Unfiltered: Cong Cong Bo
The incisive mind behind the much-loved Amphora, an indie wine bar and merchant located in the eclectic Mill Road area of Cambridge, talks to Douglas Blyde about the unifying powers of wine, shaking hands with the Georgian president, and the benefits a science background brings to the understanding of “the origins of flavours”…
Revered sakes: Endo At The Rotunda
Douglas Blyde appraises the wares of “The God of Sake Brewing” at the exclusive restaurant, Endo At The Rotunda.
WLC recommends: Berners Tavern, Fitzrovia
Douglas Blyde heads to Berners Tavern, Jason Atherton’s restaurant at Fitzrovia’s five-star London Edition hotel. While there, he meets Amalfi-born director of wine Giuseppe D’Aniello, who guides him through the selection of “big gun” Bordeaux and Burgundies and shows the restaurant’s famous Champagne trolleys.
WLC Eats: Vori Greek Kitchen
Douglas Blyde visits newly-opened neighbourhood taverna Vori Greek Kitchen in Holland Park. While there, he learns how restaurateur Markos Tsimikalis and his team work as “ambassadors of Greek hospitality” and samples the “spontaneously fermented, unfiltered” Roditis Fox alongside the restaurant’s extensive menu of Hellenic delicacies.
WLC recommends: Maison François, St. James’s
Douglas Blyde visits the St. James’s bastion of French excellence and speaks with wine director Daniel Illsley about how he has created a list to make wine “more accessible to a broader audience”. Taken from the 2022 Wine List Confidential guide, available for purchase.
WLC recommends: The Grill at The Dorchester
Douglas Blyde heads to The Grill at The Dorchester and meets head of wines Szabolcs Ménesi, who has made it his “mission” to find the best English sparkling and still wines for the restaurant. Taken from the 2022 Wine List Confidential guide, available for purchase.
WLC Eats: Mount St. Restaurant at The Audley
Douglas Blyde visits Mount St. Restaurant at The Audley in Mayfair. There he tastes his way through Irish oysters, steak tartare and “perfectly pink” ‘Pigeons in Pimlico’, as well as some of the restaurant’s extensive wine offering, as curated by head sommelier Agnieszka Swiecka.
Spotlight on sake: Grace Hunt
With an initial batch of just 1,500 bottles, the super-premium Toku Saké launched at “eccentric Izakaya bar and restaurant”, The Aubrey in November. Douglas Blyde sipped the intricate drink with the boutique brand’s head of advocacy, Grace Hunt.
WLC recommends: Le Gavroche, Mayfair
Founded in 1967 and under the stewardship of Michel Roux Jr. since 1991, the legendary Le Gavroche was the first restaurant in the UK to receive a Michelin star and remains a bastion of culinary excellence. Head sommelier Rémi Cousin talks Douglas Blyde through the 2,500 bin cellar, and shares what to pair with the restaurant’s celebrated soufflé Suissesse. Taken from the 2022 Wine List Confidential guide.
WLC recommends: Luca, Clerkenwell
Douglas Blyde visits Luca and discovers how the Clerkenwell restaurant fuses British ingredients with the traditions of Italian cuisine. He also meets Naples-born head sommelier Enzo Russomanno and discusses how the wine list “can really dig into lesser-known regions”. Taken from this year’s Wine List Confidential guide, available to buy now.
WLC recommends: The Fordwich Arms
Douglas Blyde visits The Fordwich Arms in Kent and discovers how head sommelier Elliott Ashton-Konig caught the “wine bug”, and discovers the Michelin-starred pub’s unconventional take on an Old Fashioned, combining Hereford beef fat-infused Bourbon with salted maple syrup. Taken from the 2022 Wine List Confidential guide, available to buy now.