Wines

Selected Bordeaux 2020 en primeur releases: Quick links to tasting notes

Prices sourced from Liv-ex unless otherwise stated.

Right Bank

• Château Angélus 2020, 97 points, £3,048 (12x 75cl in bond)
• Château Pavie 2020, 97 points, £2,890 (12x 75cl at Farr Vintners)
• Château Cheval Blanc 2020, 99 points, £4,656
• Château Pavie Decesse 2020, 95 points, £996

Left Bank

• Château Léoville Barton 2020, 94 points, £730 
• Château Langoa Barton 2020, 92 points, £358 

Sauternes

• Château Coutet 2020 (Barsac), 94 points, £324
• Château Guiraud 2020, 94 points, £33.6 per bottle in bond (expected price reported by Wine Lister) 

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Bordeaux 2020 analysis: Angélus and Pavie releases

Château Angélus 2020 was being sold en primeur for around £3,048 per 12 bottles in bond this morning (18 May), although different formats were available. Fine & Rare was selling six bottles for £1,524 in bond, for example.

Decanter’s Jane Anson gave Angélus 2020 97 points as part of her Bordeaux 2020 en primeur report. 

‘I love the aromatics on this,’ she wrote of Angélus, also praising the wine’s discreet power. ‘This is a sleek, poised, and confidently-constructed Angélus.’

Liv-ex said the UK case price for Angélus 2020 was up by around 7% on the 2019 vintage release last summer. On an ex-Bordeaux basis, the 2020 release price was €260 per bottle, up 13% on 2019. 

St-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé A estates have been among the biggest-name releases at the beginning of the Bordeaux 2020 en primeur campaign. Angélus and Pavie came after Cheval Blanc 2020 debuted at around £4,656 (75cl x12 in bond) last week. 

Analyst group Wine Lister said Angélus 2020, while highly rated, came in at the higher end of pricing on recent vintages.

‘This latest en primeur release may find traction amongst its loyal followers, or indeed those in the know about the shift in style afoot,’ it said.

It added, ‘Buyers might note the decent availability of the [high-scoring] 2016 and 2015 vintages at a lower price, which have the added benefit of being physical.’ Anson’s most recent rating on the 2016 vintage was 98 points.

Pavie 2020 was also rated 97 points by Anson and was being sold for £2,890 per 12 bottles in bond at Farr Vintners, and £1,446 per six-bottle case in bond at Fine & Rare at the time of writing.

For some context, Farr Vintners was selling Pavie 2019 at £2,990 (12x 75cl in bond), a wine rated 96 points by Anson last year.

Léoville Barton 2020 release

Crossing over to the Left Bank, St-Julien’s Léoville Barton 2020 was released today at around £730 per 12-bottle case in bond, up by 12% on the 2019 debut price, according to Liv-ex. It said release volumes were down 25%, reflecting lower production.

Giving the wine 94 points, Anson said it ‘will bed down and age extremely well’, even if ‘the austerity to the tannins is very much to the fore right now’. 

She raised the prospect of an upgrade at the in-bottle tasting in 16 to 18 months. She has previously rated the 2019, 2018 and 2016 vintages at 96 points.

Liv-ex data showed that 2020 was significantly cheaper than the 2016 market price, although it was above 2019, 2018 and 2017 to varying degrees.

Exchange rates playing a role

There were perhaps early signs of an exchange rate shift playing a role, as noted prior to this year’s en primeur campaign. 

Léoville Barton 2020 was €60 per bottle ex-Bordeaux, up by 16% versus last year’s release, according to Liv-ex. This gap was slightly smaller when comparing in-bond case price from UK merchants, as shown above.

More Bordeaux 2020 releases

There have been several other releases this week. Langoa Barton 2020 was available at Bordeaux Index and Farr Vintners at £358 per 12 bottles in bond.

It’s rated 92 points by Anson, who described it as ‘not quite as generous as Léoville Barton’, but still with ‘plenty of life and lift through the palate and a juicy finish’. 

On the Right Bank, Pavie Decesse 2020 – rated 95 points by Anson – was released at £996 per 12 bottles in bond, down 3.5% on the equivalent release price for 2019, said Liv-ex. The ex-Bordeaux price was level with 2019, at €83.

Wine Lister said Pavie Decesse 2020 had ‘rarity on its side’, given the estate’s relatively small size. There was ‘no availability’ of 2019 and 2018 has seen moderate price growth, Lister said.

In Barsac, Coutet 2020 was released at the equivalent of £324 per 12 bottles in bond, although Liv-ex noted there was also value to be found in several back-vintages. Anson gave Coutet 2020 94 points, noting, ‘This is excellent and easy to recommend.’

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More Bordeaux 2020 articles:

Bordeaux 2020 wines: our en primeur verdict  

Anson’s top-scoring Bordeaux 2020 wines

All Bordeaux 2020 scores published so far

See our Bordeaux 2020 homepage for all the latest stories

The 2020 vintage around the world

Although there are no official figures yet, the OIV has estimated a below-average total global yield, similar to that of the 2019 harvest. The global production volume is estimated to be around 258 million hectolitres.

Within the European Union, the climate conditions in general were kind, with good plant growth, and in general production has been higher than in 2019, except for in Italy, the largest wine producer in the EU, where the output has fallen by 1% compared to 2019.

Elsewhere in the world, results were similar, except in the Southern Hemisphere, where a drop in volume was recorded compared to 2019. This was partly due to drought suffered during the growing cycle in countries such as Australia, South Africa and Chile. As well as bush fires in California’s Napa Valley or again in Australia.

The 2020 vintage in Spain

It would be fair to describe 2020 as a year of extremes in Spain. In general it was a hot year, but with conditions of high humidity as well. The winter proceeded with mild temperatures, resulting in the hottest winter of the 21st century, with temperatures reaching highs of 14.6ºC during the final quarter of the year.

Such extreme temperatures show climate change in action. As well as having a big influence on the growth cycle of vines, they also have an impact throughout the natural ecosystem. For example, according to one report, cranes – migratory birds which visit Spain to spend the winter in a milder climate – have brought forward their return to Northern Europe by 17 days due to the ‘excessively warm’ temperatures in Spain.

The same trend continued through the spring, with hotter than average temperatures recorded. May was a particularly warm month, with temperatures 2.7ºC above average. Spring was also very wet, with 40% more rainfall than average.

The summer continued hot, especially in July, which proved to be the one of hottest on record in the 21st century after July 2015 and 2006. Again, rainfall was abundant.

Finally, in the autumn temperatures returned to more average levels, though bordering on hot at times. September was mainly dry, which created favourable conditions for harvest all over the country.

In the Iberian Peninsula as a whole, the harvest began early. In the early-harvesting regions where soils are warmer, picking began 12-15 days earlier than usual; while the harvest began five days early in Rioja and eight days early in Rueda.

Vintage focus: Rioja

In Rioja, the growing cycle was similar to the rest of Spain, with higher than average rainfall and higher temperatures, factors which meant that growers had to monitor the vines carefully, checking for the possible appearance of mould.

Budbreak happened by 10 April, with the rain in April and early May boosting the rapid growth of the plants. It was necessary to trim the vines to improve exposure and ventilation through the canopy.

In mid-June the fruit setting became widespread. In those zones which had been most affected by the rain during flowering, setting was less and looser, more open clusters were formed. At the end of June veraison had started throughout the appellation, taking place quite quickly due to the hotter summer temperatures.

These high temperatures accelerated the build up of sugars in the grapes and lowered the acidity levels. A few weeks later, after the September rains, the grapes reached a point of balance, so that picking was widespread by the end of the month. With the threat of a wet October looming, as well as the second wave of Covid-19, the harvest was one of the shortest recorded.

Rioja Alta

In the coolest zone of the DOCa Rioja, conditions were wet but hot during the summer months, leading to a degree of stress for the vines. However, that helped to block the development of fungal diseases and ensured optimum ripening. Precipitation was spread over the whole year but rainfall was especially heavy in the spring and there were also cases of torrential rain and hailstorms.

In general the winter was mild. It was only in the final week of the year that temperatures of below -2ºC were recorded on seven mornings. The spring was hot, favouring the start of the cycle of weeping and bud break in the vineyards. The average temperature for the whole month of May was over 15ºC, which translated to midday temperatures of almost 30ºC. At this point in the cycle, the evolution of the vines was up to 10 days ahead of its usual schedule.

