Review 2020

Founded by two Master Sommeliers, Cabotte is named after the small stone huts dotting Burgundy’s vineyards which offer workers refuge from the harsher elements. Located on Gresham Street, the restaurant itself offers City workers a happy haven from unsettled markets.

The minds behind are blues guitarist and charity marathon runner, Gearoid Devaney who is also the director of Flint Wines, and Xavier Rousset who became a Master Sommelier at just 26-years-old. They met on a merchant-organised visit to producers, Dujac and Rousseau in 2000. “My first wine trip and Gearoid’s second,” recalls Rousset. “None of Gerard Basset’s head somms could go so off I went, bonding with Gearoid at 4 am at Le Galleon nightclub. On returning to the hotel, Gearoid assumed I knew Beaune inside out just because I was French and we promptly got lost, wandering around the ramparts…”

Formerly a Be At One cocktail bar, Cabotte has been skilfully reimagined in a way perhaps best described as polished rusticity, complete with textured plaster, a shiny vine sculpture and backlit mirrors. “We’ve both spent time in venues dressed as penguins but wanted a more relaxed vibe here,” says Devaney.

Best savoured from huge Zalto glasses, the comprehensive Burgundy-focused list includes 800 handpicked listings from the territory including the broad ranges gleaned from Cabotte’s partners, the 12 Domaines of: Duroché (Gevrey-Chambertin), Taupenot-Merme (Morey-Saint-Denis), Hudellot-Nöellat (Chambolle-Musigny), Henri Gouges (Nuits-Saint-Georges), Cathiard (Vosne-Romanée), Lebreuil (Savigny-Les-Beaunes), de Montille (Volnay), Ballot-Millot (Meursault), Jobard (Meursault), Etienne Sauzet (Puligny-Montrachet), Pernot-Belicard (Puligny-Montrachet) and Château Moulin-à-Vent (Moulin-à-Vent).

Devised by head chef, Ed Boarland, a lover of Champagne and big fan of game, dishes fit the duo’s brief to be “simply presented, clean and refined.” That is not to say they lack complexity, however. Indeed, Boarland trained at The Waterside Inn, subsequently working under Clare Smyth at Royal Hospital Road. Expect hare, rabbit, and French squab with umbles, as well as, in homage to Burgundy, beef cheek bourguignon, and then, for two to share, apple Tarte Tatin with Cornish clotted cream.

Rousset’s empire also includes Blandford Comptoir and Comptoir Café and Wine, as well as, with Devaney, the former hospitality industry club, The Black Book, and most recently, The Gunmakers pub, Marylebone.

Keep an eye out for events at the restaurant, including the collaboration with the Nuits Saint-Georges restaurant twin, La Cabotte.

During lockdown, spent in France, Rousset learnt “how hard teaching a seven-year-old is!”

Instagram: @cabotte_

By Douglas Blyde.

Review 2019

The City is lucky because, beyond doubt, Cabotte boasts London’s most confident, comprehensive and collaborative Burgundy focused list (650 bins from Burgundy from a 1,000 strong list). It is the project of two respected and enterprising Master Sommeliers, Xavier Rousset and Gearoid Devaney. Rousset fell for the fermented grape while visiting a winery in Collioure (Pyrénées-Orientales) at 16 years old, becoming a Master Sommelier just eight years later, working at Hotel du Vin under Gerard Basset, and Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons. He also co-founded Texture, then the 28-50 wine-bar group. After a brief hiatus, he returned to open Blandford Comptoir, Cabotte, and Comptoir Café and Wine, as well as, most recently, the remarkable Trade members club for the hospitality trade.

Devaney trained with three Michelin starred, Pierre Gagnaire and was instrumental in launching Tom Aiken’s first Chelsea restaurant. As well as being an examiner for the Court of Master Sommeliers in Europe and Asia, Devaney is Director at Burgundy specialists, Flint Wines.

“We always wanted to open in the City, which I think is a beautiful area where wine lovers tend to be,” says Rousset, who, with Devaney, makes regular reconnaissance to Burgundy, ensuring a strong relationship is maintained with winemakers, who in turn, allow the pair to show their best and most interesting wares here on Gresham Street. “When returning from a trip, we bring back something back, whether it be wines from a new producer or updates to our current selection,” says Rousset. “We promote additions through tastings and events so customers have a chance to try these wines.”

In creating Cabotte, Rousset and Devaney have forged a partnership with a dozen Burgundian producers, “who have been our support from the beginning and in turn, we offer to London a selection of their wines, from Village to Grand Cru.” The Domaines are: Duroché (Gevrey-Chambertin), Taupenot-Merme (Morey-Saint-Denis), Hudellot-Nöellat (Chambolle-Musigny), Henri Gouges (Nuits-Saint-Georges), Cathiard (Vosne-Romanée), Lebreuil (Savigny-Les-Beaunes), de Montille (Volnay), Ballot-Millot (Meursault), Jobard (Meursault), Etienne Sauzet (Puligny-Montrachet), Pernot-Belicard (Puligny-Montrachet) and Château Moulin-à-Vent (Moulin-à-Vent).

