Decanter expands its London fine wine event to two days

London will host a new edition of the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter at The Landmark London on November 6 and 7, with organizers expanding the event into two full days of tasting and keeping the same lineup of producers and wines on both days.

According to Decanter, more than 130 producers will take part and attendees will be able to taste more than 1,000 wines during the event. The format is designed to give visitors more time to move through the tasting floor, return to stands of interest and speak directly with winery representatives and producers.

The main program will center on the Grand Tasting, which remains the core of the event. By repeating the same selection on Friday and Saturday, organizers are aiming to reduce the pressure of a one-day schedule and allow guests to explore at a slower pace. In the fine wine sector, where many visitors attend with specific estates, regions or vintages in mind, that extra time can shape how buyers, collectors and trade professionals approach a tasting.

Alongside the Grand Tasting, Decanter will again offer Cellar Collection, an added-access feature focused on 21 selected producers. Each producer is expected to pour three vintages of a flagship wine, including one mature library release. The idea is to show how top wines change over time and to give tasters a structured look at bottle age, development and style across vintages.

The program will also include masterclasses led by figures connected to participating houses. Sessions announced so far include Dom Pérignon, Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Seña. These guided tastings are intended to provide more context than the walk-around format of the main hall, with a focus on benchmark labels and direct commentary from those linked to the wines.

Another part of the schedule will be the Winemakers' Lunches, small-format meals limited to six guests per table. Organizers said these lunches will pair conversation and wine service in a more private setting, with participating producers including Catena Zapata, Château Pichon Baron, M. Chapoutier and Yalumba.

Tickets are already on sale. Decanter has also introduced an opening promotion for the first 75 bookings, offering £10 off Single and Two-Day Grand Tasting tickets with the code LAUNCH75. The discount does not apply to tickets that include Cellar Collection access.

The event reflects a broader push in high-end wine gatherings toward in-person formats that combine large tasting rooms with smaller educational and hospitality experiences. In this case, Decanter is building its London program around three layers: open tasting, guided sessions and tightly limited encounters with producers. That structure is aimed at both consumers seeking access to prestigious bottles and industry attendees looking for direct contact with estates.

Held at The Landmark London, the event places itself in one of the city’s established luxury hospitality venues, a setting that fits its focus on premium wine. For producers, such events offer concentrated exposure to collectors, sommeliers, merchants and media. For attendees, they provide rare side-by-side access to wines that are often difficult to taste in one place, especially older releases included through programs such as Cellar Collection.

The decision to maintain an identical producer and wine selection across both days may also help exhibitors manage expectations while giving guests flexibility in planning their visit. Rather than splitting headline wines between sessions or reserving certain bottles for one day only, the organizers are presenting continuity as a selling point. That approach may appeal to visitors traveling into London for the event or those who want to revisit specific wines after an initial tasting.

With more than 1,000 wines promised and a roster of international names already highlighted in its promotional material, this year’s Decanter Fine Wine Encounter is positioning itself as one of London’s major fine wine events of the fall season. The combination of broad access tasting, vertical-style presentations through Cellar Collection and limited-seat lunches suggests an effort to serve several audiences at once, from enthusiasts building knowledge to serious buyers focused on top estates and mature bottles.