Grand Vin Wine Merchants UK | Blog

By Nick Palmer - BWI Private Client Advisor Earlier this week I was lucky enough to join a couple of clients for lunch at Dabbous, the new venture of ex-Manoir aux Quat’Saisons & Texture chef Ollie Dabbous that opened to rave reviews at the beginning of 2012. A year on, reservations continue to be tough to secure (ours was booked last August!) although I am told tables often become available on a weekday evening if you are happy to enjoy a few drinks at their excellent downstairs bar and bide your time.  Food is presented in tasting format size so whilst an a la carte menu is available, the recommended 6 or so dishes per person quickly adds up and it makes sense to go for the tasting menu. The wines were supplied by the various attendees. We started with a bottle of 1995 Spatlese Scharzhofberger from the mighty Egon Müller. This is beginning to lose its youthful spine of acidity but remains impeccably balanced, with crushed rocks and pure pear fruit evolving into rich

Zucca London was the venue for the first BWI Dining Club event held on Thursday 31st January. The idea behind this new initiative is to offer our clients the opportunity to enjoy some exquisite food, taste some interesting wines, and discuss everything BWI. The setting was simply superb.  Zucca London was set up by Sam Harris in 2010, following stints in The River Café, Harvey Nichols, Bibendum and Leith's Cookery School. This fine pedigree was evident in the style of culinary delights on offer, with every detail carefully considered. The restaurant is a firm favorite with Time Out Magazine , achieving a well deserved 5 star rating. We were fortunate enough to host our event in the Private Dining Room , ideally situated behind the kitchen and next to an impressive temperature controlled cellar. The room allowed our clients to dine in complete privacy in a stylish and relaxed atmosphere. We started the night off with Arlaux Brut Nature NV Champagne. Since 1826, the Arla