Google pay. Google took the money but the spectator magazine has no record. After several emails backwards and forwards, neither Google nor spectator will take responsibility for sorting it out. Decided to write off the cost of subscription as my time is limited

Great magazine keep up the good work enjoy reading always informative
Simon

I keep trying to get an answer for why I don't have access despite monthly charges to my credit card.

Update: Finally someone informed me I was registered with Spectator World, not UK.

My first Spectator event ( theme English Wines).I felt most welcome - Jonny Ray convivial host - invited excellent Speaker Henry Jeffreys presented his book 'Vines in a cold Climate' -he also choose the English Wines matched to delicious courses.Not only enjoyed the lunch but came away with some new knowledge.Have shared Henry's book with others- cracking read.Wonderful location and good company. I will look out for another event .

I have not attended a Spectator lunch since before Covid, but I was delighted to see that the standard has not fallen in the slightest.
Henry Jeffreys was an entertaining speaker and delightfully incorrect. The wines we tasted and the food were superb.
I look forward to my next visit.

Went to the Spectator lunch for Chateau Angludet and found it incredible! Very good company and a good lunch. But the wines were amazing and the speaker from the Sichel family excellent. I ordered a case of magnums the next day!

Good venue good company good speakers and great wine! Couldn’t fault the day. Thank you.

Another amazing Spectator Wine Club event!
Very much enjoyed by me and my guest.

This was a super day on the river, on a fantastic boat, great crew, entertainment, food and wines. The shooting experience and wine producers and experts made a memorable day out. The only negative was joining, meet and greet, where I feel many of us had been left uncertain as to where to go and whether we had arrived at the right place.

The Clays, Cognac and Claret Cruise down the Thames, can't be beat either for pure enjoyment or the uniqueness of the setting. Add first class wines and an excellent meal and company - and one could not ask for more.

In a wine experience that was new to us The Spectator rank all the right bells with an excellent speaker and a congenial audience. We'll be joining them again.

IF I COULD GIVE ZERO STARS OR MINUS STARS I WOULD DO SO
Looking at the positive reviews I see most involve party events.. the negative reviews are similar to my experience.
I cancelled my free trial on 8th August... on 15th August - seven days later - the next month's payment was taken. I phoned customer services and was promised a refund (this was also promised in the email I received on 8th August confirming my cancellation).
Three weeks later I have still not received my refund.
This is completely unacceptable and I have raised a formal complaint... albeit via the standard 'contact us' function as there is no option to raise a complaint, which speaks volumes.

It was a wonderful lunch and the quality of the wines being served were outstanding. It was also a real pleasure to listen to Jonathan Maltus talk about his life, career in wine and the wines he and his team had produced.

Speccie Wine Club lunches are always great fun. Good wines, interesting company and a great setting. This, as ever, met the mark with excellent hosting for Jonny Ray and interesting words and wines from Jonathan Maltus