Obituary: Michael Broadbent MW

Many across the wine world paused to remember one of its seminal figures, following news that Michael Broadbent MW had died on Tuesday 17 March. His son, Bartholomew Broadbent, who also works in the wine trade, announced on social media: ‘Too sad, but he had a great 92 years.’

Among his many achievements, Michael Broadbent was perhaps best known as the man who re-started Christie’s wine auctions in the 1960s. He was consequently a leading figure in the development of the international fine wine market in the second half of the 20th century, although he once remarked that he had never considered the idea that wine might one day become an investment for some people. He was also a prolific author and wine writer. He penned more than 400 columns for Decanter magazine alone, between 1977 and 2012, and was proud to have contributed to every monthly edition of the title in that period. His first column was on vintage Port.

He also wrote seminal books on wine. Wine Tasting, first published in 1968, is considered one of the first structured guides on how to taste wine. Michael – the 24th person to become a Master of Wine, in 1960 – had said the book was born out of frustration at the lack of English-language guides on the subject. It was updated several times and translated into at least eight languages. Published in 1980, The Great Vintage Wine Book brought together thousands of Michael’s tasting notes and personal experiences of some of the world’s best bottles. And in 2002, Vintage Wine provided personal reflection on 50 years of his tastings.

Beyond writing, Michael was known among emerging wine writers to be very generous with his time and expertise. He was also renowned for his skill at public speaking, and was identifiable for many years by the Dutch bicycle that he rode around London.

Decanter print publisher and editor Amy Wislocki said: ‘Michael was a much-loved member of the Decanter family, playing a significant role – since the magazine’s early days – in building its reputation for authority and expertise. His encyclopaedic knowledge of wines, his wit and his zest for life made him a joy to work with – and a joy to read. He gained a loyal following over the course of his 433 columns, and the photo that accompanied his column, showing him on his bicycle, became almost a Decanter trademark. This is how Michael will be remembered, affectionately, by readers around the world: the perfect English gentleman and one of the greatest ever authorities on wine, with a turn of phrase that was second to none.’

Steven Spurrier, world-renowned critic and Decanter consultant editor for many years, said: ‘Michael Broadbent was my mentor and my hero: as simple as that.’ On the

Académie du Vin website, he said: ‘I have known and admired Michael for almost longer than I can recall, and find it hard to put into words the loss I feel at his passing.’

Jancis Robinson MW said: ‘He leaves the most magnificent legacy and many of us would be much poorer wine tasters without his magisterial lead.’

Born in 1927, Michael had first begun training to be an architect. However, he found the process dull, and once claimed to have walked out of class. ‘I was too idle to open any books on drainage and sanitation,’ he told Decanter’s Susan Keevil in 2002. It was Broadbent’s mother who recommended he apply for a wine trade job. In 1952, aged 25, he joined London merchant Tommy Layton, beginning by sweeping the floors and delivering wine across Mayfair.

Steven Spurrier

From there, Michael never looked back. He recalled in 2010 that the first wine column he was paid to write was for Cheshire Life, in September 1957. The fee was £5.

As has often been quoted, Michael credited Tommy Layton as a mentor, despite referring to the merchant as ‘mad as a hatter’ in one interview.

Michael was head of Christie’s wine auction department until 1992, but remained as a senior consultant for many years afterwards. He told the auction house in an interview in 2016: ‘Tommy Layton gave me a piece of advice I didn’t realise would be so important at the time. He told me that whenever I tasted a wine, I should make a note. So on 13 September 1952, I did just that. I started with a small red lined notebook, and now I have 150 of them, containing 90,000 notes.’ Arguably sage advice for any wine lover today.

Michael Broadbent was married for many years to Daphne Broadbent, who featured in many of his columns and who died in 2015. Their two children are Bartholomew and Emma. Michael married Valerie

Smallwood in 2019.

D‘Michael Broadbent was my mentor and my hero: as simple as that’