Tag: Wine

Brigade Bar + Kitchen

Published on 08th November 2018

Brigade Bar & Kitchen has reopened on Tooley Street following a major revamp.  The social enterprise restaurant set in Tooley Street’s Grade II-listed fire station at the heart of London Bridge has relaunched with a brand new look. The new menu offers a contemporary edge to the capital’s smoke and grill movement, focussing on big cuts and bold flavours. Brigade has also announced it will now be open 7 days a week. On top of their culinary talents, the restaurant also works in partnership with leading homeless and education charity Beyond Food Foundation, having trained hundreds of apprentices into jobs and given thousands of homeless people new skills. Read more about Brigade and check out their new menu.

Whisky Masterclass on Bermondsey Street

Published on 11th October 2018

Bermondsey Street based WSET School London are hosting a fantastic beginner-level whisky/whiskey tasting and cocktail demonstration with their spirits expert Hannah Lanfear. This beginner-level tasting is perfect for those who enjoy a great dram or a classic whiskey cocktail and want to know more about this fascinating spirit. The first part of this session takes place in our tasting room at WSET School London, where you’ll learn the basics of whisky/whiskey production and key styles from around the world through a tasting of at least six different samples. Armed with your new-found knowledge, you’ll then head down to The Hide, the bar next door to WSET School London. Your tutor Hannah will demonstrate how to craft some of the world’s best-loved cocktails like the Whisky Sour, the Old Fashioned and the Manhattan. Read more/ book your place >>

Saturday Spirits School at WSET London

Published on 02nd October 2018

Learn something new this autumn and join WSET School London for their first ever ‘Saturday Spirits School.’ This hands-on course includes an accredited WSET Level 1 Award in Spirits course complete with a tour of two fantastic local distilleries – The London Distillery Company (Dodd’s Gin, Kew Organic Spirits) and The Bermondsey Distillery (Jensen’s Gin). Get up close with the process of distillation, learn how to taste spirits and discover what defines the key styles including gin, whisky and rum. All topped off with a refreshing post-course gin and tonic! BOOK NOW >> Dates/Times:27thOctober and 2ndNovember, 10am-2.30pm. Location: WSET School London Price: £185   About WSET School London Based on Bermondsey Street, WSET School London offers a unique programme of tastings, events and accredited Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) qualification courses in wine, spirits and sake. Their schedule is varied and ever-changing, catering to all levels of knowledge from complete beginner to connoisseur. Every year, students from all over the world travel to London Bridge to develop their wine, spirits and sake knowledge with WSET School London.

Think Pink: Picking the perfect Rosé

Published on 25th July 2018

Nothing says ‘summer’ quite like a pink hue in an ice-cold glass on a sunny day. Amidst a very un-British stint of sunshine in the capital, Rosé is officially having a moment. We speak to our Bermondsey Street neighbours at WSET School London for expert advice on picking the perfect bottle for your palate… Pink wine with its flavours of summer berries has always been a seasonal favourite and there are a multitude of styles available. Most Rosé wine is designed to be drunk when young fresh and fruity. What is in the shops now is ready to drink and not to be kept. Rosé wine should be chilled to around 7-10?c the same as a light white wine, this makes it the perfect temperature in this summer heat, don’t forget to keep it cool with the use of an ice bucket or a sleeve that you can keep in the freezer. There are different styles of Rosé for all palates, however all show lovely red fruit flavours such as strawberry, raspberry and red cherries. There are the more medium sweet styles like White Zinfandel from California which are very easy to drink and very easily available commercially, these will also tend to taste a bit of melon and candyfloss too! For another slightly less sweet style there are Rosé wines from the Loire Valley in France such as Cabernet d’Anjou which has very expressive fruit character and extremely refreshing acidity, this wine would pair well with a summer spicy dish, such as some chili and garlic prawns. For dryer styles you can look to Southern France and Navarra and Rioja in Northern Spain. The pale pink wines from Provence in the South of France are delicate, floral and fruity and can easily be drunk as an aperitif or just to while away a summer afternoon. For a bigger food Rosé, Tavel wines in the Southern Rhone are deep pink ripe red berry delights that would pair perfectly with grilled vegetables or oily fish such as salmon or tuna. For a fun bit of Rosé fizz look no further than Cava in Spain where they produce very affordable fresh, lively red fruit sparkles from the local black grape varieties. For dry styles of Cava check for Brut on the label and Demi-Sec for sweeter styles. WSET Certified Educator, Lauren Denyer – #AtLondonBridge Recommends Whether you’re dreaming of alfresco or air conditioning, these London Bridge bars offer a great selection of wines: BOB’s Lobster Wine Bar & Kitchen Londrino Prosecco House The Rose Vivat Bacchus The Ivy Tower Bridge

