Some people tick off visits to Michelin-starred restaurants. Our drinks expert keeps a note of stores and dining spots with exceptional wine lists
The pleasure of discovering a dining destination that fills your soul with joy is something every Food Lifestyle reader will appreciate. However, finding a brilliant wine destination is a rarer pleasure.
Sniffing out such spots and keeping note of them is a self-confessed obsession of mine: their very rarity makes finding a good one all the more exciting.
Even so, deciding what makes a wine list excellent is subjective. Do you prefer a pét-nat to a Grand Cru Champagne, or crave a juicy Beaujolais rather than a hulking Napa Cabernet Sauvignon?
In restaurant and bar settings, there’s plenty to consider before getting to the minutiae of styles, grapes and regions. These basics include decent stemware – ideally a glass shape that narrows towards the rim to funnel aromas to the nostrils. The glass should be clean, unchipped and have no hint of washing-up liquid residue.
The serving temperature also matters: too warm or too cold, and that highly anticipated yet fleeting first-sip moment is gone.
Finally, the wine list should include correct information on the style, grape variety, vintage and producer.
Essentials aside, I long for passion and pride to leap from the list. And, if it’s not too greedy of me, I like to see a good mix of classic and emerging regions and producers.
Ultimately, the world of wine is a broad church, and I’m happy to worship at the altar of all sorts of wine styles as I appreciate they serve different crowds and purposes. Just as long as it’s done as well as at the places below.
This country house hotel in Colyton, Devon, features a wine list that reflects the thoughtful philosophy of its kitchen. Visit to explore low-intervention wines from the South West, as well as those from artisan European producers. France and Italy dominate, but there are plenty of rewarding discoveries from elsewhere too.
The list’s standout feature is its Wine Specials section. Here, limited-quantity bottles that are too scarce for the main list reveal genuine treasures. There’s a new Guest Sommelier Series too, which promises yet more reasons to make a return visit.
Upstairs at Landrace (pictured top)
This Bath restaurant has a happy wine list for the curious. The leather-bound wine menu begins with the current obsessions of team members, before leading into a curation of benchmark appellations and rule-breaking winemakers. It makes for a fascinating read and some delicious wines.
This Bristol bottle shop with seating champions grower wines over brands. It pairs benchmark regions with up-and-coming names, and also features plenty of small-batch finds. The buying feels very personal, with provenance, character and value visible in the bottles on its shelves.
One of Britain’s great indie wine merchants can now be found in Sparkford, having relocated from Wiltshire. Yapp built its reputation championing the Loire and Rhône long before the regions became fashionable – although its list is packed with treasures from around the world.
The confident and contemporary list at Exeter’s wine, cider and cheese shop-cum-bar mixes cult natural wines with those from more classical producers. Adventurous without ever being intimidating, Pullo always has something new and delicious to discover. The team often host events with notable chefs, featuring food that ventures beyond their regular bar menu, alongside their own curation of matching wines or ciders.
This Stroud spot is a destination restaurant with a list made for wine lovers. Its carefully curated selection packs in an impressive breadth of styles and regions, proving you don’t need hundreds of bottles to create genuine excitement.
Tisbury’s indie merchant makes wine feel welcoming rather than worthy. From Grand Cru Champagne to fashionable pét-nats and exciting southern hemisphere producers, there’s something for everyone at this Wiltshire store.
Sherborne’s multi-award-winning independent merchant has built a loyal following by championing honest winemakers and bottles with real stories and excellent flavours. Whether you’re looking for a midweek sip or something unforgettable for a celebration, you’ll find it here.
Liked the wine lover’s hit list? There’s more where that came from. Discover a few of Jane’s favourite vineyard dining experiences.
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