Alongside the authored wines, dishes, devised by head chef, Edward Boarland, who trained at The Waterside Inn, Bray, may include Cornish crab and sea bream tartare with mango, radish, bergamot and yuzu; duo of English free-range chicken with Brie de Meaux sauce and Périgord truffle; and, for two to share, Tarte Tatin with Cornish clotted cream.

Each March, Cabotte hosts London Burgundy Week, partnering with Flint Wines for five days to further shine the spotlight on the region here in the heart of the City.

As well as the main dining room, Cabotte has two private rooms: The Jeroboam Room and with a chef’s table, The Magnum Room.

By Douglas Blyde.

Review 2018

Cabotte, whose list of more than 500 bins reads like a love letter to Burgundy and its varietals when sown and reaped with conviction internationally, is the project of two charismatic Master Sommeliers, Xavier Rousset and Gearoid Devaney. Rousset fell in love with the fermented grape upon visiting a winery in Collioure (Pyrénées-Orientales) at age 16, becoming a Master Sommelier just eight years on, working at Hotel du Vin, Bristol under founder, Gerard Basset MS, MW OBE, and Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons. In 2007, he co-founded Texture, and, from 2010, the collection of 28-50 wine-bars. After a brief hiatus, he returned to open Blandford Comptoir, Cabotte, and the Comptoir Café and Wine.

Devaney trained with three Michelin starred, Pierre Gagnaire and was instrumental in launching Tom Aiken’s first Chelsea restaurant. As well as being an examiner for the Court of Master Sommeliers in Europe and Asia, Devaney is Director at Burgundy specialists, Flint Wines.

Rousset and Devaney make regular reconnaissances to seemingly every corner of Burgundy, ensuring a strong relationship is maintained with winemakers, who in turn, allow the pair to show their best and most interesting wares here on Gresham Street. ‘When returning from a trip, we bring back something back, whether it be wines from a new producer or updates to our current selection,’ says Rousset. ‘We promote additions through tastings and events so customers have a chance to try these wines.’

In creating Cabotte, Rousset and Devaney have forged a partnership with a dozen Burgundian producers, ‘who have been our support from the beginning and in turn, we offer to London a selection of their wines, from Village to Grand Cru.’ The Domaines are: Duroché (Gevrey-Chambertain), Taupenot-Merme (Morey-Saint-Denis), Hudellot-Nöellat (Chambolle-Musigny), Henri Gouges (Nuits-Saint-Georges), Cathiard (Vosne-Romanée), Lebreuil (Savigny-Les-Beaunes), de Montille (Volnay), Ballot-Millot (Meursault), Jobard (Meursault), Etienne Sauzet (Puligny-Montrachet), Pernot-Belicard (Puligny-Montrachet) and Château Moulin-à-Vent (Moulin-à-Vent).

Alongside the authored wines, dishes, devised by chef, Edward Boarland, who trained at  The Waterside Inn, Bray, may include poached duck egg ‘en meurette’ with smoked bacon and red wine, or duo of squab pigeon with dried plum, spiced beetroot, ‘umbles’ (innards) pâté and game jus, then beef cheek Bourguignon (of course) with Savoy cabbage, followed by Irish coffee mousse with chocolate and praline.

Each March, Cabotte hosts London Burgundy Week, partnering with Flint Wines for five days to further shine the spotlight on the region here inthe heart of the City.

By Douglas Blyde.

Review 2016/17

Founded by Master Sommeliers Xavier Rousset and Gearoid Devaney, Cabotte is a showcase of the pair’s passion for Burgundy (several of its partners are Burgundian winemakers) and is named after the small huts that winegrowers have within their vineyards.

True to its unswerving theme, Cabotte’s wine list is made up almost exclusively of Burgundian classics, alongside interesting rarities, and is divided by region and then classification – offering helpful guidance for the uninitiated as well as those well versed in Burgundy. Its 24-page list covers every inch of the region, sweeping from Chablis to the Mâconnaise, offering a good range of vintages – albeit only a handful from the 20th century – from villages to grand cru vineyards.

On the sparkling side, its Champagne list offers a diverse array of grand marques and grower Champagnes, from Dom Pérignon and Bollinger to A.R Lenoble and De Sousa, along with one English sparkling wine from Gusbourne, a nice touch in an otherwise wholly French list.

The rest of the world is not totally ignored, with a few pages dedicated to wines from regions in France other than Burgundy, Spain and Italy, with sparse listings from New World producers.

This is an unashamedly Francophile wine list, and it works.

By Lauren Eads – 2017