The summer began with mild temperatures until mid-July, then until the end of August every day saw temperatures rise above 30ºC. Generalised harvesting began by 25 September, just a few days earlier than in a typical year. The result was wines with ripe fruit, less malic acid than in other years, with good weight in the mouth.

Rioja Oriental

In this sub-zone with the greatest Mediterranean influence, the harvest proceeded without any problems, with a lower risk of a proliferation of fungal diseases and less rainfall.

Budbreak began in mid-March, becoming widespread at the end of March. In general terms, it was a rainy year with similar amounts of rainfall to those in the Rioja Alta. The rest of the rainfall was distributed over the course of the year, though most particularly in spring.

The main challenge in Rioja Oriental was managing the high rainfall and the unusually high moisture levels, especially for growers following organic methods. Some producers, such as Ramón Bilbao applied natural treatments, such as milk whey, which prevents the proliferation of moulds.

Temperatures in Rioja Oriental rarely fell below zero. The lowest temperature recorded was -3.7ºC on 14 January. The hot summer brought high temperatures and maximums of 35ºC on several days during July and August. This led to a marked acceleration in ripening and the first grapes from early-ripening varieties were picked in mid-August.

The first grapes harvested lacked balance, with a reduction in acidity. Later ripening vineyards at higher altitude ripened more gradually. In mid-September, with diurnal temperature differences of up to 20ºC in the vineyards, vines were able to mature with no stress and reach the optimum point of ripeness at the right time.

Vintage focus: Rueda

The year 2020 marked the 40th anniversary of DO Rueda and was a moderately hot year, warmer than 2019, with balanced rainfall. In general winter was mild, with moderate rainfall. The appearance of the first frosts coincided with New Year’s Eve, when the lowest temperature of the growing cycle was recorded, at -4.69ºC.

A warm spring saw a level of rainfall that provoked bud break during the first week in April. Spring proceeded without problems, while summer was hot and dry. The highest temperatures arrived at the end of July with 37ºC recorded on 30 July. In August, the temperatures became milder, which promoted more gradual ripening with a balance between the development of the aromas, accumulation of sugars and acidity.

Harvesting began in the DO Rueda on 22 August for early-ripening varieties, with harvesting of Verdejo grapes generalised by the beginning of September. Ramón

Bilbao began harvesting its Sauvignon Blanc on 6 September, then Verdejo from 9 September.

Production volumes in Rioja and Rueda

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In 1870, Eugenio Margaritelli, based in the heart of Umbria, created a company specialising in the production of mechanical tools for agriculture and forestry. It is from here that the bond between the Margaritelli family and the world of agriculture and forestry was born.

Eugenio’s son, Fernando moved the company into forestry and timber processing, and they became the main suppliers for building the Italian state railways. In 1962, the company set up a sawmill in France, on the outskirts of Beaune in the heart of Burgundy, in order to source the best oak, which would later inform their choice of wood to use in the Terre Margaritelli winery.

Fernando retired to Torgiano in 1948, where he started to cultivate and produce wine for pleasure. It was from this farm that his sons began to weave the threads of what would later become the Terre Margaritelli project. At the helm of this project we find Dario Margaritelli who, together with his cousins, represents the fourth generation at the head of the Margaritelli Group, of which the winery is the flagship.

Terre Margaritelli is spread over 60 hectares, all certified organic, 52 of which are vineyards located together on the beautiful hill of Miralduolo, in the heart of Umbria. The estate is located in a central position between Perugia, Todi and Assisi, less than 15km from Perugia airport.

Torgiano is a village historically linked to the world of wine, and is home to one of the first Italian DOC wines, Torgiano DOC, established in 1968. It also has a DOCG, Torgiano Rosso Riserva, which obtained recognition in 1990. Torgiano’s museums are famous, but equally important is the Brufa sculpture park located on the hill above the winery. This territory has always been suited to agritourism, a tranquil agricultural area that is perfectly central for visitors to discover the entire region.

The grape varieties cultivated here are typically the traditional varieties of Umbrian wine culture: among the white grape varieties are Trebbiano and Grechetto, while among the red grape varieties great importance is given to Sangiovese and Canaiolo.

Today, Terre Margaritelli produces 120,000 bottles of organic wine made entirely from grapes grown on the farm. It controls the entire production process, from the vineyard to the bottle, giving great importance to the oak used for the barriques, all produced in France with wood from the Bertrange forest and specially selected for its wines.

For years the company has focused on welcoming visitors to the winery, organising guided tours, tastings and events in the vineyard, with the aim of providing an in-depth understanding of the winery and the value of the people and the land that make its wines so unique. Many activities are organised, including dinners in the vineyard with live music, and educational grape harvests for children between August and September.

Wines to try:

The two Torgiano Rosso Riserva DOCG wines, Pictorius 2017 and Freccia degli Scacchi 2017, are both 100% Sangiovese, aged for one year in Bertrange oak barriques.

Greco di Rena Bianca 2018 is a 100% Grechetto from the Umbria IGP, fermented in new Bertrange oak barriques.

Read – Victoria Moore learns about the science behind loss of smell, and how wine lovers are managing. 

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View from the wine trade

It was with great interest that I read Peter Richards MW’s article ‘2020: Lockdown stories’ . I am a freelance writer by day, and the brain fog and other long-haul issues I experience from my own bout with Covid-19 are as irritating as they are challenging. That I am also a newly minted sommelier (Court of Master Sommeliers) and working part-time for a well-regarded US wine merchant by night, poses its own challenges.

My sense of smell returned quickly, but here at 12 weeks post Covid, I’ve barely regained all but extreme taste sensations. A pint of beer tastes faintly of sliced black bread muddled into a glass of soda water. A glass of Penfolds Grange, shared with me by a regular customer, smelled heavenly but tasted only at the extremes of acid and a long, bitter astringency with perhaps mouthwash (though less flavourful) in between.

My recovered nose, a modest knowledge base, good training and strong customer relationships have fortunately kept me useful at the shop. But as insignificant as it may be in the scheme of things given others’ trials and tragedies, the full return of my palate will be most welcome. Meanwhile, I shall live vicariously through my very patient colleagues, our customers, and my Decanter subscription.

George Evans, wine associate, Kahn’s Fine Wines & Spirits, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

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Don’t despair

I suffered complete loss of smell and taste as a result of coronavirus in March 2020. Tragically, the sudden onset of Covid occurred just as I was decanting a bottle of greatly anticipated Croatian red! Being a good husband, I infected my wife five days later. She, like me, spent five months without taste and smell. A wine trip to Alsace and Burgundy in the summer, when France lifted its lockdown, was ruined by this horrible virus.

I booked a consultation with one of England’s leading ENT (ear, nose and throat) surgeons. She advised the following: retrain one’s brain regarding recognition of certain scents via Fifth Sense; use NeilMed sinus rinse daily; lay off alcohol for a while, to let one’s olfactory system recover. Further research has shown that eating as wide a variety of food as possible also assists the brain in distinguishing various smells.

Presently, my wife and I are at around 50% of our former selves, when it comes to enjoying wine, food and the aromas of daily life.

Do not fear if your enjoyment of red wine lags behind that of whites and Champagnes – this is what happened to us. Last night, I enjoyed a Chilean Cabernet. It smelled, and tasted, great. This would have been unimaginable even a couple of months ago.

My advice to all is: keep the faith. Everyone recovers at their own pace. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Don’t put your wine collection under the auctioneer’s hammer just yet!

Louis Altman, London, UK

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Road to recovery

Both as a wine lover, and also as a former clinical neuroscientist, I was very interested to read Richard Smith’s letter in your March issue. I also suffered loss of smell and the finer points of taste following a mild attack of Covid-19 in late March 2020. The good news is that over the last two months I am recovering these senses. The recovery has not been uniform across grape varieties. For example, I appreciated a Gustave Lorentz Vieilles Vignes Riesling, but got virtually nothing from a Zind-Humbrecht Rangen de Thann Pinot Gris; similarly, a Nebbiolo from Gattinara was almost void of flavours, but a Sagrantino di Montefalco was well perceived.

It seems that Richard Smith has had a similarly patchy experience, but he may also have a degree of parosmia (perverted sense of smell). I understand that ‘smell training’ is said to help some sufferers from acquired anosmia and that smell training kits are available at the price of a good bottle of wine from the charity AbScent.

