You know you’re in good company when the chat kicks off with tales of reviving a 600-year-old institution — like popping the cork on a forgotten vintage and discovering it’s still got sparkle. That was my recent experience meeting Tal Sunderland-Cohen, the charismatic, witty and refreshingly un-snobbish Chairman of the Wine Guild of the UK.
Let’s get one thing straight — the Wine Guild is not some dusty old society sipping claret in silence. Or at least, not anymore. When Tal stepped into the Guild’s well-aged shoes, it was like a bottle left open a day too long — still wine, but with most of the magic gone. Membership was dwindling, the average age was something between vintage and slightly corked, and the events calendar had more gaps than a supermarket rosé shelf on a bank holiday.
But Tal, wine journalist, educator, and all-around vinous enthusiast, rolled up his sleeves — and possibly his trouser cuffs, given the Guild’s deep waters of tradition — and got to work. With a sharp eye for relevance and a nose for potential, he revived the Guild’s mission. Out went the old red-on-black unreadable website (yes, that was real), and in came energy, accessibility, and, importantly, youth.
Tal has turned the Guild into a community that’s as much about people as it is about Pinot. The focus? Making the wine world less intimidating and more inclusive — without sacrificing its heritage. From 24 events a year, including Riedel tastings and oyster pairings, to championing English wine, Tal’s reign is anything but ceremonial.
And yet, for someone at the helm of a centuries-old wine guild, he’s refreshingly modern. No dusty barrels on the website. No scrolling Latin. Just good wine, good people, and a clear sense of purpose — all powered by volunteers, no less.
It was an absolute pleasure to meet Tal. A man who’s made it his mission to decant tradition into something a little more drinkable for a new generation. As we both agreed, wine should be fun. Not fussy. Tal embodies that philosophy, and the Guild is better (and, frankly, younger) for it.
I hope to get more involved in supporting the Guild in the future, so watch this space.
If you haven’t checked them out, do. And if you’re under 200 years old, you’re now very welcome.
Cheers to that.
