Terroirs
Address:
5 William IV Street, London, WC2N 4DW
Phone:
0207 036 0660
Website:
Rating:
Good For:
Great Value, Biodynamic / Organic, Quirky, Old World, French
List Summary
A fascinatingly niche selection; what Terroirs loses in diversity it more than makes up for in personality. With so many restaurants scrambling to list at least one Groovy Gruner and an obscure Portuguese red in order to demonstrate their sommeliers firmly-pressed finger on the pulse, this is a trade-off against homogenisation that WineChap thoroughly supports. You would be very hard pressed to find a restaurant that more comprehensively covers the organic wines of southern France, however if you are an ardent fan of the New World, or even New World styles from the old world, walk on.Specialising in natural wines, Terroirs list is a treasure trove of exotic and obscure small artisan growers who work sustainably, organically or biodynamically in the vineyard so you can sip away smugly as you imagine yourself beetling around Roussillon on a rusty old bike or powering up the G-Whizz with a hand crank inbetween dusty cellars. The tasting notes and literary quotations that preface each section alone warrant the lists inclusion on any Epicures coffee table (or at least alongside Schotts Miscellany and Calvin & Hobbes in the bathroom). Prices are exceptionally reasonable and serve to further encourage a throwing off of inhibitions; to embrace your ignorance and delve in to such alien offerings as Blanc de Morgex of Val dAosta, Gringet from Haute-Savoie, Malvasia from Emilia-Romagna and Coda di Volpe of Mount Etna; questing knights from the realm of fantasy or the hold-held treasures in Masefields quinquereme of ninevah...
List Review Wine Key:
Sparkling
White
Rose
Red
Sweet
Fortified
| By The Glass { Most interesting available by the glass } |
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| Vernaccia di San Gimignano "Impronta" 2009, Matthia Barzaghi, Toscana, Italy | £7 |
| A little off the beaten track, this is a wine to have with food, not so much an aperitif. |
| Marcillac 2009, Lo Sang Del Pais, Domaine du Cros, SW France | £5.20 |
| Moscato d'Asti, Vittoria Bera 2009, Piemonte | £6.25 |
| By The Half { Most interesting available by the half bottle } |
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 All wines served by the glass are also served as 500ml pot. | |
| Value Option { Best under £35/$50/bottom 20% of list PLUS any particularly rare bargains at ANY price point } |
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| Bergerac blanc "Cuvee des Conti" 2007, Chateau Tour des Gendres, Luc de Conti, Bergerac | £23 |
| Picpoul de Pinet 2009, Château de la Mirande, Joseph Albajan, Languedoc | £20 |
| Saumur-Champigny 2009, Domaine des Roches-Neuves, Thierry Germain | £26 |
| Vin de Pays du Gard, Saint Cirice 2007, Chateau Saint Cyrgues, Guy de Mercurio, Costieres de Nimes | £15.25 |
| 1st Date { Impressive but not too showy: circa £50 – but a wine that shows one’s connoisseurship rather than just size of wallet/expense account } |
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| Riesling Grand cru "Vorbourg" 2005, Domaine Pierre Frick, Jean-Pierre Frick, Alsace | £41.50 |
| Our love for Riesling is as deep and profound as any amorous feelings you may have for your date |
| Arbois Pupillin blanc Savagnin/Chardonnay 1999, Dne Emmanuel Houillon, Arbois | £60.75 |
| Savignin is mostly grown in Jura where it makes the famous vin jaune. Known for its nutty characteristics, here it is a lovely counterpart to the noble Chardonnay. Ignore any ABC (anything but Chardonnay) comments! |
| Tir a Blanc, Grenache Blanc/Macabeu 2006, Dne Le Casot des Mailloles, Banyuls | £46.75 |
| Aromatic, pure and fresh; with no added sulphites this wine is about as natural as they come. |
| Chateauneuf-du-Pape "Signature" 2006, Domaine La Barroche, Christian & Julien Barrot, Rhone | £53.50 |
| The grapes for this wine were hand harvested and go through a vigorous selection both in the vineyard and in the cellar. With an average age of 60 yrs old (approximately a third of the Grenache is vineyards are over 100 yrs old) Domaine La Barroche creates some of the most expressive and exquisite wines in the Rhone valley without a prohibitive price tag. Very much a family affair, Domaine La Barroche has been in the hands of the Barrots for three centuries; showing seductive raspberry and cherry fruit, a touch of liquorice and a dusting of cocoa. |
| Schioppettino 2004, Fulvio Bressan, Friuli | £46.65 |
| The Bressan Mastri Vinai Winery dates back to the 1600s and the winemaking philosophy seems founded on tradition, family values and a respect for the land and the ancient culture. Current owner Fulvio Bressan adheres to these time-honoured practices and a philosophy of minimal intervention. Schioppettino, also known as Ribolla Nera, is conceivably one of the most typical and elegant of the indigenous wines; concentrated dark berry flavours dominate with elements of cigar box and spice. |
| Off the Beaten Track |
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| In a restaurant that specializes in small/boutique wines, off the beaten track is a tad hard to find as it is all a bit unusual, but why not try - | |
| Poire Granit 2009, Chateau de Hautville, Eric Bordelet (cider) | £26 |
| Oloroso Don Jose, Bodegas Sanchez Romate, Jerez | £5.50 |
| (Sherry - by the 100ml glass) |
| Old School Classic { Classic (usually French or Italian – depending on dominant cuisine), from the middle of the list – a good wine, with age to stick on expenses and impress crusty wine bores/board members } |
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| Puligny-Montrachet 1er cru "Perrieres" 2006, Domaine Bzikot, Burgundy | £65 |
| A good vintage for white burgundy and is drinking young |
| Treat Yourself { Remember when you used to get a bonus? not necessarily most expensive – but a real treat, rare, particularly good vintage etc } |
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| Most of the wines listed are particularly rare and produced in almost commercially pointless quantities so that even if not terribly expensive, it is a treat to sample them. | |
| Infanticide { Wines being sold too young, and a prime indicator of sommelier’s integrity. Usually found towards the expensive end of a list with big names thrown in for several or more hundred pounds despite being years off drinking to that price. } |
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| A somewhat youthful list, the Meursault and Chassagne-Montrachet 2007 stand out a little. | |
| Crowd pleaser { Well known, trusted producer, region or varietal. No surprises, no disappointments } |
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| Macon-Villages 2007, Domaine Philippe & Gerard Valette | £36 |
| Morgon Classique 2008, Domaine Jean Foillard, Beaujolais | £33.50 |
| House Wine Index
{ Number of House wines available by the glass & the mean price } |
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| 16 wines by the glass, average price £6.71 |
| Bollinger Index
{ Price of a bottle Bollinger } |
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| N/A |