Whereas I do not need an excuse to explore the aziende vinicole of Italy, the phenomenal range of grapes and variety of terroirs in that wonderful country is an incentive to crack on with my own species of smell rehabilitation.

Dr Jonathan Punt, London, UK

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A surgeon’s advice

Ear, nose and throat specialists are seeing more and more patients with these symptoms and there isn’t a simple solution.

We recommend that people with loss of smell of more than four to six weeks should seek an expert opinion to look for treatable nose and sinus diseases and try interventions. Specialised tests may be required.

In general, loss of smell leads to a huge reduction in taste, but direct tongue stimulants still work. These are sugar, salt, sour, bitter and umami (eg, soy sauce). So I would recommend Mr Smith gets expert advice and also starts investing in dessert wines in the interim.

Tony Narula FRCS (ENT Surgeon), London, UK

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Double negative

It is important to be aware that Covid-19 is not the only potential cause of a loss of the senses of taste and smell; it can happen with other respiratory viruses, too. In March 2020, I had symptoms of respiratory illness, mostly mild but, devastatingly for a wine lover, completely lost my senses of taste and smell. A Covid test was negative. It took three months for these senses to return to anywhere near normality.

Then, much to my dismay, in early January this year, I suffered another bout of respiratory illness, much more severe this time and again suffering total loss of these senses, but again testing negative for Covid. As yet, these senses remain almost absent, to the extent I have not had a glass of wine, or other alcoholic drink, for almost a month; it is pointless if I cannot appreciate the aromas or flavours.

I can only hope that they will return sooner rather than later. Mr Smith’s observation that his senses still haven’t returned completely to normal after some eight or nine months does not inspire me with a great deal of confidence.

Chris Knott, Norfolk, UK

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Olfactory retraining

My great sympathies to Richard Smith, who has had his love of red wine distorted due to damage to his olfactory nerves by Covid-19.

I have intermittently lost my taste with some colds, which were probably due to coronavirus infections. I recall celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary with a bottle of Mouton Rothschild 1973, which was our wedding year – sadly not the best vintage (the wine, not the marriage!). I developed a cold on the day which damaged my sense of smell, but was keen to open the bottle. It tasted fine, but the essential subtleties on the nose were missing. It was hard asking my wife to describe the wine but, still, the Picasso label was memorable! I have a bottle for 2023, but fear a pale shadow which likely will struggle to excite my nasal nerves.

The likelihood of Richard Smith’s taste returning to normal is high, but he may need to retrain his sense of smell. May I suggest investing in the aroma training system Le Nez du Vin. While not cheap, it contains a number of aromas centred on the taste of wine. Hopefully with regular practice, and starting with the stronger samples, he will regain a full range of olfactory senses and live to enjoy the fruits of his cellar, rather than a healthy bank balance!

Julian Bradley, Richmond, Surrey, UK

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Primary vs tertiary aromas: What’s the difference?

How far should you put your nose in the glass? Ask Decanter

“The month of May has every right to lay claim to being the finest month of the year, and doubly so in 2021 as we emerge blinking from lockdown,” says Justerini & Brooks buyer, Julian Campbell.

“To celebrate, we have put together a fabulous selection that covers all the bases for long, warm weekends – or weeks – in the sun. Our selection is eclectic and caters for all tastes and budgets: there are big names such as Château Grand Village, Raul Perez and Schloss Lieser and we’ve also chosen lesser-known producers and under-the-radar gems. Riesling and Chenin Blanc feature heavily because this season of crisp sunshine and lush landscapes lends itself particularly well to the chiselled nature of these two varieties. But there are also light and fragrant whites from South Africa and Spain, and a selection of bubbles. These are spring and early summer staples that no household should go without.”

These wines are all available to purchase by the bottle – see The Single Bottles list on justerinis.com

Justerini & Brooks, established in 1749, is well-known for its unrivalled portfolio from some of the world’s greatest Châteaux, estates and domaines. The fine wine merchant is also committed to unearthing and championing young, new talent, as well as offering its customers an extensive range of immediate drinking wines.

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Diapason, Mesnil, Grand Cru, Blanc de Blancs, Brut, NV

“These are thrillingly individual, intense and powerful Champagnes, with each cuvée vividly expressing its own unique and distinct character,” says buyer Julian Campbell. “This is reflected in the new name for the Le Mesnil cuvée: Diapason. One terroir is bottled, to produce one pure note of Champagne,just as a Diapason (French for ‘tuning fork’) gives you one pure note. This is superb blend of 2009 (60%) and 2008 (40%).” Disgorged after over seven years sur lie.

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Grüner Veltliner, Strass, Birgit Eichinger, 2018

“The style here is one of full-bodied purity, best played out in their exceptionally salty, richly-textured Gruner Veltliners that hail from a range of volcanic loess and loam slopes,” says buyer Mark Dearing. “Winemaking is precise and modern, seeking freshness through almost exclusive use of temperature-controlled stainless steel for fermentation and aging. Birgit Eichinger delivers a bright and zesty expression of Grüner Veltliner, with spice and salt; wholesome and delicious.”

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Piesporter Goldtropfchen, Riesling, Kabinett, Schloss Lieser, 2017

Julian describes Schloss Lieser as “one of the new stars of the Mosel” with Thomas Haag (son of Wilhelm at Fritz Haag) focusing on his prime plots in the due-south-facing Niederberg Helden vineyard of Lieser. Here, the thicker-set grey / blue slate of the Helden vineyard produces a slightly heavier style of wine that sometimes needs a little more bottle age to show its true colours. He can also claim to have some of the Mosel’s lowest yields.

“This is the second year that Thomas has made fruit from this exceptional site,” says Julian, “and the results are stunning. Bright, complex and very precise fruit notes flood the nose, before a burst of ripe pineapple and mango washes across the palate. There is so much fruit here, but also control with a great acidity and fabulous nervous energy that gives structure on a vibrant fruit core.”

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Ultreia, Godello, Raul Perez 2019

“We know Raúl as one of the world’s most talented, innovative and restless winemakers,” says Mark Dearing. “His constant reinvention of his own portfolio and quest to restore old Bierzo vineyards – plus all his consultancy projects around the world – has helped put this corner of north-western Spain back on the map. His mission is always to express the origins of a parcel of vines, and push the boundaries of quality within the region.”

The estate vineyards are in the eastern part of the Bierzo zone, with 30 to 35-year-old vines planted on schist and clay soils: all plots are fermented in oak tank and final blending is just before bottling. “In hot vintages Godello can be very tropical, but in 2019 it is much clearer and more serious with a mouth-watering freshness,” says Mark.

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Bourgogne, Blanc, Bachelet Monnot, 2018

In 2005, brothers Marc and Alexandre Bachelet returned from years of winemaking travel to set up this Domaine that spans ten hectares over the Maranges, Santenay and Puligny-Montrachet communes. “Their burning desire was to make the finest possible wines, and to do this they have adopted a very natural, labour-intensive approach,” explains Giles. The use of larger-sized barrels alongside the traditional barriques has reduced the oak impact, replacing it with a punch of yellow fruit that refines and refocuses with a long, tapering, Puligny-esque finish. In essence, a sophisticated and attractive Bourgogne from one of the region’s most exciting young winemaking team.”

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This is just a small peek into the comprehensive cellars of Justerini & Brooks further ‘stunners’ can be found here.

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Best London wine bars chosen by the experts

Listed in alphabetical order. 

