London diners opting to spend more on wine

Londoners are choosing to spend more on wine, according to UK restaurant group D&D, which saw the average spend on a bottle increase by 6.5% in December.

D&D, which sells over half a million bottles of wine in its UK restaurants each year, said  that Londoners are increasingly inclined to spend more to try higher quality wines, while diners in Leeds have a “taste for bubbles.”

Restaurants including the Angler, Orrery, Butler’s Wharf Chophouse, Launceston Place and Bluebird all reported more than a 10% rise in average bottle spend over the past year.

The popularity of Champagne and sparkling wine has also increase in popularity accounting for 33% of all wine sold at D&D’s Bluebird restaurant.

Olivier Marie, head sommelier at Coq d’Argent in London, said: “Our guests are increasingly knowledgeable about wine so these days they are more likely to want to pay a little more to try something better and expand their palate.

“I also have no hesitation in putting more obscure wines on the list because people are really keen to discover new regions and producers.”

Further north, sales of Champagne and sparkling wine at D&D’s restaurants in Leeds were proportionally higher than at any London restaurant with Champagne and sparkling wine accounting for 37% of all sales at the Crafthouse and Angelica in the new Trinity Leeds centre.

The popularity of Prosecco has continued, along with well-known brands such as Veuve Cliquot, Moet & Chandon, Laurent Perrier Rosé and house champagne, Devaux.

D&D LONDON was set up in 2006 and now owns and operates 34 restaurants in London, Paris, New York and Tokyo.