1707 at Fortnum & Mason

Fortnum’s wine bar – a smart timbered cabana – is further reason to visit this venerable emporium’s positively edible food halls. Choose any bottle of wine from an impressive range & pay just £10 corkage: for less than £20, you can net a lush own-label Burgundy, while double that secures great Grüner Veltliner or Portugal’s 2005 Niepoort Redoma Tinto – a rich, ruby delight from the Douro. Alternatively, try regional wines in flights of three from £13.75, matched to traiteur treats & piscine platters: four ‘dégustations’ (£16) might yield quails’ eggs, sugar snap, feta & red onion salad, gravadlax & duck with niçoise salad, say. Cocktails include hanky panky, red carpet, & ‘chandeliers’ (tequila, cream, crème de cacao & strawberries). The dress code ‘leans more towards elegance’ – this is Piccadilly not Palma Nova, after all.

Wine List Of The Year

Wine List Of The Year Finalist

This list is about two things: selection and price. Presentation-wise, it’s a list of wines by region – albeit one that’s clear and consistent. But the range of wines is terrific. You might expect Fortnum’s to have a good range of Champagne and claret, but the Austrian and German ranges are great as well. And at shop prices plus £10 corkage, the value is unmatchable.