10 Greek Street

10 Greek St does really good food and the wine list is very well priced. Luke Wilson, the owner, keeps a little black book of the good stuff, with very encouraging cash margins! Gearoid Devaney MS

10 Greek street has a small but well-designed and perfectly executed menu, along with well-chosen wines at great prices. Xavier Rousset MS

10 Greek Street, W1D 4DH

+44 (0) 20 7734 4677

10greekstreet.com

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The 10 Cases

If I fancy a glass of something interesting in a laid back, cosy atmosphere, then The 10 Cases in Covent Garden is perfect. The wine list always has plenty to tempt me and the food is delicious but unfussy. Mark Andrew

The 10 Cases must be one of my most regular haunts.  Ideally located near Covent Garden, it has an ever-changing wine list (they only ever buy ten cases of each wine), a choice of tapas-style food as well as main dishes, plus a bottle shop next door with informal dining and a handy function room in the basement.  Richard Hemming MW

The 10 cases has a great selection of wines. It’s a very honest place run by passionate people – we need more of this format in London. Xavier Rousset MS

16 Endell Street, Covent Garden, WC2H 9BD

+44 (0) 20 7836 6801

10cases.co.uk

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40 Maltby Street

40 Maltby Street has a great natural wine list that is well priced and served with beautiful seasonal food. Buzzing atmosphere and wonderfully casual. Isabelle Legeron MW

40 Maltby Street, SE1 3PA

+44 (0) 20 7237 9247

40maltbystreet.com

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67 Pall Mall

For a guilty pleasure, the range of wines by the glass at 67 Pall Mall with Coravin is hard to resist with some iconic wines from older vintages available… need I say more? Gearoid Devaney MS

67 Pall Mall is the ultimate wine lover’s destination, with an extraordinary array of choice served by Coravin and a fixed corkage charge of £20. The food isn’t cheap but it is classic and expertly prepared. The only disadvantage is you need to be a member! Richard Hemming MW

67 Pall Mall, SW1Y 5ES

+44 (0) 20 3000 6767

67pallmall.co.uk

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Andrew Edmunds

In my opinion Andrew Edmunds is London’s best kept secret: rustic food accompanied by top wines from Burgundy as well as new World wines, sold with very little mark up. There are often real gems to be found. Andrea Briccarello

See our full review of Andrew Edmunds restaurant here

46 Lexington Street, W1F 0LP

+44 (0) 20 7437 5708

andrewedmunds.com

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Bar Douro

One of the few places that genuinely qualifies as a wine bar, you’ll find this congenial little blue-and-white-tiled Portuguese joint in Flat Iron square, not far from Borough Market. It follows on from a successful pop-up and series of supper clubs run by Max Graham of the Churchill family, who owns the new permanent premises.

Despite the name, the all-Portuguese wine list extends well beyond the Douro region with bottles and vintages you’d be lucky to find elsewhere. Winemakers visit regularly, so get on the mailing list for winemaker dinners. The food is authentically Portuguese, with some of the best, most meltingly tender octopus I’ve eaten. The set lunch is a bargain at £9.50 for two courses. Altogether charming.

Don’t miss: the white Port and tonic. Fiona Beckett, in Decanter magazine

Arch 35b Flat Iron Square, Union Street, SE1 1TD

020 7378 0524

bardouro.co.uk

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Blanchette

Blanchette in Soho is where I go for the ambiance and to relax. One of the owners is a DJ so the music is really good.  They do French food well and you can’t beat their frogs legs with a crisp Alsace Pinot Blanc. The wine list is small but well choosen by Max and Yannis. Claire Thevenot MS

9 D’Arblay Street, W1F 8DR

+44 (0)207 439 8100

blanchettesoho.co.uk

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Brat

The name Brat doesn’t refer to the mild-mannered chef Tomos Parry as you might expect from Shoreditch, but to the restaurant’s signature dish of a whole turbot, which is cooked in the wood-fired oven. Other cheaper options (the brat is £55 upwards but designed for sharing) are grilled over open coals – fire is so 2018, don’t you know?

The intelligent wine list – divided into Easy Drinkers, Classics and Off the Beaten Track – has been compiled with the help of wine bar royalty Dan Keeling and Mark Andrew of Noble Rot.

Great interior, bustling, congenial with long shared tables – maybe not the place for a romantic evening, but a great place to eat on your own at the bar or to hang out with friends.

Don’t miss: the turbot, obviously. Fiona Beckett, in Decanter magazine

4 Redchurch St, E1 6JL

bratrestaurant.com

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Bright

Another Hackney hangout, this is the latest opening from the team behind the much-hyped P Franco, who have taken the premises formally occupied by Ellory, whose brigade has moved on to Leroy. It ticks all the usual East London boxes – cool, minimalist decor, natural wine list (with a good selection by the glass), simple Britalian food, but all delivered with flair and great affability.

Pastas are a feature, thanks to joint head chef Sardinia-born Giuseppe Belvedere, who previously worked with Ed Wilson at Brawn; you can detect his influence in the cooking too. Carnivores will be relieved to learn there’s a fair amount of pork (not many concessions to vegans here).

Don’t miss: the pork chop with capers. Fiona Beckett, in Decanter magazine

1 Westgate Street, E8 3RL

020 3095 9407

brightrestaurant.co.uk

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brilliant corners

brilliant corners is one of my favourites spots in London!  Simple, affordable Japanese-inspired menu with great sushi. They do low-margins on a well-curated, natural wine list. Isabelle Legeron MW

470 Kingsland Road, E8 4AE

+44 (0) 20 7812 9511

brilliantcornerslondon.co.uk

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Casa Malevo

Casa Malevo at 23 Connaught Street is the best Argentinian restaurant in London.  It’s a small and charming place with very friendly service and fantastic food. On the minus side, you might bump into Tony Blair. Igor Sotric

23 Connaught Street, W2 2AY

+44 (0) 20 7402 1988

casamalevo.com

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Clarette

Owned by Alexandra Petit-Mentzelopoulos of the Margaux family, Clarette, which occupies a multi-storey townhouse in Marylebone, is by no means your average wine bar – it’s more, with its delicate pastels and period furniture, like a chic Parisian boutique hotel. And they don’t encourage walk-ins. But situated just a few paces from Marylebone High Street, it’s a welcome refuge for weary shoppers, with a good selection by the glass and some great wine flights – including a Margaux Discovery at £65 for three wines, including the 2004 vintage of Château Margaux. Although you might also want a glass of Champagne to accompany the beignets (one of an unusually good selection of bar snacks).

Don’t miss: the swoon-worthy Comté and truffle beignets. Fiona Beckett, in Decanter magazine

44 Blandford Street, W1U 7HS

020 3019 7750

clarettelondon.com

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Companie des Vins Surnaturels

I love Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels for casual, chic drinking in Neal’s Yard. Julia is a really smart sommelier and she always chooses something for me blind which is handy because the wine selection is so well thought out that I never know what to order. I like her mystery wine by the glass; it is a fun, entertaining feature. Claire Thevenot MS

I love the ambiance at the Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels This is a great place to enjoy some very good wines. There is a thoughtful selection by the glass as well as a comprehensive list which has something for every palate. The service is friendly, but expect some strong French accents!  For my money the best Cassoulet in town. Nicolas Clerc MS

8-10 Neal’s Yard, WC2H 9DP

+44 (0) 20 7734 7737

cvssevendials.com

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Donostia

Donostia in Seymour St is becoming our convenient lunchtime meeting restaurant of choice in Marylebone. It was here that I first had the aged Galician beef that Donostia and sister restaurant Lurra are now championing to great effect. The wine list is neat and tidy with both classic names and delicious value wines out of Catalonia and Basque country too. Justin Knock MW

10 Seymour Place, W1H 7ND

+44 (0) 20 3620 1845

Elliot’s Café

One of my old favourites is Elliot’s Café in Borough market. It’s a short stroll from Decanter HQ and offers fantastic tapas. The wine list has been put together by Isabelle Legeron MW, the queen of natural wine, so expect some quirky but exciting wines. The atmosphere is laid back and just what you want after a long day at the office. Christelle Guibert

12 Stoney St, Borough Market, SE1 9AD

+44 (0) 20 7403 7436

elliots.london

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Hide

The biggest and most spectacular wine venue in town, rumoured to have cost in the region of £20m, with three floors of dining and drinking space: fine dining Above, which serves tasting menus; Ground (à la carte); and Below wine bar – though ‘bar’ is a bit of an understatement.

The ambitious cooking is masterminded by Ollie Dabbous, who gained great acclaim and a Michelin star for his eponymous restaurant Dabbous. In addition to the 450-strong wine list, diners have access (via iPad) to the 6,500 bottles at the Russian owners’ nearby wine shop Hedonism – they can apparently be whisked from the shop to the restaurant in 12 minutes.

Don’t miss: the £48 set lunch – much cheaper than dinner. Fiona Beckett, in Decanter magazine

See our full review of Hide restaurant here

85 Piccadilly, W1J 7NB

020 3146 8666

85piccadilly.co.uk

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José

José on Bermondsey St – it’s busy, crowded but it all happens super-fast in José. Even when they’re flat out, it’s often possible to walk in, squeeze in on a counter and grab a chilled half bottle of fresh Manzanilla while you wait for the wonderful tapas. They do the basics so well – Tortilla, Jamon Iberico and Croquetas are amongst the best in London. It’s the ideal place for a 30 minute refuelling stop. Justin Knock MW

104 Bermondsey Street, SE1 3UB

josepizarro.com/jose-tapas-bar/info/

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Leroy

The area around Old Street to the west of Shoreditch is definitely on the up, which may be why the team behind Ellory (of which Leroy is an approximate anagram) have emigrated here, serving slightly more casual food than they did in their previous restaurant where they picked up a Michelin star.