Prosecco House

Prosecco House is a specialised wine bar where guests can buy, sample and learn about DOCG Prosecco on the south bank of the River Thames at One Tower Bridge. The Prosecco House team have a long-standing experience in business, and a very strong entrepreneurial spirit. With a strong passion for wine and food, and love for Veneto region, they want to introduce classical aperitivo culture to London. In Prosecco House, our customers can appreciate an Italian atmosphere and taste authentic high quality DOCG Prosecco. Opening Times MON – WED: 12 TO 11PM THURS – SAT: 12 TO 12AM SUN: 12 TO 10PM ?020 3034 1718? INFO@PROSECCOHOUSE.COM

10% Discount at The Savanna

Published on 24th July 2018

DELICIOUS FOOD & DRINK FROM BEAUTIFUL SOUTH AFRICA The Savanna specialises in all things South African; including their award-winning biltong and excellent native wines. The London Bridge branch is located in the railway arches on St Thomas Street and serves lunch during the week from 11:30-3:30pm. The Savanna are offering London Bridge DealCard holders 10% discount on food and drink at their London Bridge branch.  https://www.thesavanna.co.uk  

Bar 31

Published on 07th June 2018

With a sense that life outside has been brought inside, Bar 31 is the perfect meeting place to unwind with a few drinks. Offering local craft beers on tap, such as Porter by local brewer Anspach & Hobday located a stone’s throw away, and a fantastic range of spirits and wines. Their tasty bites are sourced using fresh seasonal ingredients from lBorough Market. Sit back and relax with your favourite tipple and enjoy the local artwork and community vibe while listening to the street sounds from local musicians as they perform live in the new neighbourhood bar. https://bar31.com  

