Falstaff presents the top addresses for wine lovers in England's capital, from hallowed halls offering a blast of tradition to funky urban wineries and trendy wine bars.
London is not only a culinary melting pot, but also the world's wine capital - and has been for a long time. Even today, there is no wine market in the world that is more dynamic or diverse. You can find everything – from absolute classics to quirky niches, from long-established merchants to hipster start-ups. Of course, London's wine trade has its hallowed halls: namely the historic Vintners' Hall on the Thames, the wine merchants' guild steeped in history, dating back to 1363.
Wine loving tourists will find a happy home in London. There are great shops, original wine bars, restaurants with encyclopaedic wine lists but also hip urban wineries and a wide and exciting range of English wines – above all English sparkling wines.
The first port of call, whatever the season, should be the original Noble Rot Wine Bar in Bloomsbury. There you'll find mature wines by the glass and a wine list with cult wines – whether the cult is two or 200 years old. In addition, there is fine but informal food, all in a quaint, wood-panelled, historic setting. There is now a second Noble Rot Bar in Soho, but the original is better. There are at least 110 wines by the glass at Les 110 de Taillevent, an offshoot of the Parisian establishment – the bar is known and loved for its 'Champagne of the month' award winner - always excellent, always good value, always poured by the glass, a few minutes' walk from Oxford Circus. Those who like it absolutely authentic should head to Gordon's Wine Bar, just a few steps away from Charing Cross, port and sherry are still served from the barrel, the prices are reasonable, the ambience quaint. Just beware of the merciless pickpockets there.
There is an interesting concept in Covent Garden: The 10 Cases – ten cases of wine are bought and served at a time, and that's it. So there is always something new and interesting to discover. If you want to taste the best English wines, Bar Rex, the wine bar belonging to Oxeye restaurant, is the place to go: the wine list is exclusively British.
If you're in the mood for shopping, head to London's oldest and finest wine shop: at Berry Bros & Rudd, historic rooms adjoin a contemporary boutique with Enomatic dispensers for tasting. Enomatic systems are also a priority at Hedonism Wines in Mayfair: Buy Penfolds or Yquem by the sip? Here it is possible. There are also wine books and accessories. Oeno House in the City specialises in selling rare and iconic bottles, but customers can also enjoy a glass or two on its small terrace.
Naturally, London has countless restaurants with impressive wine lists, some of which are remarkable. The Hedonism team also brings its wine expertise to the fine dining scene at the wine restaurant Hide at Green Park. The project with chef Ollie Dabbous is Michelin-starred, and guests are advised to study the incredible wine list before visiting. Burgundy lovers should head to Cabotte in the City. The French restaurant was founded by master sommelier dream team Xavier Rousset and Gearoid Devaney and works directly with top Burgundian wineries. At Medlar in Chelsea, well prepared cuisine and exquisite wines are a magnet for insiders and wine professionals alike, who are happy to meet up here. Even further west, in Chiswick, wine lovers can immerse themselves in sommelier Donald Edwards' eclectic wine world at La Trompette – its Michelin-rated sister restaurant Chez Bruce has been a long-standing favourite among wine lovers for years. Hipper wine professionals meet at Brat in Shoreditch in the east. Here you can find rarities from an alternative world, especially under the heading 'Off the Beaten Track'. Cult wines from the alternative scene can also be found at Planque in Hackney.
There is now also wine made in London: Lynsey and Sergio Verrillo are a couple who have been making wines exclusively from English grapes in their Blackbook Winery in Battersea since 2017, and they are really convincing. However the first "urban winery" was London Cru in Fulham; wine has been made there since 2013, initially from French grapes, but only English fruit has been used since 2017. Also in Battersea is Vagabond – the grapes are all from vineyards that are no more than two hours away from London. The winery also has a wine bar where you can taste or drink over 100 wines from around the world by the glass. To the east in Bethnal Green is Renegade, where grapes from all over Europe are pressed into a variety of wines – it's alternative, cheeky and refreshingly different. There's a wine bar here too.