Yes, small plates, but also more substantial dishes such as whole lemon sole and steak béarnaise. They’re also involved in their own wine project in Campania, Italy along with fellow restaurateurs Stevie Parle, Jackson Boxer of nearby St Leonards and Michael Sager of Sager & Wilde. You can taste their first wine under the Vigneti Tardis label, a skin-contact Fiano, along with a strong list of grower Champagnes.

Don’t miss: the skin-contact Vigneti Tardis Fiano. Fiona Beckett, in Decanter magazine

18 Phipp Street, EC2A 4NU

020 7739 4443

leroyshoreditch.com

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The Laughing Heart

Open slightly longer than some of the others on this list, but still a relatively new name. Given its location in the people’s republic of Hackney, they couldn’t really go wrong.

With a casual, bistro-style restaurant upstairs and a wine shop downstairs, it caters for locals as well as wine lovers intrepid enough to make the journey across town – including chefs, for whom they turn the restaurant into a late-night Chinese. The rest of the time, the menu is the ubiquitous small plates.

The 300-bin wine list is in the capable hands of the restaurant owner and super-somm Charlie Mellor, who used to work at Bottle Apostle and very capably runs the front of house.

Don’t miss: the larb-stuffed olives. Fiona Beckett, in Decanter magazine

See our full review of The Laughing Heart restaurant here

277 Hackney Road, E2 8NA

020 7686 9535

thelaughingheartlondon.com

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Medlar

Medlar has quickly become an institution among wine merchants. The classical, stylish and wine-friendly food is fantastic and the wine service, overseen by MS Christophe Delalonde is as slick and attentive as the glassware is perfect. It’s almost embarrassing how often we’re there! Greg Sherwood MW

438 Kings Road, SW10 0LJ

+44 (0) 20 7349 1900

medlarrestaurant.co.uk

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Naughty Piglets

Effortlessly managing to combine innovative food, exceptional ingredients and an extensive natural wine selection, this hidden secret, Naughty Piglets in Brixton Water is perfect any night of the week.  Melanie Brown

28 Brixton Water Lane, SW2 1PE

+44 (0) 20 7274 7796

naughtypiglets.co.uk

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Neptune

The baroque Principal hotel is an unlikely location for a restaurant with a natural wine list, even if it’s one curated by the queen bee of natural wine, Isabelle Legeron MW – though when you discover the team behind it (Brett Redman and Margaret Crow) previously ran a restaurant in Hackney, it all makes sense.

It’s definitely a see-and-be-seen sort of destination – think a small-scale Parisian-style brasserie. You may want to focus on the ‘Island’ whites, as oysters and seafood platters are the big attraction (although bizarrely off the menu the night we visited shortly after opening). British caviar and waffles are also a draw.

Don’t miss: smoked eel chowder with curry butter. Fiona Beckett, in Decanter magazine

Corner of Guildford Street and Russell Square, WC1B 5BE

020 7520 1806

neptune.london

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Ninth

Ninth offers very good value for Central London. I love Jun Tanaka’s food; the service is great and the wines are well looked after by Cyril Baligand. Geroid Devaney

22 Charlotte Street, W1T 2NB

+44 (0) 20 3019 0880

theninthlondon.com

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Noble Rot

Noble Rot have built a well-deserved reputation for serving great wines at low mark-ups, and their new wine bar is a superb showcase for their easy going, informal attitude. Richard Hemming MW

Noble Rot is a London-based wine and lifestyle magazine that has recently hatched a wine bar and restaurant.  It has rapidly become a honeypot for wine lovers: not just a great wine list, but skilfully-prepared British food and knowledgeable staff. Matt Walls

51 Lamb’s Conduit Street, WC1N 3NB

+44 (0) 20 7242 8963

noblerot.co.uk/wine-bar

Also a branch in Soho. 

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Otto’s

The eccentric but utterly charming Otto’s on Grays Inn Road does classic, old school French cooking as well as anywhere in London, with a superb and well-priced wine list to boot. Mark Andrew

182 Gray’s Inn Road, WC1X 8EW

020 7713 0107

ottos-restaurant.com

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Primeur

Primeur is a new discovery for me. It’s off the beaten track being a 15-minute walk from the nearest station, but it is worth the detour. The tapas-style food is France meets Italy meets Great Britain and there’s a large selection of wines by the glass. They are all from artisan producers with a minimal-intervention mentality, but fear not, the staff will happily give you a taste before you commit. Christelle Guibert

Barnes Motors, 116 Petherton Road London, N5 2RT

+44 (0) 20 7226 5271

primeurn5.co.uk/

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The Quality Chop House

When I’m feeling carnivorous, The Quality Chop House in Farringdon is a must visit. The building oozes character and the food just gets better and better – it is genuinely one of London’s most consistent restaurants. Mark Andrew

88-94 Farringdon Road, EC1R 3EA

+44 (0)20 7278 1452

thequalitychophouse.com/

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The Remedy

The Remedy gets just about everything perfect: loads of interesting wines by the glass (especially old Madeira), delicious sharing plates and a relaxed, low-key atmosphere. Richard Hemming MW

Small, relaxed, informal and convivial, The Remedy is a great little wine bar a short walk from Oxford Street. They have a superlative collection of mostly European wines, many with a nod towards the natural. They’ll happily pour you half a bottle of any of their top-end wines for half the price. Matt Walls

124 Cleveland Street, W1T 6PG

+44 (0) 20 3489 3800

theremedylondon.com

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Rosso

It was a bit of a relief to discover Rosso – there’s not much else going on in West London. Don’t be put off by the slightly bling decor – it looks a bit like a hotel bar, but it’s run by Italians who import most of the wine themselves, including less-familiar

denominations such as Valtellina and Monferrato. They also have a longer list of iconic wines including the best-known SuperTuscans.

Generously sized ‘taglieri’ meat and cheese selections are themed to go with specific wines and are easily generous enough for two. Other dishes, including pasta, thoughtfully come in small, medium and large-sized portions.

Don’t miss: the salumi, also imported from Italy. Fiona Beckett, in Decanter magazine

280 Kensington High Street, W8 6ND

enotecarosso.com

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Sager + Wilde

Sager + Wilde  is the top wine bar in East London. It has a great selection of wines from all over the world with nibbles to match and lots of bargains to boot. Andrea Briccarello

Longing for a greater selection of wine bars to include an ever changing selection of wines by the glass, Sager + Wilde manage to provide just this. Informative, relaxed staff provide insight to an outstanding wine list showcasing some amazing producers, there is certainly a discovery or two to be made here. As for their food offering, they manage to tick every box. Melanie Brown

I love Michael’s massively engaged enthusiasm at Sager + Wilde, the range is full of wines that I am always interested in drinking, with a common theme of elegance tying them all together. They are so reasonably priced that I always end up spending 3-4 bottles there rather than one, with friends of course. Sager + Wilde brought some much needed fun to wine drinking in London – it reminds me of drinking in great wine bars in Melbourne. It’s almost impossible to go there and not run into someone from the wine trade. Get there early and prepare for a long evening. Justin Knock MW

Another great place for the wine selection and the low mark up is Sager + Wilde (previously known as Mission) in Bethnal green. It’s often a place I end up with my team.  Also, the fact that they’re open on Sundays is a bonus. Laure Patry

This small but stylish East London wine bar has a vaguely louche feel that seems to bring out the hedonistic pleasure in the wines. The list is exceptional and the mark-ups are small. Matt Walls

193 Hackney Road, E2 8JL

+44 (0) 20 8127 7330

sagerandwilde.com

Also a branch on Paradise Row, and Fare on Old Street. 

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Salon Wine Store

Salon in Brixton has recently re-vamped to incorporate the wine shop that had been next door for many years, to now be a wine shop, bar and restaurant.

You can eat either in the restaurant or the wine store part, where they charge no corkage for wines bought there. They also offer no corkage for weekday lunchtimes and all day Sunday.

In the wine store, wines are organised according to style, as opposed to region, and they have a selection marked up for food-pairing with different cuisines (Thai, Moroccan, Indian etc.), making it easy to choose a bottle when dining in one of the many BYOs in Brixton market.