A Royally Good Toast: The Royal Wedding Wine Guide

Published on 14th May 2018

As London prepares to celebrate the wedding of the year this weekend, we seek advice from our local London Bridge wine experts at WSET School London on how to give the happy couple a royally good toast…  THE ROYAL WEDDING WINE GUIDE by Lauren Denyer, WSET Certified Educator 1. An English Fizz What British royal wedding would it be if it didn’t feature English Fizz! Made in the same way and with the same grapes as Champagne this fizz is the ultimate wine to celebrate an English Wedding. And with a nod to the Father of the groom why not look at some that are coming from Cornwall. These wines are delicate and refreshing yet complex with lovely fresh citrus and orchard fruit character but with an underlying depth of flavours of sweet pastry, biscuits and toast. 2. A Greek White An influential figure in Harry’s life has been his Grandfather, Prince Philip. Philip has connections with two fabulous wine producing countries; Greece and Germany. If we follow his paternal lineage Philip’s own grandfather was George of Greece. A wonderful Greek white wine really making its mark in the world is Assyrtiko, a grape variety native to the island of Santorini. The dark volcanic soil there suits this grape extremely well and results in refreshing wines with a mineral and saline quality. This is a great spring wine and perfect accompaniment to zesty salads and white meat dishes. 3. A Tuscan Red Meghan Markle’s favourite wine is Tignanello, an Italian Tuscan wine. These wines have a lovely blend of red and black fruit characters with hints of spice, cedar, vanilla and a touch of leafiness. With high levels of acidity and a robust tannic structure these wines will compliment any red meat chucked on the BBQ, weather permitting! Look for wines with the Bolgheri DOC or Tuscany IGT labels which are full-bodied wines made with many grape varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and can also include the local grape variety Sangiovese. 4. A Californian Zinfandel California, where our future princess hails from is a huge producer of wine with styles ranging from cheap and cheerful to some of the most complex and expensive wines in the world. For those of us with a bit of a sweet tooth, you need look no further than Central Valley in California where much off-dry to medium sweet inexpensive wine is produced. Grab some medium white Zinfandel, a rose wine with bright pink colour and sweet flavours of strawberry, raspberry and red cherry. 5. A Spanish Sherry One could imagine that the guest of honour at this wedding (The Queen) would like to toast this wedding with a traditional glass of Sherry from Spain. The Brits have a strong history with Sherry including Sir Francis Drake stealing a lot of it in the 16th century ensuring its popularity in Britain. One of the very old Bodegas in Jerez, Lustau, produces an older Sherry named after the British Trading Company, The East India Company who transported silk, spices and tea in the 17th Century. With an average age of 15 years in American oak this or a sweet Oloroso or Premium Cream Sherry would be a fantastic something old to sip, with very complex notes of dried fruit, toffee, coffee, caramel, chocolate, walnuts and raisins. For something new use it as one of the ingredients in a cocktail or on ice with a slice of orange. Lauren Denyer is a Wine Educator certified by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), the world’s largest provider of wines, spirits and sake education. If you’d like to learn more about wines and spirits, WSET School London on Bermondsey Street offers beginner to expert courses for enthusiasts and professionals. Visit wsetschool.com to learn more.   AtLondonBridge Local Stockist Recommendations… Bedales, Borough Market Borough Wines, Borough Market Giddy Grocer, Bermondsey St B Street Deli, Bermondsey St

An Interview with BOB’s Lobster

Published on 10th April 2018

In 2013 Owner and Founder of BOB’s Lobster, Rob Dann (pictured centre) set out on a mission to blur the boundaries of fine dining and street food; serving exquisite seafood and wines curb-side from a VW Campervan. Five years on, the business has gone from strength to strength and now BOB’s are preparing to park up permanently for the first time in the arches of London Bridge. Here’s the low down on what’s to come.    Tell us about the journey of BOB’s Lobster so far… Wow, what a journey its been. I guess it started in 2012 in Indiana, USA, which is where our 1957 VW camper came from. We figured since Indiana was in-land that rust would be minimal (we were wrong). We imported her to the UK and over 9 months  transformed her into a the most unique food and wine outlet London has seen and we haven’t stopped since. After almost 5 years of touring, pop-ups and collaborations, our little food truck has given us so much more than we ever envisaged or bargained for. Countless meals in countless neighbourhoods, running late in to the night, a hangout for culinary tourists from all over the world, a front row seat at fashion shows and concerts and more lobster than you can imagine… all from possibly the smallest kitchen in the world! Of course there were also countless van breakdowns, many midnight trips to market, a distinct lack of sleep and the odd downpour, but we wouldn’t change a thing! We are excited to announce that it is time to hang up the keys and park ourselves in our first permanent site this year, right where it all began at London Bridge, delivering our signature seafood extravagance and stellar wines in a casual setting.   What are you looking forward to about opening a restaurant in London Bridge/ why did you choose London Bridge as a location? It’s so exciting to open our first BOB’s Lobster down the road from our sister wine bar Bedales of Borough, not to mention where it all started and we hosted our first ever pop up, right at the intersection of London’s iconic Borough Market and the buzz of Bermondsey Street. How would you describe BOB’s philosophy? We have a philosophy of good food, good wine and great hospitality. We wanted to challenge convention and formal dining rooms, stripping away white linen table cloths and serving up seafood extravagance curb-side with a street food twist.   We’re excited to hear that the new restaurant will also be home to a wine bar – can you tell us your ideal dish and wine pairing?   Our Dorset crab tortellini, with shaved bottarga in smoked tomato broth works so well  with a glass of Viognier, Roussanne Granit Blanc 2017, Vin de Pays de L’Ardeche, Vincent Paris, Rhone, France. The Viognier, which is aromatic,  rich and creamy is a perfect match with the sweet meat of the crab and the weight of the wine ideal for the silky texture of the pasta.   Can you summarise the BOB’s Lobster experience in 3 words? Extravagant. London. Fun   If we have to try one thing on the menu what would it be? The smoked river Exe mussels & braised ox cheek toast is amazing, it will change your life.   BOB’s Lobster Wine Bar & Kitchen is set to open at Unit 59, St Thomas Street on May 18th 2018.   

