Fortnum & Mason 1707 Wine Bar

The 7^th saw WoW visit Fortnum & Mason’s 1707 wine bar for a second time. I didn’t get the chance to attend the first time round and was therefore very keen to get there and check it out. It didn’t disappoint. It wasn’t a large group, with only 3 of us attending, but the venue, wines and company all combined to turn it into a fantastic evening.

I think a combination of the following week’s WoW, as well as the potential for F&M to be expensive right before Christmas were the reasons for the low attendance, but it turned out to be very reasonable, with our first bottle (F&M’s own label Malbec) only costing about £20 which turned out to be the group’s consensus as best-on-ground for the evening.

We also tried some of the ‘wine flights’ on offer (a set of 3 glasses of wine served on a hanging frame). This enabled each person to choose not only the variety of wine, but also the price bracket they wished. The Bordeaux flight was enjoyable, but it was agreed that the winter flight was the best of the ones tasted.

There were plenty of food options as well, and the group opted to try some cheeses from the cheese trolley which was a great accompaniment for the wines.

I can highly recommend 1707 for an intimate evening or for a group of friends to catch up, the setting was comfortably done and the wine selections nicely varied. Many thanks to Sammi and Kev for a great night out.

Cheers, JG.

Enter the Bunghole

Our WoW in October saw us try out Bunghole, one of a number of wine bars operated by Davy's, a noted London wine merchants since the 1800's. From its stable, I decided on Bunghole as its location on High Holborn made it easily situated for anyone working in town (was also slightly curious withthe name).

I learnt that the establishment takes its name from the hole in the side of a wine barrell that is 'bunged' with a cork, Bunghole turned out to be a relatively large place (mostly situated on a basement level). I had optimistically booked for 10 and they had reserved a large meeting room style dining room for us to have 'high level wine discussions' - how little they knew of WoW. Once the more modest 4 of our attendees had arrived, we decided a small table within the main area was more suitable.

Davy's wine bars typically have a relatively extensive range of wines on offer ranging from their own labels up to top end French vintages.

Although small in number, our group had a great evening with some nice wines tasted and a good time had by all. Imbibed on the evening were an interesting Chilean pinot noir and culminating in a smooth and easy-drinking Bordeaux and Cristal champagne.

The surprise of the evening was the food menu, which included an extensive range of steaks and burgers.

Many thanks to Burnsy, Vera and Sammi for coming along and making it such an enjoyable evening, I particularly enjoy these more intimate occasions.

Bacchus - Greek god of wine and giver of ecstasy (14/9/11)

Many thanks to all for coming along and making Wine on Wednesday a hugely enjoyable evening. It was great to see so many new faces.

Despite the negative comments regarding the venue's location in proximity to my office, Vivat Bacchus worked very well, offering a number of share platters (including a South African platter) as well as a full a la carte menu complimenting the substantial wine list. As our confirmed numbers grew throughout the preceding weeks, we ended up being seated in the downstairs dining room rather than the wine bar at ground level. I was initally concerned that this would dampen the mood and limit us to seated formality, however, it may have actually aided us to feel more comfortable in what seemed like our own private area and everyone seemed to have good time.

The size of the wine list, coupled with our group size worked well and allowed a great deal of tasting and experimentation to take place and it was gratifying to see everyone taking advantage of the opportunity.

All of the comments on the wines were positive, and there was a lot of mixing and socialising the key elements to any WoW. Personally, I stuck to the reds, starting with a standard Argentinian malbec, before trying a South African syrah and a couple of Italian varietals. I finished with a half bottle of dessert wine and a cheese plate. There was the option to go into the 'cheese room' to choose, although the standard french tasting plate was excellent.

I look forward to the next event and seeing all of you again. The sun's back, so enjoy and I'll keep you posted (photos to follow).

Riedel Tasting at Vinopolis

Something a little different from the usual casual Wednesday tipple Wine on Wednesday is famous for, with Vinopolis hosting a Riedel wine and glass comparative tasting. Whether its marketing or scientific art, I don't care. I attended the Wine on Wednesday Riedel tasting at Wholefoods back in 2010 (see 23rd January 2010 post) and it was fantastic (however last time it only cost £10). This time the cost is £49 with the 'free' gift of £80 worth of glassware. I realise the cost for this event is prohibitive, but I highly recommend the experience. If you're interested in going, book online at http://www.vinopolis.co.uk/specialevents/riedel2011.php, although I'm not sure how many places there are, I've got my tickets already so you won't be alone. Vinopolis Website: "Join us for an enjoyable and life changing experience of discovering how a Riedel glass really can change our perception and increase our enjoyment of fine wines. Taste through 4 specially selected wines and be amazed at how the shape of the glass used, can transform their taste and flavours. Every person attending will take home £80 worth of Riedel Vinum glasses, free of charge." Date: Wednesday 13th April 2011 Time: 7.00pm - 8.30pm Price: £49 Warning! These events can turn into very expensive exercises, I mean, who can drink shiraz from a merlot glass???

Bedales of Borough

After numerous trips to Borough Markets over the years, traditionally ending with a wine or two at Wine Wharf, this week saw mine and Wine on Wednesday’s first visit to Bedales, a lovely little wine bar with plenty of food options that complimented the wines to perfection.

Although the wine list was relatively short (only 4 or 5 of both reds and whites, as well as other options such as 3 types of sparkling), an interesting thing to note is their well stocked cellar (a very large selection), from which any wine can be bought take-away, or drunk in-store for an additional £8 corkage. Unfortunately there is no list for the cellar and I only had a few minutes to look around, but worth keeping in mind should you decide to try it out.

We had a great evening, Burnsy made an appearance after recently returning from his trip back to Aus, a few first timers made a welcome addition and Imke made the long journey into town after work which was a great surprise.

None of us knew any of the listed wines but by the end we had tasted the complete list of reds and one of the whites, including an exciting Italian syrah and a Spanish mencia.

Overall we had a very enjoyable evening, so many thanks to everyone who came along, especially those experiencing their first WoW.

Until next time, remember;

”What though youth gave love and roses, age still leaves us friends and wine.”
[Thomas Moore 1779 – 1852]

Getting the ball rolling for 2011!

Well, after a brief hiatus and change of control, Wine on Wednesday is back!

Following the busy festive break and hand-over, I have been given the privilege of continuing this fine tradition, so I'll endeavour to bring the same 'Veuve' to the WoW craze and keep the blog up-to-date and topical. Unfortunately we've missed some prime wine-drinking months so some effort will be required to catch up.

As most of you know, Charlie and Prue have headed off to explore the world prior to ending their London (and Indonesian) stint, I'm sure they're having a great time and I wish them all the best. I'll do my best to organise an evening (have to check with them if they're around for any more Wednesdays) to coincide with the next time they're in London.

For the next event, however, I have had a look at a number of options and have chosen the next venue to be Bedales in Borough Markets. I'm not sure if it's been done on WoW before but their philosophy sounds interesting:
"I aim to promote delicious, tasty, unmediated wines; diversity of style and indigenous grape varieties; the endeavours of small independent growers; and the importance of sustainable, organic viticulture ... reacquainting ourselves with 'real wines', seeking out and preserving the unusual, the distinctive and the avowedly individual..."

I hope as many of you as possible can make it as it's sure to be a great night.
30th March from 7PM
Bedales Borough Market
5 Bedales Street
SE1 9AL