It’s not by accident that we’re talking about wine once again this year. From unfiltered and low-intervention to members-only wine storage and discovery rooms, the shake-up continues.
Now’s the ideal time to start stocking up ahead of the holidays, and a bit of research goes a long way. Instead of traditional tastings, Berber & Q Shawarma Bar have something different planned, from the ground up. They’re using magma, salt and peak soil to frame their Dirt series, tracing the properties of volcanic wines, wines of the sea, and mountain wines with leading sommeliers showcasing the best bottles from their chosen soil. The sommeliers go head to head to see whoever’s wine bins are emptied first. We love Dirt’s elemental approach – pick a favourite and theme your wines around it for the season.
It’s always the way: however well you stock up, when you’re a bottle short of a party, it shows. Newly launched wine merchant Wanderlust is changing that. A first for a London wine merchant, they’re offering Wine On Demand, delivering sustainable wine from small producers within the hour. And unlike other delivery services, because it’s directly from a merchant, you’re paying for better quality wines with fewer people taking a cut.
Takeaway on tap? Now we’re talking. Weino BIB sell artisan, natural and craft wines via taproom, with 20 available at their new permanent spot in Dalston. Their eco bags (available in ‘picnic’, ‘dinner’ or ‘party’ sizes) also keep the wines fresher for longer than storing by the bottle. And no corkscrew to track down! Suddenly bag-in-box wine sounds a good deal more appealing…
So when the last minute drinks land on your doorstep this winter, there’s no excuse for being caught short!
Photo: Fontaine du Clos, Wanderlust Wines
