In the last few years London has seen the arrival of new specialist wine bars and stores that aim not only to sell wine, but to offer consumers a unique “wine experience”. Notable examples including The Sampler (www.thesampler.co.uk), which was launched in 2006 and now has outlets in Islington and South Kensington; Vagabond Wines (https://vagabondwines.co.uk), which opened its Fulham store in 2010 and has since opened outlets in Fitzrovia and Spitalfields; and the New Street Wine Shop (www.newstreetwineshop.co.uk), which opened in 2013 near Liverpool Street. All of these stores are equipped with Enomatic machines (wine dispensers), which offer customers the opportunity to linger on-premise and enjoy wines of varying styles and from a wide selection of wine-producing countries and regions. |
Other stores that have gained a reputation for introducing customers to new producers, styles and varieties include Bottle Apostle (www.bottleapostle.com), which launched its first store in 2009 in Hackney’s Victoria Park Village. It has since expanded to open new stores in Crouch End, Clapham, East Village and Primrose Hill. Together with its stock of well-recognised producers from France, Italy and Australia are wines from Quebec, Switzerland, Georgia, Lebanon and Syria. The Drake Vine recently had the pleasure of trying the 2009 Chateau Bargylus Blanc from Syria, a superb medium-bodied white wine made from a blend of Chardonnay (60%) and Sauvignon Blanc (40%). |
Hedonism Wines (https://hedonism.co.uk), another relatively new arrival to London’s wine store scene, opened its Mayfair establishment in 2012, backed by its owner, the Russian exile (and Putin critic) Yevgeny Chichvarkin. Although Hedonism Wines stocks a large section of wines for under £30 a bottle, the price of more exclusive wines soars into the thousands of pounds range and the look and feel of its Mayfair store is generally high-end and glitzy. Tucked away in its cellars are wines from Brazil, Uruguay, Japan, Slovenia, Israel, Armenia, Russia and Ukraine. The Russian wine – a 2012 Saperavi from the Fanagoria vineyards on Russia’s Black Sea coast retails at £16.80 per bottle. |
(In addition the above stores that are introducing consumers to wines from new geographies and varieties, recent arrivals to London’s wine scene include retailers which specialise in wines from a particular country or region. Notable examples include Shoreditch-based Newcomer Wines (http://newcomerwines.com) and The New Zealand Wine Cellar, whose store is located in Brixton (http://thenewzealandcellar.co.uk). Launched in 2015, Newcomer Wines focuses on artisan wine producers from Austria and showcases major Austrian varieties such as Grüner Veltliner, Zweigelt and Blaufränkisch. Meanwhile, The New Zealand Wine Cellar, which also opened in 2015, focuses exclusively on boutique wines from New Zealand and aims to showcase the country’s regional and varietal diversity. Another regional specialist, the Borough Market-based Wine Pantry (www.winepantry.co.uk), was launched in 2011 with the goal of championing still and sparkling wines from England, Cornwall and Wales. Finally, the Drake Vine also recommends Li Veli Winery & Bistro, a wine bar/eatery (together with an extensive wine shop), in Covent Garden (www.liveli.co.uk). Li Veli specialises in the wine and cuisine of Puglia in Southern Italy; its selection includes wines made from traditional Puglia varieties, Negroamaro and Primitivo, as well as wines from other Italian regions. |
Marks & Spencer (www.marksandspencer.com) for example, continues to broaden the range of countries and regions included in its selection of wines. In the past few months M&S has added wines from Mexico, Oregon in the U.S. and Canada’s Okanagan Valley to a range that now includes a substantial number of new wines from Eastern Europe (Macedonia, Slovenia, Croatia and Georgia), as well as wines from Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Israel, India, Brazil and Japan. The Shiraz/Petit Sirah/Carignan red blend from Israel’s Judean Hills and the Smederevka/Rkaciteli white blend from Macedonia are both highly recommended. |
So, 2016 looks set to be another exciting year for the London and UK wine market. From Smederevka to Seperavi and from Mexico to Moldova, take some time to explore some of the wine scene's latest hotspots and experience some of the diverse wines that are now appearing.