Some excellent food on offer – but the must-try is the n’duja croquettes with garlic aioli. Ellie Douglas.

20 Market Row, Brixton, London SW9 8LD

020 7501 9152

salonbrixton.co.uk/

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St Leonards

Natural wine sceptics will be relieved to hear that St Leonards (also off Old Street) is one of the few new places that doesn’t have an all-natural wine list. Co-owner Jackson Boxer, who also owns Brunswick House, is one of the rare chefs who’s really into wine and along with sommelier Donald Edwards is building what looks likely to be an exciting list – a selection of vins jaunes by the glass is a statement of intent.

Food has the wow-factor too, with a raw bar and an open hearth operated by the heavily bearded and tattooed (of course) Andrew Clarke. Along with Brat, likely to be the one of the big hits of 2018 – London’s answer to Joe Beef.

Don’t miss : the oysters, Dexter bavette with cured bone marrow and the fig-baked potatoes. Fiona Beckett, in Decanter magazine

70 Leonard Street, EC2A 4QX

020 7739 1291

stleonards.london

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Terroirs

For casual dining, my first choice would have to be Terroirs for the simplicity of the food (think cheese, charcuterie and classic French bistro food) but mostly for the wine.  I also like the easy-going atmosphere.  It’s definitely good value with many small growers and older vintages availed at affordable prices. Laure Patry

5 William IV Street, WC2N 4DW

+44 (0) 20 7036 0660

terroirswinebar.com

Also a branch in East Dulwich. 

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The Winemakers Club

Walking under the arches in The Winemakers Club is like stepping back in time. It has the feel of a private club but without the stuffiness and membership fees. John, the brains behind the concept, has listed some gems from unusual parts of the world – think Hungary, Slovenia, even Poland – but you’ll also find classic Claret at bargain prices. Christelle Guibert

The Winemakers Club is a wineshop cum wine bar.  A great place to hang out after work with a plate of cheese and charcuterie. Boasting a wonderfully eclectic selection of natural, organic and biodynamic wines. Isabelle Legeron MW

The Winemakers Club a self-proclaimed ‘wine pub’, this authentically dank cellar in a railway arch near the City is home to a wine importer with a taste for unusual organic and biodynamic wines.  Plenty to explore by the taste, glass or bottle. Matt Walls

41a Farringdon Street, EC4A 4AN

+44 (0) 20 7236 2936

thewinemakersclub.co.uk

Also a branch in Deptford.

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See more wine bar guides in our travel section

Cooking a curry recipe from the restaurant group Dishoom’s cookbook on the first night of a Norfolk holiday last July, Barney Child noticed something odd. ‘The recipe calls for huge amounts of garlic, like crazy amounts. But the smell of the garlic was completely weird. I thought it must be old garlic or, maybe because I’d cut so much up, I’d freaked my brain out. Then the next morning I made an espresso and it smelled very, very strange – a kind of chemical smell that’s hard to describe.’

Child (not his real name) is a restaurant wine buyer who lives by his sense of smell, and not just because it’s how he pays the bills. ‘I get so much joy from thinking about food, it’s a whole day looking at recipes, thinking about what do we eat tonight.’

He caught Covid-19 in the first half of March 2020 and lost his sense of smell completely. Three weeks later, over a slice of Comté cheese, it began to return, patchily at first, but after a week, ‘I thought I was over it; my sense of smell was almost completely back’.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t: a couple of months later, the parosmia struck.

A pervasive problem

If anosmia (loss of smell) was part of the new vocabulary the world learned in the first phase of the pandemic, parosmia (smell distortion) followed soon after. While anosmics live in an olfactory blackout, parosmics may have some normal smell function, but certain odours trigger the ‘wrong’ smell, leaving some people unable to eat because their dinner reeks like sewage or petrol.

Along with other smell disturbances such as hyposmia (a reduced ability to smell), the condition has become widespread over the last year. Chrissi Kelly, who lost her sense of smell in 2012 and founded AbScent to support and inform fellow sufferers, has some numbers.

‘We know that around 60% of the people who get Covid-19 will have problems with their smell and taste. 10% of those will have longer-term smell loss, persisting beyond eight weeks. Really long term, say nine months on, we’re looking at something like 3%-5%.’ This means that in the UK alone, the number of people suffering long-term, Covid-related olfactory problems runs into six figures. Worldwide, there are millions.

Membership of AbScent itself has rocketed from 1,400 pre-Covid to 23,000 today. Kelly had the inside track last summer on which countries and regions were being affected by Covid, before it hit the news, simply from the geographical location of the waves of new members joining.

Coping in the wine world

A striking feature of the smell-loss stories I hear from wine professionals is the haziness surrounding the moment of realisation. Federica Zanghirella, vice president of the UK Sommelier Association, was hosting an online tasting class when she noticed the wine in her glass didn’t smell of anything.

Already suffering from flu-like symptoms, she initially blamed the wine. ‘I said, “Sorry guys, I didn’t realise supermarket wines were so bad. This one is absolutely tasteless and it doesn’t have any aroma.” Fortunately, the students are well-trained and started saying, “I can smell this”.’ Tired and feeling ‘miserable’, it wasn’t until the next day that she realised she had a problem.

Almost all speak of awareness gradually coalescing around a plate of food or glass of wine, precipitating a desperate dash to stick their nose in something stinky – Night Nurse (in the case of fine wine trader Gareth Birchley, whose sense of smell is now recovered) or homemade kimchi (in the case of Barney Child).

‘Olfaction is a weird sense in that regard,’ says Simon Gane, consultant rhinologist and ENT surgeon at the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital. ‘It’s not particularly present in the human consciousness. If you close your eyes, you’re immediately aware that you’re not seeing anything. If you block your nose, it’s not aware that you’re not smelling anything. But you are constantly smelling things, and that’s quite interesting.’

Smell is the superpower we don’t realise we have. It influences our relationship choices, acts as a navigational tool, has an impact on our mood, is a powerful memory trigger and warns us of potential danger. A single inhalation can tell us that a pan of rice is cooked; that a fox passed by in the night; identify the owner of a scarf; or that a neighbour has just cut his grass. With a bit of experience, simply by breathing, it is also possible to detect illness in some cases: Joy Milne, a retired nurse from Perth, Scotland, made global headlines after sniffing out her husband’s Parkinson’s disease years before it was diagnosed by doctors.

Of course, an expert blind taster can also use their nose to detect the grape variety, country of origin, region and sometimes even the vineyard in which the grapes were grown. At least, they can when their sense of smell is working properly. Wine professionals are understandably guarded when talking about longer-term, post-Covid smell disorders. Privately, many who lost their sense of smell for only a few weeks last spring have told me that they do sometimes have conversations, wondering if their senses are completely as they used to be. But this is hard to pinpoint. A common theme among those who say their smell is ‘90%’ back to normal is an inability to perceive what internet discussion groups euphemistically call ‘bathroom smells’ – ‘it just smells quite sweet, almost biscuity’ is a typical description. One said she had ‘recovered everything, but [she] can’t smell violets’. The less fortunate have more serious disorders that go on for months.

How do you do a job that’s all about smell when your nose isn’t functioning? Or, at least, not properly. Educator Zanghirella, whose sense of smell returned after a few weeks, says she ‘compensated with [her] experience’. One well-known wine personality who partially lost his sense of smell for a period pre-Covid told me: ‘Did I fake wine tastings as a teacher? Yep.’ Restaurant closures have given sommeliers and restaurant buyers a bit of breathing space for recovery.

The science of smells

The working of our olfactory system was unravelled by Linda Buck and Richard Axel, who won a Nobel Prize for their work in 2004. Consultant Gane explains it thus: ‘Normal smell is represented in the brain in a special structure called the olfactory bulb. Within the bulb are little balls of cells called glomeruli. Each receptor neuron [in the nasal cavity] that expresses a particular [olfactory] receptor grows to a matched glomerulus.’

Likening the axons, which link olfactory receptors to a glomerulus, to telephone lines running to a switchboard, he continues: ‘You can imagine a switchboard of lights [in the olfactory bulb]. Each time a receptor picks up a particular odourant, it sends a signal up and lights the light on that switchboard. And it’s the pattern of those lights which the brain then learns is a smell.’

