New on WLC: La Trompette

La Trompette – Wine List Confidential Score: 91.4

A bold-as-brass wine list – La Trompette

A list that hits the right note again and again. Loads of actually affordable interesting wine here. The Rhône stands out, both North and South, and there’s love for Nuits-Saint-Georges’s Domaine Prieuré-Roch (founded by grandson of Henri Leroy and co-director of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Henry Frederic Roch). The sparkling list is great and Spanish whites are more interesting than in many places. Service and sommelier team are in the top tier.

Under the guidance of Nigel Platts-Martin, La Trompette’s wine offering has always stood out, but it doesn’t rest on its laurels, with some interesting suppliers and relatively moderate prices from top to bottom. A perfectly pleasant organic Carmènere or Jurançon Gros Manseng is yours for just five quid a glass; Trimbach Riesling or Meyer-Näkel Spätburgunder, both less than a tenner. Temptation is trumpeted from all sides.

The old-school classics are generally accessible thanks to careful focus on some of the ‘lesser’ appellations. Margins are generous on three-figure bottles (Château Batailley 2005 for £110 – about £50 retail – for example), but for affordable rewards for your curiosity will come from the Rhône. The list is also beautifully leavened with some of the most exciting new (often organic or biodynamic) producers from around the world.

Looking down this circa 250-reference selection, there’s barely a single listing that doesn’t pique one’s interest.

To view the full La Trompette Wine List Confidential entry, including individual category scores and wine recommendations, click here.

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