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This article is part of FT Globetrotter’s Guide to London
My mother was an incredible home cook and was known for running a 25-course Chinese banquet on her own for a family festival and loving food. She gave me a discerning palate gift from a young age. It was the key to my adult obsession, wine.
When I first moved from Sydney to London almost 30 years ago, I began to experience the thrilling restaurant scene in the capital. No wine was registered yet. I soon met Australian sommelier Matt Wilkin at a Michelin-starred restaurant. He laughed from the first glass of Loonat Champagne and made the wine familiar and enjoyable through storytelling.
The fake new friendship revealed that Wilkin is a rare master sommelier who continued to import wine. At his tasting, I sniffed a sample and said, “I smell wine,” and graduated until I did what I liked. His job was to sell, and he skillfully opened my wallet by increasing my confidence and knowledge. I slid down the wine and consenting rabbit hole and eventually became the founder of a women’s organization working in the wine industry and a collector, the judge of the UK’s best wine list.
London has some of the most distinctive lists from around the world, developed by passionate and skilled curators who love to share their specific interests, such as regional, natural wines, or impressive multi-vintage lists (vertical) of the same wine. Here I share some of my favorite lists across the capital, focusing on the ones that best temptate my exploration and involvement with wine. Some can even beginners dive in and drive conspiracy rather than fear, while others aim to be serious enthusiasts. Everything goes hand in hand with excellent food, creating moments of cheerfulness, just as I myself have been obsessed with wine for the rest of my life.
Most Creative: Plate
320 Old Street, London EC1V 9DR
Visual delight turns to opening a wine list at Plate, a restaurant heading for one Michelin Star plant plant in Shoreditch. It is a vibrant, colorful map that quickly intriguing and reflects the restaurant’s spirit. Chef Kirk Howarth’s ingenious seasonal plant-based foods centered around sustainability, with wine director Alex Price doing the same thing as the list. Both are dedicated to the welfare of people working in restaurants or vineyards. Prices are classified by biome in climate and flora descriptions, with emphasis on not only geographic boundaries but on the complex relationships between wine and local ecosystems. Natural awareness has been strengthened in the defending of regenerative agriculture, serving as future land managers, including sixth generation Vitorisist Antoine Hawtzei. Website; Directions
Best Classic List: Core by Clare Smyth
92 Kensington Park Road, London W11 2pn
Everyone knows chef Claire Smith for her incredibly beautiful and skillful dishes, but the drink director of three mischlin-starved core Gareth Ferreira is his own star. He is the top master sommelier in his game. His wine list features a whopping 1,140 wines, but due to its well-made, warm construction, it feels less difficult than its size. That feels personal. It’s full of familiar classics – think about the big names, Bordeaux and Super Tuscan – there are also wines that encourage exploration, listing innovative producers and exciting new wine areas. Ferreira writes elegant stories in his friendly South African tone, organized by country and region, attracting you to keep turning the pages. Along with the clear map, he feels like he will never leave your side even if you read it. My favorite choice means bringing more South African charm to the table. Like the core itself, it is a pure class. Website; Directions
Great publist: draper arm
44 Barnesbury Street, London N1 1er
Pubs have historically not focused on wine, but thankfully they are increasingly changing, and London has many excellent gastropubs with attractive bottles. Draper’s Arms is certainly one of those pubs. A longtime authentic neighborhood favorite run by wine lover Nick Gibson, Nick Gibson just wants guests to eat and drink better. The sharp prices of intuitive and simple list categories (such as “Burgundy and Chardonnay” and “Loire, Chenin and Sauvignon”) bring amazing results when placed in a pub. People may tend to upgrade to better wines or choose something they haven’t tried before (for me, this includes Trenzado by Tenerife producer Sueltes del Marquez, £74). Even real enthusiasts are selected in this 6-page list. Top wines include the Dagueneau Silex 2020 (£240) and the 2016 Jamet Côte-Rôtie (£225). I loved going for Sunday roasts and assured me that great wine would help me prepare my meals. Website; Directions
Something like going on a holiday: You
2–4 Bedale Street, London SE1 9AL
Oma’s clever wine list at the Michelin-starred Greek and Levant-inspired Boro Market challenges the geographical view we’re used to seeing, and instead transports guests to destinations around Greece, the Mediterranean and Atlantic Ocean. Taste the salty and sandy soil of coastline beaches, travel to windy, sun-kissed volcanic islands, and go further inland towards gentle mountains and green hills. This award-winning list is passionately curated to create food and wine escapes. My favourites are Argyros Assyrtiko (95 pounds), a refreshing head dive into the salty waters around Santorini, and a lovely accompaniment to the crude dishes of Labune with salted cod and Xo sauce. If you can’t get a holiday at Med this year, you might just do the trick. Website; Directions
Top Italian Jobs: Doppo
33 Dean Street, London W1d 4PW
Doppo doesn’t even have a website, but it has become a solid favorite of wine lovers who know it. Returning to the heart of Buzzy Soho, order something from its healthy glass selection (including fine wines) while browsing a 700 powerful list presented in regions and colors. A labour of love for co-owner Tom Co-Dinner, it is presented independently as a magazine, almost feels like playing Tatler at home. The cuisine is Tuscan influenced by a kitchen team with experience in multiple Michelin facilities, and the hilarious services of sommeliers Giuseppezen and Thomas Davis steal knowledge whenever necessary, but tells the list. Champagne offerings range from small producers to spectacular marques, with award-winning Italian sections where you can explore countless indigenous grape varieties or hit big names like Valentini, Sasicaia, Irmaraneto and more. The selection of old vintage libraries is also a highlight, giving those who are not familiar with wine the opportunity to try out old bottles at the table and explore the beauty of wine’s aging. In 1982 there is a fun selection from Chateau Margaux (£1,180), New Zealand’s Temama (£250), and even celebrity favourite Tiñanello (£450). Doppo also prides itself on providing good value in central London. Instagram;Direction
Queena Wong is a wine collector, founder of the curious Vines and the British judge of the Star Wine List
In your opinion, who is the best wine list in London? Share your tips in the comments below. Follow FT Globetrotter on Instagram at @ftglobetrotter.
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