Navigating a wine list
ft. Mountain
This is a topic I get asked about constantly! I tried to be clever and come up with an acronym to help you every time you have a wine list in your hands. Sadly, I have no vowels to play with so here are my top tips for navigating a wine list in long form:
Pre-look. I always have a glance through a restaurant’s wine list before I visit. Why? Firstly, I’m intrigued, secondly, I can have a look at price points, pre-sitting down, to accommodate the budgets of who I’m eating with. Thirdly, and most importantly, so I don’t spend the first ten minutes looking through a list rather than catching up with my friends, as this is the best bit, the flurry of excitement that you’re all together in a cool place.
Connection. Even for complete novices, try and centre yourself where you feel comfortable. Eg. If you’ve recently been to Tuscany and enjoyed the wines there, perhaps go for a wine from that region. Sentimental connections to wines are real so don’t shy away from them!
Grape varieties. While a lot of wines, particularly from Europe, might not specify the grape the wine is made from, a lot of wines do. When I’m looking at a list, I’ll look for grape varieties I enjoy. Eg. Chenin Blanc and Pinot Noir. Getting to grips with grapes is a relatively easy way to start working out what you like.
Price. This is tricky and getting harder with increased costs across all restaurants. I don’t want to sound like a grandma but I remember when a cheap and cheerful bottle of Soave from Pizza Express was £15 now it’s £23.95 (no shade on Pizza Express. What an institution). A lot of the time I’ll go for the cheapest bottle on the list, particularly if I’m in a group of four or more. Life is for living and having ‘another bottle’ exemplifies this, you don’t want to worry about the bill. Or, start with something more interesting/a wine you like that’s a bit more expensive and then go onto something cheaper.
Mix it up. I like to change it up with the style of wine I order. Eg. I might start with a bottle of sparkling at the beginning and then move onto a red later on. You might disagree but I often find cocktails in (most) restaurants a bit of a waste of time/money so go for a cool bottle of fizz. There are some great Cremants out there that are less of a sting on the bill than Champagne.
Corkage. This is when you’re allowed to bring your own wine to a restaurant for a price decided by the establishment. Corkage price per bottle varies between £15-£50! Some places will specify how many bottles you can bring and some won’t allow it. If you have a special bottle at home why not ring the restaurant beforehand and ask if they have a corkage policy? I do this a lot but I wouldn’t recommend bringing a bottle of Campo Viejo or Yellowtail…it’s a little insulting, especially if it’s the type of place that’s ‘into wine.’ Ask me if you’re confused!
Hotline Grape. If you’re going to a restaurant and want a few recommendations, send me a note before you go and I can have a flick through the list. I am here to help so get in touch!
Also…….
I went to Mountain last month. There was a lot of hype around ‘the new Brat’ when it opened in September but I’m pleased to say it’s genuinely really really good. I arrived ready to be critical. Would the service be patchy? Would the food be underwhelming? Would the music be too loud? Mountain exceeded my expectations.
The new restaurant on the scene is always ripe for criticism but Mountain is already a well-oiled machine. It’s a big restaurant with a roomy ground floor and big downstairs area too. They must be doing a 100 covers at least, twice a day. The place hums as you open the doors and a quick glance at the decorative empty wine bottles, you know Mountain is as into wine as it is food. I would recommend reserving a table on the ground floor, as I thought the vibe was a tiny bit nicer up there, plus I like looking at the open kitchen but downstairs is pretty great too.
The menu is enticing with highlights including: raw sobrasada with honey (so good we ordered twice), beef sweetbreads, cured dairy beef (melts in your mouth), and pork collar. I preferred the starters to the more meat focused main dishes but that’s probably my palate. Big shout out to the side of all sides: little gem lettuce with anchovy (looks easy to replicate but I bet it’s not).
Everything was delicious, simply presented and for a restaurant of this size, each plate was delivered at exactly the right time (don’t bring everything all at once!). They have clearly got the best of the best working there.
On the wine front, I brought my own bottles as I had emailed before (a must) and enquired about corkage. £25 a bottle was the price I was given but double check before you go. This makes such a difference when the bill arrives. They do have a concise, interesting wine list so if I were to order from there, I would have been tempted by:
White: Amoterra Verdiccio 2022, Marche, Italy - £37 per bottle (Verdiccio has an oily texture that will go really well with the menu)
Red: Clos Culombu, Tribierra Rouge 2021, Corsica - £44 per bottle (I never see Corsican wine on UK wine lists!)
A glass of Leclerc Briant Champagne NV at £16 per glass would be a great way to kick things off. Leclerc Briant are the leading figures in biodynamic winemaking. They are successfully making crisp, linear champagnes. Delicious.
Have you been to Mountain yet? If yes, let me know your thoughts. Also, I promise to take more pictures next time!
It's in my free time that I research interesting grape varieties, taste new wines and travel to wine regions. My mission is to keep sharing these adventures and discoveries with you for as long as possible through this newsletter. If you’d like to support me, you can donate any amount via the button below. I’d be forever grateful.