Patrick Grubb (L 49)

Former Sotheby’s wine director, Madeira expert and Master of Wine, Patrick Grubb died on 23rd March, leaving behind his wife, Jennie, and two sons, Hugo (Bl 92) and Harry (P 98). 

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, Patrick attended Wellington College before entering the wine industry in 1952, commencing a 76-year love affair with wine. He first worked as ‘Stage’ with the prominent French wine shipping company Sichel & Co, which included him picking grapes alongside Corsican migrant workers. It was here that Patrick became truly fluent in French, a skill that served him well throughout his career. 

On returning to England, he began his lengthy career with Hedges & Butler in London and then Hay & Son in Sheffield. Hay & Son were subsequently acquired by JLP Lebegue & Co, where Patrick remained for a decade and rose to Deputy Managing Director. During this time, in addition to having already been commissioned during National Service, he was also commissioned into the Honourable Artillery Company in 1954, which then became a venue for many of his Madeira tastings in later life. 

In 1973, he was invited to join Sotheby, Park & Burnett (Sotheby’s) as Director and Head of their wine department. It was whilst at Sotheby’s that he was first approached to be the chief auctioneer for the then embryonic Nederburg wine auction in South Africa, which he continued to enjoy working with for the next 33 years. During this time, Patrick also established and sponsored a bursary programme for young black South Africans to study wine making abroad, principally in France.  

On leaving Sotheby’s in 1986, Patrick joined Fine Vintage Wines in Sloane Street, London, and in 1987 Patrick moved with his family to Oxfordshire where he established Patrick Grubb Selections, which he ran until his retirement aged 82.  

Throughout his life, Patrick was known for his gentility, kindness, generosity and chivalrous nature, with his daughter-in-law even nicknaming him the ‘walking honeypot’ because of his warm, sweet and kind nature. 

Courtesy of The Institute of Masters of Wine