The best places to try unusual and new wines

Photographs by Sophia Evans

More than ever, wine producers talk up the natural origins of their produce, with “great wine is made in the vineyard, not the winery” an endlessly repeated guiding mantra. Which makes it ironic that one of the most significant changes in how we discover and ultimately enjoy new wines has been down to advances in technology.

The emergence of wine-preservation systems such as the Enomatic machine, which keeps opened bottles fresh for weeks or, in the case of the Coravin, a corkscrew-like extraction gadget, indefinitely, has completely changed how venues go about serving wine. Opening bottles without having to sell the entire contents in a couple of days, when the wine starts to lose its vibrancy and flavour, means proprietors are more willing to take risks in the wine they are prepared to offer by the glass, and to serve huge ranges without fear of wastage.

The knock-on effect is just beneficial for the curious wine lover: you’re so much more willing to try something new or unusual if you don’t have to commit to the price of a bottle. All the more so if you’re in the company of friends and an enthusiastic wine-loving host. The result being the past decade or so has seen a boom in destinations that thrive on variety and experimentation, making a virtue of introducing punters to new grape varieties, wine regions and producers.

The venues themselves are just as varied. There are serious, wine-led restaurants with a take-home bottle shop attached and natural wine bars with an informal sideline in small plates; conventional wine merchants with a handful of bottles to try before you buy and excellent farm-gate shops found in vineyards all over the world, including in the UK.

A list of places that put the fun into wine discovery might start in London with the glitzy fine-wine who’s who of the by-the-glass list at three-Michelin-starred Sketch. After this, head east for the more affordable, casual brilliance of Quality Wines in Farringdon, the informal, natural-ista charms of Bruno in Victoria Park and 107 Wine Shop & Bar in Clapton. Outside London, the Parisian-style wine bar Le Pinardier in Deal, Kent is superb, as is Manchester hangout Kerb and Bristol’s bohemian duo Kask and Cave. Closer to the source is Chalk, the fine restaurant in a converted barn run by the Pulborough winery of Wiston Estate, a West Sussex sparkling producer everyone should know about.

Best buy: Bodegas R Lopez de Heredia Vina Cubillo Tinto, Crianza, Rioja, Spain 2017 £25.50, bbr.co.uk
Berry Bros & Rudd may not have run with the by-the-glass times but its in-house school makes for a very agreeable place to learn about and discover new bottles, such as this magnificent traditional rioja.

Joanna Dubrawska Xarel·lo Maninalto Blanco, Catalunya, Spain 2021 £29, sagerandwinebottleshop.com
This Mediterranean-scented chalky-textured orange wine made from old vines of the xarel·lo grape in Penedès is ripe for discovery, ideally in one of the new wave of wine bars, Sager + Wilde in Hackney.

Balfour English Chardonnay, Kent, England 2022 £14, Marks & Spencer
One of the leading domestic producers of fine-boned, chiselled and incisive chardonnays. Its visitor facilities on Hush Heath Estate, Staplehurst, Kent make a fine place for a day trip devoted to English wine appreciation.

Chateau Ollieux Romanis Cuvee Classique Rouge, Languedoc, France 2022 £17.20, cavebristol.co.uk
Appearing in many a bottle shop-cum-wine bar, including Bristol’s Cave, this is a delightfully deep but succulent and bramble fruit-filled red with a pleasing hint of spice and a softness to work well by the glass.

Taylor’s Chip Dry White Port, Portugal NV £18, Waitrose
Incorporating wine tourism into a holiday is a great way of opening up new vinous avenues, such as this engaging aperitif-style white port, and few places are better kitted out than the World of Wine in Porto.

Yves Cuilleron Viognier Les Vignes d’a Coté, IGP Collines, Rhodaniennes, France 2023 £26.50, hedonism.co.uk
The super-swish Hedonism in Mayfair is a treasure chest of the world’s finest wines, such as Yves Cuilleron’s glorious peachy Rhône white, but it also offers a well chosen range of gems to sample by the glass.