Tottering-By-Gently: Drinks with the Totterings

Annie Tempest, Simon Berry

Over the past twenty years Annie Tempest has worked for all the major national newspapers and life-style magazines and has had numerous collections of her work published. In 2009 the Cartoon Art Trust awarded her the Pont Prize for the Portrayal of the British Character. She has had eighteen one-woman shows in the UK and overseas. Annie created the 'Westenders' strip for the Daily Express in the 1980s, the 'Yuppies' strip for the Daily Mail during the late '80s and early 90s. Since the 1993 'Tottering-by-Gently' has appeared weekly in Country Life magazine. Annie lives in Stibbard, Norfolk.

Simon Berry is Chairman of award-winning Berry Bros & Rudd. Before joining the company in 1977, Simon spent two years working in France for various wine producers. Simon is on the Council of the Wine & Spirits Trade Benevolent Society, a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Vintners and a member of the Académie du Champagne. He is also the Clerk of the Royal Cellars and the holder of the Royal Warrant of Appointment as wine merchant to HRH the Prince of Wales. Simon regularly lectures on wine. His articles have been published in several magazines, notably Vogue, Debrett's International Collector and The Economist Review of the Year. He has also contributed to many television and radio programmes including The Edwardian Country House. Berry Bros. & Rudd is Britain's oldest wine and spirit merchant and was founded 307 years ago in 1698 on the current site on St James's Street. The business originally traded in tea and coffee and the wine side was developed in the early 19th century. Berry Bros now have shops in London, Hong Kong, Japan, China, Dublin and Basingstoke. Their website is now the second most-visited commercial wine website in the world. Berry Bros regularly wins international awards and in 2009 won Wine Merchant of the Year (International Wine Challenge), Direct Wine Merchant of the Year, En Primeur Merchant of the Year and Rhône Specialist Wine Merchant of the Year, as well as Decanter's Online Merchant of the Year.