Festive Wine Pairings with WSET

Published on 27th November 2017

The parsnips are peeled, the turkey’s trussed and the brussels are boiled… now, what to drink? Our local experts Christine Marsiglio and Lauren Denyer from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust are here to help you select the perfect pairings. Lauren has a background in education having taught at secondary school level for 12 years, before a slight career change to teach about wine.  Her favourite regions are Languedoc Roussillon, Priorat & Champagne. Lauren is also a certified Sherry educator and has recently spent a week in Jerez. Christine holds a Master of Science in Oenology and Viticulture.  She worked in Provence before moving to London where she started working for Decanter magazine, however now she’s a full time educator at the WSET School London.  Christine is currently enrolled in the Masters of Wine programme. Her favourite wine regions include Loire valley and New Zealand.   Crayfish Cocktail  “Cremant de Jura is great alternative to Champagne and is made from the same grape, Chardonnay. This sparkling wine would complement many seafood starters and is a perfect way to ramp up your appetite for the main course. With zingy acidity and lemony biscuit aromas, it’s a great way to start your meal.”  – Christine Turkey & Trimmings “A light and refreshing red wine made from Pinot Noir, Sancerre Rouge has delicate tannins, cranberry fruit flavours and hints of spice. This will pair well with your main turkey dish as it won’t overpower the meat. Perfect, especially if serving a cranberry sauce on the side.” – Christine Nut Roast “One piece of food pairing advice is to pair like with like. An older white wine like a white Rioja Reserva will have developed lovely walnut and hazelnut character. This is a rich full-bodied dry style of wine that has also spent considerable time in oak barrels so will enhance the flavours of the dish by adding hints of smoke, vanilla and coconut.” – Lauren Christmas Pudding “Rivesaltes Grenat is a sweet, fortified wine coming from the South of France and has ripe and baked red and black fruit flavours with silky soft tannins and hints of chocolate; a perfect match with your Christmas pudding. Watch out though as the alcohol can be up to 18%; in this case a little goes a long way!” – Christine Cheese Board “Palo Cortado Sherry is a complex dry style of Sherry with some savoury olive and yeasty flavours. With age it has developed nuttier, caramel and dried fruit character making it a great accompaniment to many different styles of cheese. The fruity and caramel notes compliment the more lively goats cheeses and blue cheeses, with the nutty and savoury character adding more depth to more mature harder styles of cheese.” – Lauren ABOUT WSET Established in 1969, WSET School London is the flagship course provider for the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET). WSET qualifications are globally recognised as the international standard in wine and spirit knowledge. They are designed for those who are just starting out in their careers, as well as established professionals, and the many enthusiasts who have a passion for wines and spirits.  Thanks to industry leading educators and our carefully selected tasting samples, our courses help students take their knowledge to the next level. Interested to know more? Visit: www.wsetschool.com