Originally published on Tuesday, 7th July 2009

Brave New World Part 2

Often accused of not devoting enough time to the southern hemisphere and the other side of the pond, the Wine Chap is out to address the balance.

WineMate

Spring lamb and Shiraz. The only thing more delectable in Spring than fluffy white lambs gambolling o’er green pastures, is a rack of one -  with a herb and parmesan crust, served with a sinewy, herbal, five-spice and cocoa New Zealand Syrah. Trinity Hill’s Gimbletts Gravel Syrah is worlds away from anything Australian (definitely more Cote Rotie than Coonawarra) and a great match to Mary’s wooly mate.

Available online or from the restaurant at The Bleeding Heart Tavern.

DrinkOut

If you ever find yourself in Bank or St Pauls’s (because you accidentally still work in the City or just enjoy the ambience of shattered expectations) then it’s worth a trip to High Timber to enjoy the river view and the best selection of South African wines outside of Stellenbosch.  Jointly owned by Neleen Strauss of Vivat Bacchus and Stellenbosch winemaker Gary Jordan, the restaurant is an edifice of stone, solid wood and an uncomplicated masculine menu.

Jordan’s own wines feature heavily, obviously: his ’08 Chardonnay is opulent, gutsy and lushly tropical, working equally with scallops or pork shoulder, while the spicy ’06 Merlot makes a fine foil for the rich Cumbrian Rib-Eye.

The other big draw to High Timber apart from its senational 37000-bottle capacity cellar full of rare SA numbers, is the refrigerated cheese room where a selection from the various wheels was complemented by Jordan’s Syrah ’06 with its peppery, licquorice notes and broad black cherry base.

With plans to increase its wine retail business from the site and very reasonable prices throughout the list, High Timber should be a draw for all New World admirers and those (ex-)city workers seeking the blissful oblivion that wines at 14.5% alcohol invariably offer.

High Timber: 8 High Timber Street, EC4V 3PA

by TH