Profiles
WLC Eats: Da Terra
WLC’s resident sybarite, Lucy Shaw, heads to the newly Michelin-starred Da Terra at the Town Hall Hotel in Bethnal Green for a five-hour feast full of surprises.
WLC Eats: Kyseri
WLC’s resident hedonist, Lucy Shaw, heads to Turkish delight Kyseri in Fitzrovia for decadent Black Sea fondue, a sprightly Lebanese Cinsault and heavenly mushroom manti.
WLC Eats: 10 Heddon Street
WLC’s resident foodie, Lucy Shaw, heads to pasta palace 10 Heddon Street in Mayfair for glossy brown crab tonnarelli, glorious pig head rigatoni and a pretty Provence rosé.
In focus: New York’s wine scene
The Big Apple is abuzz with exciting venues serving off the beaten track wines, with grower Champagne the toast of the town. Roger Morris seeks out the best places in the city to raise a glass or two.
Top 10 New York wine experiences
Our man in New York, Roger Morris, rounds up 10 of the best experiences on offer in the Big Apple for wine lovers, from the pairing menu at Eleven Madison Park, to exploring esoteric drops at Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels.
WLC drinks: Bubbledogs
WLC’s resident bon vivant, Lucy Shaw, heads to Bubbledogs in Fitzrovia for a truffle-laden hotdog, Comté-drenched tater tots and a sublime blanc de noirs Champagne.
Unfiltered: James Banks, The Black Swan and Roots
James Banks of the Black Swan in Oldstead and Roots in York, which he runs alongside chef brother Tommy, reveals why he dislikes the term sommelier and why being a waiter should be considered a “proper job”.
Unfiltered: Michael Raebel, Holborn Dining Room
Michael Raebel, head sommelier of London’s Holborn Dining Room, on his journey to wine via theatre directing, taking out a member of the Chaplin family with a tray of Champagne, what to pair with steak and kidney pudding, and serving Hilary Clinton.
Unfiltered: Elena Serban, Heritage Restaurant and Bar
Head sommelier of Soho’s Swiss-inspired Heritage Restaurant and Bar, Elena Serban, recalls trying a bottle of 1982 Cheval Blanc, how she almost ended up as a human rights lawyer and why a tray of Bellinis still gives her shivers.
Unfiltered: Charlie Mellor, The Laughing Heart
Ex-opera singer, sommelier and owner of The Laughing Heart, Charlie Mellor, recounts an out-of-body experience with a Grand Cru Riesling, his heart-warming food and wine pairing and an embarrassing encounter with 25 Riedel glasses.