Vintage Politics
Vintage Politics is a conversation podcast hosted by wine educator and former BBC political producer Abbie Bennington. Each week she sits down with journalists, politicians and politicos to talk about the defining moments of their careers over a glass of wine. For every story, Abbie pairs a bottle from the same vintage or a style the guest enjoys. Guests also reveal their everyday supermarket tipple and take on a challenge to guess the current price of a wine from their birth year.
Episodes
Katya Adler: Brexit, Brussels and the Battle for Europe’s Future
She’s one of the BBC’s most recognisable faces in Europe, reporting on everything from Brexit and political turmoil to the war in Ukraine. But after years of asking the difficult questions, it’s Katya Adler’s turn to answer a few.The BBC’s Europe Editor joins me for a glass or two as we explore the extraordinary characters she’s encountered, the stories behind the headlines and what she really thi
Gillian Keegan on Life in Government, Crumbling Concrete and That Hot Mic Moment
From apprentice at 16 to Secretary of State for Education, Gillian Keegan took an unconventional route into politics. On Vintage Politics, she talks openly about how her years in business shaped her, the pressures of leading the Department for Education, including the RAAC crisis, and what it was like to leave Westminster behind. There are serious reflections, some unexpected laughs, and a glass o
George Osborne: Candid conversations on Brexit, AI & the British Museum…
This week on Vintage Politics, former Chancellor George Osborne joins me for a conversation about the highs and lows of his political career, Britain’s decision to leave the EU, and why he’s optimistic about AI. He also explains why the Bayeux Tapestry matters and how he helped bring it to the British Museum. All this and wines from Old World Europe and a very special vintage Barolo.#ad. Wines are
Anthony Scaramucci: All the Wrong Moves. Trump, power and what comes next
Anthony Scaramucci joins Vintage Politics to talk about his new book All the Wrong Moves, where America went wrong, why Trumpism took hold and what happens next.He talks Trump, the future of the Republican Party, whether he could ever return to public life, and those infamous 11 days in the White House.In the glass: an alcohol free orange wine, an American Pinot Noir and a remarkable 1964 Barolo.#
Jeremy Bowen: War, Wine and Four Decades on the Front Line
Season Two of Vintage Politics begins with BBC International Editor Jeremy Bowen.Over four remarkable wines, Jeremy joins Abbie Bennington to reflect on more than four decades of frontline reporting, the human cost of war and the challenge of finding truth in some of the world’s most contested places.It’s a candid and deeply personal conversation about journalism, politics and the stories that sta
Vintage Politics Is Back
Season Two out on the 24th September. Great guests, incredible wines and even better stories. Including: Jeremy Bowen, Anthony Scaramucci, George Osborne and many more.
New Vintage at No 10: A Vintage Politics Special
Keir Starmer is preparing to leave Downing Street — and Andy Burnham is waiting in the wings.James Lyons, Starmer's former Director of Strategic Communications, joins me to unpack what went wrong, what happens next, and whether Labour is about to open a very different political vintage.And in a Vintage Politics first, we'll be tasting our guest's own vintage wine in person — alongside
From Spin Doctor to Baroness: Ayesha Hazarika on Politics, Comedy & Power
From advising some of the biggest names in British politics to finding freedom in comedy, this week on the last Vintage Politics of the series I’m joined by Baroness Hazarika, broadcaster, comedian, former political adviser and now member of the House of Lords.Over a series of remarkable wines (and the first rosé of the series) we talk about the pressures of family expectation, navigating Westmins
Empire’s End: Lessons from Hong Kong and a Life in Power with Lord Patten
In this penultimate episode of Vintage Politics series one I’m joined by Lord Patten, the last Governor of Hong Kong, who oversaw the historic 1997 handover.We look back at that pivotal moment and ask how relations between Hong Kong, China and the West have shifted and, in his view, deteriorated in the years since.We also explore why the University of Oxford seems to produce so many British prime
John Pienaar: Brexit, Boris and Champagne at Dawn
A true heavyweight of political journalism joins Vintage Politics.This week, John Pienaar brings decades of reporting from the front line of politics to the podcast — with candid insights on Boris Johnson, Brexit and why it remains “lying in the bloodstream of our politics”, US presidential elections, and the legendary political all-nighters that sometimes ended with a champagne breakfast.It’s a r
Decca Aitkenhead: Sauvignon Blanc, “weird" wines and conversations with The Chancellor of the Exchequer at his Highland croft
Decca Aitkenhead, Chief Interviewer of The Sunday Times, joins Vintage Politics for a lively, free-flowing conversation over a glass or two. She shares her love of Sauvignon Blanc and is introduced to an aged white from Alsace—an experience she expresses as just “weird.”In a wide ranging career she has interviewed major political players from Hillary Clinton to Nigel Farage, getting to know the ch
Guto Harri: His political broadcasting career, the final days of Boris in Number 10 and a passion for Rhône Reds
Guto Harri, The Savoy, ambition and fine wine collide in this week’s Vintage Politics. The former Downing Street Director of Communications, journalist and strategist spills all over a carefully chosen glass or two or three.Guto revisits his years alongside Boris Johnson with a sharper edge. Behind the theatre and bravado, he paints a picture of a man he tried to pull back from the brink of Brexit
Jo Coburn: From Kabul to the Commons—and a Glass of Albariño on the Side
This week on Vintage Politics, we’re joined by Jo Coburn a broadcaster whose career has taken her far beyond the Westminster studio. From reporting on a Prime Ministerial Afghanistan visit to travelling with the political press pack during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Jo Coburn has witnessed global politics up close as well as at home. Alongside reflections on decades of political change, she also s
Dom Joly: Politics, pranks and a love for Lebanese wine.
This week’s guest is better known for his satirical sketches and Trigger Happy TV than his love of politics. That insight would be wrong! Dom Joly is a lover of both wine and politics, which makes him the perfect guest on the show.From his self-confessed love of champagne and Lebanese wines to stories that feel almost too surreal to be true — including accidentally breaking David Mellor’s glasses
Missiles & Merlot: Anna Foster on Conflict, Resilience & Wine
Missiles in the sky, stories from the frontline—and a glass of Bekaa Valley red. Anna Foster on reporting, resilience, and wine.In this episode of Vintage Politics, broadcaster Anna Foster reflects on her time reporting from Lebanon—where the reality of conflict was never far away, and nights could be lit by missiles streaking across the sky.Amid the intensity of frontline journalism, Anna shares
From Downing Street to the White House: Nick Robinson on Power, Presidents & the Today Programme
In this episode of Vintage Politics, veteran broadcaster Nick Robinson reflects on a career spent covering the people and moments that shape modern history—including his encounters with former US President George W. Bush.With decades of experience at the heart of British political journalism, Nick offers a sharp and thoughtful perspective on power, leadership, and the evolving relationship between
Jon Sopel: Trump, Tensions and a Taste for Fine Wine
In the very first episode of Vintage Politics, broadcaster Jon Sopel—best known for The News Agents and his time as the BBC’s North America Editor—looks back on a career spent at the heart of global power.From covering the chaos of Trump-era Washington, including his own headline-making clash with the former president, to reporting across Europe, Jon shares what it’s really like to navigate politi
Vintage Politics Teaser
Vintage Politics — Coming 26th March.Uncorking the stories behind the headlines.Join Abbie Bennington and guests as political storytelling meets exceptional wine. Each week, leading journalists and political insiders revisit the defining moments of their careers — paired with wines from the same vintage.Featuring Jon Sopel, Nick Robinson, Guto Harri, Dom Joly, Anna Foster, Jo Coburn, John Pienaar
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