This article is part of FT Globetrotter’s London
I came in the summer relatively late. I was in the mid -1930s, a little burnt and I needed a career change. With a desire to pursue my growing passion for wine and food, in 2013, I passed by the experience director of experience at a youth marketing agency to start from the first as a server in Cafe Murano of Angela Hartnett in St. James’s. It was a humble jump straight and deeply, and I soaked every point of biodynamic and organic wine that could get my little naive hands. I still remember, during my first week with Angela, trying my first bottle of Slatnik Chardonnay to Radiko, a wine with skin contact from northern Italy- the first time I would try orange wine. My wild appearance in natural wine.
Since then I’ve opened four restaurants, I have closed two, waited for summer rave and won awards for my summer lists, all the time drinking, enjoying and yes, unfortunately, spitting an unhealthy amount of summer. As a big musical head (I also have a independent record label and regularly DJs in places throughout London), summer speaks to me the same way as data, a vinous rabbit hole to be lost and nerd around and for them Call that job.
Natural wine is a very terrible label. It tends to polarize instead of uniting people, but you can’t put the cat again in the bag, so just to say it’s a term for all for wines made in a low interference: organic grapes or biodinamic, which does not mean chemicals used in vineyards; Only natural yeast; not or very little additives; Hand harvest; And small-scale production to ensure that wineries grow better, healthier grapes-all to make the best wines that reflect a unique feeling of the country. Most importantly, natural is not a summer style – they all do not taste or smell alike, fortunately. It is an ethos and a methodology.
Over the years, I have persuaded the haters of natural cars hardened to drink beautiful ones, and for the devout “natural summer” lovers to send the bottles again because they are not “shocked”. I have also had the pleasure of knowing some of the best places to enjoy the natural wine in London. The summer world can be a strange, disappointing place. But when you get it right – and summer flows – everything is perfect for a short time.
Instant
322-324 ACTON MEWS, London E8 4EA
Along with being one of the best restaurants in London, Plonkers, as it is known to me, a modern French place in Haggerston, houses a basement to short in space and with deep pockets. The list of wines is almost completely natural, organic and biodynamic, with certainly expensive and, especially for curious wine, has a small black book-written notebook, in which you will find rare, unique wines and one time. To those who want something really special. If the money is not the object, they also organize events that provide vertical tests of champagne and high summer wine, which are worth trying to get in. What should you drink: if available, Ganevat Chardonnay of 2008-a medium-body wine, with a single vineyard from the Jura region of France. Website; Direction
Snake
51 Pimlico Road, London SW1W 8Ne
Those who know Hunan recognize him as a fantastic Chinese restaurant with Taiwanese influential in Belgravia, but summer heads know Michael Peng, who cares for the beverage program here and is serious about his wines. Not everything in Hunan is “natural”, though real gems are made in a cleaner way with class and style – so do not expect tons of over -designed labels that display neon armadillos and wines that smell like a garden. With a group of good friends, we always grab a bottle of champagne to start things, usually something with a touch of age, like Michel Gonet “Les Hautes Mottes” Le Mesnil Sur Oger Brut Nature, which is excellent and good Price The summer list is very easy to navigate but throw care of the wind and ask Michael for its funny basement, a treasure Vinous that just begs not to be discovered. Website; Direction
provisions
167 Holloway Road, London N7 8LX and 308 Hackney Road, London E2 7SJ
The provisions are two great shops per day, night bars, each in the East and North London owned by Hugo Meyer Esquerré, a Frenchman who emits caring with better hair than most supermodels and excellent taste in summer. Along with the sale of extraordinary cheese food products, charcuters and crafts, it also imports excellent natural wine from all of France and Italy. We are strictly waiting for the parties together on a regular basis, where I dj and put a basement of his, choosing sectstant bottles, Yves Deport and Jean-Philippe padié when I’m there. He has also started a great pop-up with Chef Simon Shand (formerly Haloy) called balls in his HolloWay Road store, distilling the essence of San Sebastián in many sublime Pintxos. Website; Direction
Summer Club
41a Farringdon Street, London EC4A 4an
If you are looking for somewhere as unique but shadowed by a Jack the Ripper tournament without tourists – and a much higher chance of getting a buzz – then a sculpted night in the summer club in Farringdon is a necessity. (Railway arches that seem to be in limbo were once the home of the first off-license.)
Summer here is cured by the wonderful John Baum and his team, who import wine from all over Europe and Australia. They offer bottles from two of my favorite manufacturers, Tenuta Di Carleone from Radda to Chianti, whose “Il Guercio” is a stunning expression of Sangiovese, and Oliver Horiot from champagne – both fantastic examples of beauty and finesse. Website; Direction
Buffet
51 Greenwood Road, London E8 1nt
This small place (can sit about 20 people), which can be found on No Man land between Dalston, London Fields and Hackney, offers a great selection of beautiful wines and craft beers, mainly from French vineyards and beer Local, along with a short menu of snacks to moisten ommbibing. Run by Sylvain Bertozzi, a native of Paris beloved with wine who moved to London and fell in love with English beer and craft culture, Binch reflects the unification of the worlds. Go here for a good price selection of delicious and accessible wines, before you inevitably press on the spurstowe wings on the same path for a pizza with dough and a pint between young people and hip of East London . Website; Direction
Yuki
426 Reading Lane, London E8 1DS
Dena of the industry of injustice. Go to the Yuki bar one night on Sunday and you will find the hospitality industry dinners attacking the basement, with the wild master sommelier yukiyasu kanyko throwing wine. Yuki has worked on some of the best restaurants and wine bars in the world (noma between them) with wine knowledge to match. The rest of the week it offers an excellent menu inspired by the Japanese with a constantly changing selection of natural wines, and always one or two rare killer bottles for true summer heads. If I feel fruit and fried, I like to get into the wines from Jean-Yves Péron i Savoie or champagne by vuette et sorbée. Website; Direction
Goodbye
21 Halliford Street, London N1 3HB
Deeply moved inside the leaf of the city of De Beauvoir is one of London’s hottest addresses in the north. It serves coffee and pastries for days (as a daily journey), and after darkness becomes a wine bar with one of the best natural wine menus around and a great selection of modern European tiles to make the snack. I am a big fan of Caravan Bianco of Masseria del Pino, from Mount Etna in Sicily, who is in the menu here. Space is a beautiful place, with a wooden bar that extends to almost the entire site, and includes a very tasty tannoy hifty system and a giant 1970s broadcast. Perhaps the most unique and beautiful wine hanging in London now. Website; Direction
potion
124 Cleveland Street, London W1T 6PG
This central London institution seems to have unjustly disappeared from the ubiquitous lists of high grass online, perhaps because it has been around for more than a decade and has more brighter, brighter distractions. But this cozy gem hidden in Fitzrovia should not be forgotten. It offers a fantastic selection of wines from mostly small, old world manufacturers, available from glass and bottle, along with simple Italian -inspired foods, from Roman -style artichokes to Gnocchi Sardenas with Oxtil Ragu . There is no fuss, no hype. Just just a classic. Website; Direction
Mark Gurney is co -owner/director of natural wine ahead Levan restaurant and Levan In Peckham
What is your favorite natural place in London? Tell us in the comments below. And follow @Ftglobetrotter on Instagram
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