Pushkin House is delighted to invite you to a Christmas Special Wine Club, at which we’ll taste various Christmas wines from different countries and learn about their origins.

Join our wine expert Tanya Nesterova for an evening dedicated to the Russian writer Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev, whose love for good food and wine is well documented. You will hear about Turgenev’s travels and taste the styles of wines he could have drunk or served to his friends when he stayed in the great wine regions of Europe and beyond.

Russians have always had a soft spot for Italy: the Italian character, the way of life, the scenery and nature that are so dramatic and tranquil at the same time, Italian art, and of course wine and food. The love of Italian wine in Russia probably goes back to the second half of the 18th Century when Catherine the Great tried Moscato di Scanzo, brought to her by the famous Italian architect Giacomo Quarengi, who was building St Petersburg at the time. The wine was from his hometown of Bergamo, where it is still traditionally produced today.

Expect to try 6–7 styles of wines that reflect the significant wine regions around the world at this time. The wine scene in particular around Bordeaux, Portugal, Spain, Germany, Italy, California, among others were about to be transformed beyond recognition.

Join Pushkin House wine expert Tanya Nesterova at our next wine tasting event, where she will talk about Russian wines produced in the 19th century and compare them to modern wines produced today.

In conjunction with PICASSO 1932 – LOVE, FAME, TRAGEDY. 1932 was both a triumphant and tumultuous year in Picasso’s life: irreconcilable problems in his family life, a passionate affair with one of his major muses, and two of his most important exhibitions in Europe at the time, just in one year. At the same time, the world around him was also undergoing momentous changes. This was true in the wine world, too.

In conjunction with the Red Star Over Russia exhibition, we present an evening of wine tasting and history talk led by wine expert Tanya Nesterova. Discover how the Russian Revolution in 1917 changed the wine world, and how the influential figures of this time redefend the styles and quality of wines in other regions of the world.

The tasting will focus on the winemakers Konstantin Frank and Andre Tchelistcheff and their developments in the industry. Dr. Frank is known for igniting the “Vinifera Revolution” after moving to the Fingers Lake district from Odessa, Ukraine in the 1950s.

Wine has been produced in England for a thousand years. It’s been going from strength to strength in recent decades, with particularly British sparkling wine performing well on the international award circuit. Recently, top French wine producers have been looking for outstanding terroir in England, where they can produce their future masterpieces.

It’s that time of year again: lots of food and drink with family, friends or both. And at the end of it all – the Russian Old New Year – just to say good bye to the festive season, then the wait for the arrival of the spring begins.

5th October 1916 – the first ever Trans-Siberian Express leaves Yaroslavl railway station in Moscow for Vladivostok to cover 9,289 kilometres (5,772 miles), making the world a smaller and cosier place and connecting people, history, culture, traditions and Christmases. But how was it on the first Christmas express? What did they drink? Many glasses of tea in a beautiful podstakannik for sure! And what did they have when they celebrated? Come along to the Pushkin House Wine Club to find out and to taste the styles of wine which were popular in Russia at the time.

Can you tell your favourite Sauvignon Blanc from your favourite Chardonnay? Or French wine from Australian? And can you really tell that one wine is more expensive than another? Let’s test our knowledge and appreciation! Let’s do a wine challenge! Let’s taste some wines blind and see what we can make of them.

There is definitely more to Spanish wines than red Riojas. And they have never been more popular than now. Their quality is constantly improving while the prices stay affordable. The choice of styles is mindboggling: refreshing and mineral whites to accompany the best shellfish; powerful whites competing with reds for red meat dishes; intense and full-bodied reds; sublime aperitifs; sparkling wines that are deep and of dazzling complexity; delicately sweet Moscatos Moscatel and irresistible soul-stealers Ports and Sherries

And what can be better? Even if you are not that sure of wine, or find it difficult to like any cheese – together they create magic on the palate, and you’ll discover a whole new world out there while matching these two amazing products that are made for each other. Come to Pushkin House to discover the French paradox and to indulge in the appreciation of the modern world’s favourite and probably most ancient products at the same time.

A bottle of Champagne is for a celebration, but a bottle of the famous fizz is a reason to celebrate in itself: to celebrate the moment. And why stop at Champagne? Franciacorta, Bracchetto, top Cremants - so many stunning sparkles and so little time. So come to the wine club and choose from a selection. Italy puts sparkles into practically everything. France is more fussy but nearly always gets it right.