Short-term anosmia is commonly caused by a physical blockage: inflammation or congestion that prevents odour molecules reaching the olfactory receptors at the back of the nasal cavity. But some researchers think that insufficient evidence of either inflammation or congestion in many Covid patients means another theory is needed to explain transient anosmia. They hypothesise that damage occurs to the sustentacular cells, which provide support to olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs), taking them out of commission for a few weeks. Longer-term problems are thought to be caused by nerve damage – that is, damage to the ORNs themselves.

Smell training – simply, taking time twice each day to practise nosing a known set of smells – is thought to assist the process of recovery.

A consuming discussion topic on the AbScent networks is parosmia. Members swap notes on what their ‘parosmia smell’ is like, what triggers it (onions, garlic, chocolate, coffee, roast meat, wine, fried foods, butter, bread and cleaning products are prime culprits) and what are ‘safe’, non-triggering foods. Many sufferers say the parosmia smell is novel, something they have never experienced before, and often liken it to faeces, sewage, drains or chemicals. Chrissi Kelly believes that, often, what people are trying to express with these descriptions is the sense of disgust the smell engenders.

Sniffing out answers

One piece of good news about parosmia, unpleasant though it is, is that it is often an indication of regeneration, that the recovery process has started.

To return to Gane’s switchboard analogy: ‘The first theory [of parosmia], the miswiring theory, is that when you’re recovering they [the axons] don’t grow to the same light any more. So you might have, say, the oaky note [in a wine], which used to light up two or three different lights and now only lights up one of those lights and one other one, in which case the brain doesn’t sense that as smelling ‘oaky’ anymore. It sees a different pattern. And that’s the distortion. The second theory is that the switchboard is actually a little more complicated – that lights interact, so when one is on, it could make it easier or more difficult for another to switch on, so a novel pattern will emerge.’

The disgust response in parosmia is, so far, unexplained, but research led by Dr Jane Parker at the University of Reading has identified four groups of compounds, two of which are sulphur-based and two nitrogen- based, that act as triggers for the parosmia smell. One of the triggering aroma compounds her research identified in coffee is 2-isobutyl- 3-methoxypyrazine, which is also found in bell peppers and Sauvignon Blanc.

Aside from parosmia, a mysterious theme that surfaced repeatedly in my discussions with those experiencing longer-term partial smell loss was a problem smelling red wine. Some tasters who feel they have otherwise recovered, or almost recovered, say they can enjoy white wines, particularly white Burgundy and Riesling, but that red wines remain ‘very closed’.

One said: ‘I’m able to recognise the bass and treble notes, but the mids are either patchy or missing completely. The complex, nuanced aromas that elevate great bottles are really hard for me to detect. Quite upsetting, in all honesty. But bizarrely, my ability to detect flavour in food now appears sharper than pre-Covid.’

Curiously, Barney Child said: ‘If I open a red wine and revisit [it] the next day, then I do tend to get more on the nose.’ Could something else be at work here? Gane says that, in his personal experience, people who have disordered noses for whatever reason ‘often report red wine [and not white] being a problem’, which suggests this might not be an issue that is specific to Covid. Could histamines (red wine has more histamines than white) be involved? We don’t know.

The question everyone wants answered is: when will my sense of smell be back to normal? Again, we don’t know, but Chrissi Kelly offers hope in the face of despair: ‘We know from individual stories of people with pre-Covid anosmia that, yes, there are people who recover after two years.’ So don’t sell off the wine cellar yet.

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Is smell training the answer?

Developed by Professor Thomas Hummel, who runs the Smell and Taste Clinic at the University of Dresden, smell training is thought to aid recovery from anosmia. The official smell training kit contains essential oils with four distinct aromas (rose, lemon, eucalyptus and clove), which you spend five minutes concentrating on and sniffing twice a day. It’s not essential to train using those particular smells, or a special kit – the important thing is to use smells that are already familiar and to make sure to focus, because recovery is thought to be top-down as well as bottom-up (that is, initiated in the brain as well as by the receptors). If you do want to buy a kit, AbScent sells one for £34.99.

What’s the best thing about your job?

The fact that no one is ever sad to see me – most likely as I usually have a bottle of Champagne with me. I’m so fortunate to be able to visit some of the UK’s most incredible restaurants, hotels and bars and educate the teams that serve our Champagnes to their guests. Not everyone knows the stories behind these famous labels, and it’s a pleasure to be able to share my knowledge.

And the worst?

When people only focus on the investment aspect. There’s nothing wrong with smart investments, of course, but it’s not the reason I got involved in wine and Champagne.

What’s the most common misconception about your job?

That I spend all my time drinking Champagne! I do a lot of tastings with restaurants and consumers, but a lot of work goes into planning the events, dinners and tastings. There are many wines in the world, and so our job is to ensure that we’re not being complacent and that we are constantly pushing ourselves to offer consumers the best experiences with our brands. It’s not just tasting amazing wines and waxing lyrical about them.

Your greatest moment?

It’d have to be enjoying a barbecue with Olivier Krug and the winemaking team in the Clos du Mesnil. It showed that Champagne is all about pleasure and doesn’t need to be ultra-extravagant. We tend to overthink rare Champagnes, but my best memory of Clos du Mesnil is drinking the Champagne where it was birthed, surrounded by like-minded and fun-loving people, sharing barbecued chicken and summer vegetables in the sunshine.

And your greatest mistake?

When I first joined Moët Hennessy, I was due to meet Olivier Krug at London’s Le Gavroche for staff training, and I had never met him before. There were train strikes that day and I arrived late. I introduced myself to everyone while asking if they were excited to meet Olivier, to which Olivier said, ‘I am right here’. I was so embarrassed. Luckily for me he’s a gentleman and laughed about it. During our tasting the fire alarm went off and we were forced outside, including Michel Roux Jr. We all enjoyed a glass of Krug together on Upper Brook Street.

From X-Factor to Champagne ambassador – that’s an unusual path…

You’ve found the skeleton in my closet! Food and wine aside, one of my main passions has always been music. When friends encouraged me to audition for The X-Factor, I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but I made it all the way to the final auditions. I don’t regret it, as that’s where I met my wife, but while I still love music, these days I prefer to let the wine do the singing in the glass!

How’s your work/life balance?

It can be tricky – in the evenings I am usually hosting events. If you work in the wine trade or hospitality, the hours can be intense, but if you are passionate you don’t count the hours.

The most useful advice you’ve had?

Be kind and stay humble.

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French-American born Ethan studied French gastronomy and wine at the Ferrandi culinary institute in Paris, before working as a chef. He joined Moët Hennessy in 2016, and in 2018 became UK ambassador for its portfolio of Champagnes, which include Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, Ruinart, Dom Pérignon and Krug.

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Coronavirus: Be sure to check the latest travel restrictions and refund policies before booking any trips abroad.  

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Singapore makes a great base for exploring the rest of southeast Asia.

Our award-winning airport – served by international and budget airlines – will readily patch you on to other exotic destinations in the likes of Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

Whilst buying wine can be expensive here, there are good places to imbibe. Prices in some restaurants can be attractive for European visitors and a wine shop out in the airport will make you want to inaugurate and end your Singapore visit there by popping some Champagne: you won’t believe the prices.

You can eat 24/7 in Singapore. Our street food is tasty and great value for money. There is nothing junk about it – on the contrary, it is almost always freshly cooked to order.

One of the most popular and ubiquitous foods in the wee hours is found in Indian Muslim shops that sell curries, fried noodles, and the ultrapopular roti prata, a light, fluffy flatbread also known as roti canai. But it’s worth noting that most of these stores don’t allow alcohol.

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Best Singapore restaurants and bars

8 by Bottles & Bottles

Industry veteran Koh Chin Liang’s Bottles & Bottles has nine shops in top locations. Two are at the airport: one in the Jewel complex, and the newest at Terminal 3. Not only a retail outlet, you can also opt to drink your wine purchased in the shop, at the very same price. A long table seats 25.

• Address: Changi Airport Terminal 3, #B2-51A Singapore 819663
• Opening hours: 10am-10pm Monday-Sunday

Jade Palace Seafood Restaurant

Founded in 1998, and offering Yue, better known as Cantonese cuisine, Jade Palace boasts one of the world’s most reasonably priced wine lists. It is also one of only two restaurants in the world displaying paintings by Singapore’s ‘national treasure’ Tan Swie Hian – the other is at Château Cordeillan-Bages in Pauillac, a work commissioned by Jean-Michel Cazes.

