Former Sotheby’s wine director, Madeira expert, and Master of Wine, Patrick Grubb died on 23 March, leaving behind his wife, Jennie, and two sons, Hugo and Harry.
The Institute of Masters of Wine has written the following words about Patrick’s impressive career in wine:
Patrick Grubb passed the MW exam in 1958 aged 26, the youngest to have attained the title by that time. Respected and recognised by his colleagues, Patrick was chair of the education committee, then chair of the IMW 1976-77, and in 2018 enjoyed his 60-year MW celebration at Vintner’s Hall. During his career he was also selected for membership of numerous wine fraternities including La Commanderie du Bontemps de Medoc et des Graves, La Jurade de Saint-Emilion, and La Confrerie St. Etienne. In 1984 he was also inducted into the Confraria do Vinho do Porto as an Honorary Confrade and Cavaleiro (or Knight), having been proposed as a member by Quinta do Noval Vinhos, SA.
Born in Malaya, the son of a rubber planter, Patrick attended Wellington College in Berkshire before entering the wine industry in 1952, commencing a 76 year love affair with wine. His first experience was in Bordeaux, as ‘Stage’ with the prominent French wine shipping company Sichel & Co. His first role included him picking grapes alongside Corsican migrant workers, with some of the more roguish workers knife-fighting around the campfires in the evenings. It was here that Patrick became truly fluent in French, a skill that served him well throughout his career.
This Article was originally published on The Drink Business - Wine
