Simon Rogan has been announced as the partner chef for the 2026 Golden Vines, which returns to London this year.
The Golden Vines – the self-proclaimed ‘Oscars of fine wine’ – is on a homecoming mission, returning to London for the sixth edition of its outlandish, extravagant wine awards ceremony.
Running from November 6-8, this year’s celebration will be held across multiple London venues, and is intended to both celebrate the city’s thriving hospitality scene, as well as international efforts and achievements in fine wine.
First hosted in 2021, the annual event has been held in Florence, Madrid, Paris, and most recently, Miami. So why is this the right year for The Golden Vines to back in London? “Obviously we know the city extremely well and we’d always planned to return here,” says Lewis Chester, the event’s London-based co-founder. “But also, London is still the center of the fine wine universe. If we’re still doing this in another five years, we’ll come back again.”
Tickets to the 2026 Golden Vines are £10,000 (approx. $13,400) and include access to the weekend-long itinerary. Beginning the festivities will be the informal Frédéric Panaïotis La Paulée, where attending winemakers (including Krug, Dom Pérignon, Penfolds, Château d’Yquem, Château Lafite Rothschild, and Screaming Eagle) all bring their wares together to pour freely.
“People get very drunk,” Chester says. “We never, ever run out of wine.” Somewhat ironically, this opening dinner will be held at the Old Bailey – a grand building in the City, which held criminal trials until the early 1900s.
The main event is Saturday: The Golden Vines gala dinner. In a move away from stuffy, formal wine events, Golden Vines prioritizes world-class dining and entertainment. “The ‘fun’ bit is really important,” Chester says, “because that is what is revolutionizing fine wine … we didn’t want it to just be a group of geeky men in suits.”
Previous lineups have included Kylie Minogue on vocals and Mauro Colagreco in the kitchen.
While the 2026 musical guest is still under wraps, creating this year’s dining experience is one of Britain’s most successful chefs, Simon Rogan. The mastermind behind the Lake District’s L’Enclume, Rogan has nine Michelin stars across his international events and is credited with bringing farm-to-table dining to the mainstream in the UK.
The gala will also be the stage for the Golden Vines Awards, which are voted for by a panel of hundreds of international experts and recognize standout vintners and vintages, with awards including rising star, best fine wine producer, and best fine spirits brand.
Rounding off the gala lineup is the annual charitable auction, which features rare wines tied to even rarer experiences. Lots for the 2026 auction are yet to be finalized, but Chester, via a relationship with Real Madrid soccer club, hints at a chance to attend the Ballon D’or awards ceremony. “I will be bidding on that one,” he says.
Supplementing these larger all-attendee happenings are a series of one-off tastings, masterclasses, and travel experiences throughout the weekend.
The Golden Vines was created by the team behind Liquid Icons – a fine wine research program, founded by the late master sommelier and hotelier Gérard Basset, who passed away in 2019 leaving behind a legacy as one of the most influential figures in wine.
Funds raised from ticket sales and the auction directly benefit the Gérard Basset Foundation, which funds mentorship program and scholarships for young wine and hospitality professionals, who might otherwise face barriers to access. “We are the only charity in the world doing this and at this scale,” Chester says. “If someone has a problem, we try to solve it.”
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