• Address: 583 Orchard Road, B1-13, Forum the Shopping Mall, Singapore 238884
• Opening hours: Lunch 11.00am-2.30pm (last order 2pm). Dinner 6.00pm-10.00pm (last order 9pm) Monday-Sunday

Madame Fan

Brainchild of Alan Yau (Hakkasan and Wagamama), Madame Fan features modern Cantonese fare, an eye-catching bar and plush private rooms. Located directly across from Raffles, in a building that housed the British military’s Britannia Club in the 1950s, a live band and chanteuse entertain on Thursday, Friday and Sunday nights.

• Address: 32 Beach Road, Singapore 189764
• Opening hours: Lunch 12noon-2.30pm Monday-Friday. Dinner 6pm-10pm Monday-Sunday. Brunch 11am-3.30pm Saturday-Sunday

Whiskey Library

Claiming to have 1,000 whiskies, The Whiskey Library is on the ground floor of The Vagabond Club, a boutique Marriott hotel in a part of old Singapore not far from Little India, the Desker Road red light district, and Jalan Besar which has many small and very good eateries and bars that stay open until the small hours. The furnishings, complete with velvet curtains and gold ironwork decorations, are reminiscent of Empire style. Serves lunch, and offers live jazz on Thursday night.

• Address: 39 Syed Alwi Road, Singapore 207630
• Opening hours: Daily until 2am

No Menu

Known for its delicious home-made pasta, apple tart and outstanding olive oil, No Menu is family-owned and managed, in the kitchen and front of house. This is the only place in Singapore where you can drink the wines of Walter Massa; the vigneron is a long-time friend of restaurateur/chef Osvaldo Forlino, who arrived in 2002 from Giarolo in Piedmont. Both are champions of Timorasso, the ancient white Piedmontese grape variety which Massa revived and ferments in stainless steel tanks using wild yeasts.

• Address: 23 Boon Tat Street, Singapore 069621
• Opening hours: Lunch 11am-3pm (last order 2pm) Monday-Friday. Dinner 6pm-11pm (last order 9.15pm) Monday-Saturday. Closed Sunday

Fish Pool

A Champagne and oyster bar found in the same building as Madame Fan. At time of publication, it is only open for private events, and the ‘mermaids’ will most likely not be performing. Once normal times return, however, enjoying Champagne Louis Roederer while watching a pair of mischievous mermaids frolic is what every Singapore visitor deserves.

• Address: 32 Beach Road, Singapore 189764

Imperial Treasure Shanghai

My favourite Chinese restaurant in Singapore offers dishes from Huaiyang and Shanghainese, Sichuan and Cantonese cuisine of a very high order. The wine list is reasonable, although BYO is also permitted with a corkage charge. The restaurant is inside a popular shopping mall along bustling Orchard Road.

• Address: Takashimaya S.C., #04-22, 391 Orchard Road
• Opening hours: Lunch 11.30am-3pm Monday-Friday, 11am-3pm Saturday, 10.30am-3pm Sunday. Dinner 6pm-11pm Monday-Sunday

Sin Hoi Sai

This Singaporean zi zar – literally ‘stir fry’ – is behind a bus stop on Tiong Bahru Road, with tables along an open walkway. You can opt to dine under the stars or in an air-conditioned room they acquired several years ago. The pepper crab here is possibly Singapore’s best; chilli crab is good too, and prawn paste deep-fried chicken is equally delicious when it’s not too dry. BYO is free of charge. Note that other restaurants with identical English spelling in their names are not branches.

Islamic

Looking forward to its centenary in 1921, Islamic has the best fish dum biryani you can forage on our island in the sun. Founder Abdul Rahiman was head chef to the Alsagoff family, wealthy Arab spice traders and landowners. The third generation is in charge. Fans of their biryani include presidents, prime ministers and royalty of the region. This commoner has grown up on their fish biryani. No alcohol allowed, so I take home and secretly relish it with the forbidden fruit juice.

• Address: 745 North Bridge Road, #01-01, Singapore 198713
• Opening hours: 10am-10pm Monday-Sunday

Ah Orh Seafood

Ah Orh is on the ground floor of a block of HDB or Housing Development Board flats. More than 80% of Singaporeans and residents live in this type of state-built housing. The restaurant bears the nickname of its late founder Goh Liang Chit, who came from China’s Guangdong province – ‘Orh’ means ‘black’ or ‘dark’ in the Teochew/Chaozhou dialect, referring to his unusually deep complexion for a Chinese person. Must-haves include cold Sri Lankan crab and steamed pomfret. BYO with no corkage.

• Address: 115 Jalan Bukit Merah

Originally published in the December 2020 issue of Decanter.

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More travel guides for wine lovers

Today (15 May) is World Whisky Day – a global celebration of all things whisky established in 2012 by Blair Bowman when he was a student at the University of Aberdeen.

Held on the third Saturday in May every year, WWD is normally a heady mix of events, tastings and get-togethers, although current Covid-19 restrictions have rendered most of these virtual and distanced.

But that doesn’t detract from the central message of the day, which is to celebrate the best whiskies: wherever it comes from and however you like to drink it – neat, with water or ice, mixed or in a cocktail. Anything goes, as long as it’s fun and accessible (and, of course, responsible).

It’s the perfect time to get acquainted – or reacquainted – with whisky friends old and new, so here’s a globetrotting selection of new releases, from the Highlands to Vermont.

Best new release whiskies for World Whisky Day

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Aberlour Distillery Reserve Collection 16 Year Old

If those cold spring nights return, dig out this beast of a Sherry cask single malt from Speyside. Darkly meaty and savoury, it’s bottled at a formidable strength, so don’t be shy with the water and you’ll tease out some orchard fruits and grassy notes to lighten an unctuous mix of dark chocolate, hazelnut praline and tarry liquorice. Alc 59.1%

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Blair Athol 2009 11 Year Old

Another distillate of huge character, in relatively understated form here as part of independent bottler Single Malts of Scotland’s Reserve Casks Parcel No 5. Breezy cereal and citrus at first, then cinnamon-spiked pear, before the structure and grip show themselves in polished teak, cowshed and rich beef stock on the finish. Alc 48%

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Method & Madness Mulberry Wood

Now here’s a curiosity – an experimental single pot still whiskey that spent three to eight months being ‘finished’ in small, 50-litre mulberry casks sourced from Hungary. It’s a bit weird, but in a good way: aromas of honeysuckle, herbs and lanolin, and a palate of fiery black pepper and spice overlaid on honeyed pear. Alc 46%

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Nikka Whisky Taketsuru Pure Malt

Named after one of the pioneers of Japanese whisky, this combines distillates from Miyagikyo and Yoichi. The light spice and bright, creamy citrus on the nose is all Miyagikyo, the tangy, savoury smoke-tinged Plasticine on the palate Yoichi. Together they make for a characterful insight into the Japanese art of whisky making. Alc 43%

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The Oxford Artisan Distillery Oxford Rye Whisky Batch #1

A rye-heavy mix of heritage grains, an idiosyncratic production process and three years in virgin American oak make for an obviously youthful but highly distinctive English whisky, with warm spices, black banana and vanilla spiked by feisty rye pepper and spice. More batches to follow – and each will be subtly different. Alc 46.3%

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Waterford Grattansbrook 1.1

This ‘Single Farm Origin’ whiskey uses Taberna barley harvested in 2015 at Grattansbrook Farm in Co Kildare, spending almost four years in a mix of cask types. Sweet, oily and appealing, with a scented nose of light cereal, zesty tangerine and fragrant lime flower, then honeyed banana, fruit syrup and the grip of wood tannin on the palate. Alc 50%

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Whistlepig Single Barrel 10 Year Old Rye Whiskey

Distilled in Canada and matured in Vermont by late Whistlepig Master Distiller Dave Pickerell, this Jeroboams’ exclusive is more subtle and elegant than many ryes, combining high-toned red fruits with scents of caraway and herbes de Provence. The texture is glorious, and the mouthwatering finish shows light toffee and Jamaica gingerbread. Alc 55.8%

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X by Glenmorangie

A single malt explicitly created for cocktails and mixed drinks in partnership with bartenders, this is a richer, sweeter riff on the regular Glenmo style, with stewed apples, orange cordial and hot buttered toast with a slathering of honey. It is great for cocktails – but you shouldn’t be shy about doing that with single malts anyway! Alc 40%

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Best Irish whiskeys to try

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