THE WINE INSPECTOR: THE SEARCH IS OVER

"It's good to read a list that celebrates wine with such intelligence," writes Tim Atkin of Terroirs, a very French wine bar that just happens to be tucked away in London ...

From INTELLIGENT LIFE Magazine, Spring 2009

When I lived in Paris in the mid-1990s, I used to have lunch most days at a wine bar called Juveniles near the Comédie Française. Run by a Brit called Tim Johnson, it was noisy and friendly, had a brilliant, eclectic wine list and served filling, unapologetically rustic food. Why, I used to wonder, couldn’t the French come up with something as good? Well, 15 years later, they have. The only snag for Parisians is that it’s in London.

Give or take its very English location—tucked down a side street within crawling distance of the ENO, the National Gallery and Trafalgar Square—and the nationality of the chef, Ed Wilson, Terroirs is as French as the Folies Bergère. The decor and staff wouldn’t be out of place on the Left Bank, except that the latter are actively helpful. Despite the occasional nod towards Italy and Spain, the menu is very French too, featuring things like rillettes, snails, bavette steak and Fourme d’Ambert cheese.

And then there is the 32-page wine, cider and eaux de vie list, most of which is dedicated to France. There are four pages of very good Italian wines, and a token Spanish red and white, but that’s it as far as international diversity goes. I suspect there’s more chance of Nelson climbing down from his column than of Terroirs listing a wine from the southern hemisphere.

The focus is on organic, bio-dynamic and sustainably produced wines from small artisan growers. The aim—gloriously achieved—is to list wines with a recognisable sense of place: the closest English translation of terroir. No big, multi-regional blends or me-too brands; just wines of genuine character.

Written by a consultant, Douglas Wregg, the list is a delight, with interesting and informative tasting notes, and quotations from the likes of Colette, Flaubert, Jacques Brel and Jerome K. Jerome. It’s good to read something that celebrates the glory of wine with such intelligence. If that makes a visit to Terroirs sound like a cerebral experience, it shouldn’t. This is a place for wine lovers, a bar-cum-restaurant where wine is shared, consumed and, above all, enjoyed.

Anyone who likes unusual French wines is spoilt for choice. The co-owner Vincent Wallard estimates that 40% of the list is “not sensible”, his way of saying that most customers will be unfamiliar with the grape varieties or appellations on offer. When was the last time you drank a Gringet, a Braucol or a Trousseau, or ordered a wine from Marcillac, Arbois or Côtes du Marmandais?

It’s a pleasure to drink things that are—rather than a tired list of the usual Gallic suspects—new and, more often than not, exciting. The weirder wines are less daunting than they sound. The staff are a good source of guidance and the list is easy to follow. It is divided into broad geographical chunks—Nantes to Nevers, Rhône to Roussillon and so on—with a sentence or two on each wine. How can you resist something (a white Banyuls, as it happens) described as “Wild, wild wine. Mad wine”?

For punters who haven’t got time to read the whole list, there’s a shortened, two-page collection of red and white wines “of the moment”, providing a cross-section of what’s on offer. There’s also a good selection of wines by the glass and 50cl “pot”, as well as a list of magnums. You could happily drink four different 17.5cl glasses and consume less than the equivalent of a bottle between two people.

In fact, that’s what I’d advise. Why stick to a single bottle when you can let your tastebuds loose on one of the best lists in London? Most of the wines are light- to medium-bodied, with refreshing acidity, so it’s easy to find something that works with the small plates (effectively, French-style tapas)—because they nearly all do.

Strictly for research purposes, my girlfriend and I shared six delicious glasses of wine—the 2007 Albert Mann Riesling d’Alsace Tradition (£6), the appley, off-dry 2007 Mountlouis Minerale Frantz Saumon (£6.30), the rich, honeyed 2005 Macon Chaintré, Philippe Valette (£8.50), the juicy, gluggable 2008 Vin de Table, Cuvée Octobre, Domaine des Foulards (£6), the funky, savoury 2007 Vin de Table, Le Cousin, Cousin-Leduc (£6.50) and, best of all, the crunchy, refreshing 2007 Morgon Classique, Jean Foillard (£6.80), one of no fewer than ten Beaujolais.

All my drinking life I have been searching for a wine bar like this. I never thought I’d find it in London.

Terroirs Wine Bar & Restaurant 5 William IV Street, London WC2; + 44 (0)20 7036 0660

In The Bin
Number of wines   200
By the glass   38
Under £20   26   Over £100   2
Best value 2007 Morgon Classique,
Jean Foillard £26.50
Worst value 1998 Mas de Daumas,
Gassac Rouge £55
Gluggability •••••
Expense account adjuster* •••••
Sancerre index** 2.65

* Probability that the next-door table are paying
with the company’s money
**2007 Sancerre Blanc, Akméniné, Sébastien Riffault is £31.50 at Terroirs, or £11.87 from Les Caves de Pyrène wine merchants, + 44 (0)1483 554750

Picture credit: Sam Barker (of Tim Atkin)

(Tim Atkin is a Master of Wine. His last column for Intelligent Life was about the wine list at El Bulli.)