Top wines in London restaurants by region

Using data compiled by Wine Picker, the drinks business presents the top 15 wine regions represented on London’s wine lists, with the Old World still exerting significant influence.

Wine Picker, founded by Josselin Guibert and Julien Sahut, compiles its data by uploading all of the wines from 560 of London’s major restaurants.

More than 41,000 different labels are then recorded, categorised and capable of being analysed by wine region or wine style, for example.

The Wine Picker app allows users to search through this data, as well as find restaurants nearby, get wine pairing options within their budget and record their tasting notes.

The app is available to be downloaded via the App Store or Google Play.

Commenting on the results of his findings, Guibert said that the results are skewed by large wine lists stocking a “huge amount of premium Burgundy wines that do not move very often”.

However he notes that this remains interesting, owing to that fact that despite restaurant closures and rising wine prices, restaurants are stocking more premium wines (priced over £150).

Wine Picker has also partnered with the drinks business to launch a new London-based research company called Restaurant Analytics, providing wine producers, brand owners and distributors with the chance to obtain an overview of their position in the UK on-trade.

Whether it’s wines in UK restaurants by region, as is discussed here, or more overall market performance and trends (such as US Chardonnay or English sparkling wine), Restaurant Analytics can offer support. To find out more, please click here.

Scroll down for the top 15 wine regions present on London’s wine lists.

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15. Marlborough, New Zealand

Such is the demand for New Zealand wine, particularly its Sauvignon Blanc, that a wine list is now rarely without one. Marlborough, located on New Zealand’s South Island, is by far the largest wine region, with two thirds of all plantings.

Wines from Marlborough account for 2% of the total share, a percentage that has remained stable. The region is divided into two main valleys – Wairau and Awatere – and as well as Sauvignon Blanc, is also home to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling and a little Gewurtztraminer.

14. Coastal region, South Africa

Just ahead of Marlborough is South Africa’s coastal region, which encompasses the districts of Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Paarl, Franschhoek Valley, Darling, Swartland, Tulbagh and Wellington. Accounting for around 45% of the area under vine in South Africa, it produces only 25% of its wine, due to lower yields achieved here compared to other regions.

Also accounting for 2% of the total share of wines on London wine lists, it is the only South African region that makes the top 15.

13. Languedoc-Roussillon, France 

Languedoc-Roussillon is the first of six French wine regions to appear in the top 15. With around 240,000 hectares under vine, it has long been a source of good value and modern styles of French wine from appellations including Picpoul, Minervois, Pic Saint-Loup and Côtes du Roussillon-Villages.

It accounts for 2% of the total share of wines on London wine lists, a figure that has remained stable, according to Wine Picker.

12. Piedmont/Piemonte, Italy

The first of three Italian wine regions to grace the top 15, Piedmont in north west Italy is the home of grapes including Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto, Cortese, Muscat and Arneis grown in the likes of Barolo DOCG, Barbaresco DOCG, Barbera d’Asti DOCG, Dolcetto d’Alba DOC, Cortese di Gavi DOCG, Roero Arneis DOCG and Moscato d’Asti DOCG.

It accounts for 2% of the total share of wines on London wine lists, again a figure that has remained stable.

11. South Australia

South Australia is the country’s largest wine-producing state by volume, producing nearly 50 per cent of the national grape crush. Its major regions include the Barossa Valley, Eden Valley, Adelaide Hills, Clare Valley, McLaren Vale and Coonawarra, producing full-bodied reds from Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache, plus Sauvignon Blanc, and lime-scented Riesling from the Clare Valley. It is also home to irrigated high volume production region Riverland.

It also accounts for 2% of the total share of wines on London wine lists.

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10. Rioja, Spain

The only Spanish wine region in the top 15, wines from Rioja have long been dominant in the UK. Singling out red wines present on London’s wine lists, Wine Picker found that Rioja accounts for 61% of them. However, when all wines are taken into account, it represents just 2% of London’s wine lists.

One of Spain’s two DOCas, Rioja is 100 km long and runs alongside the path of the River Ebro. Divided into three main regions – Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental – around 91% of plantings are devoted to red grapes including Tempranillo, Garnacha and Graciano. White varieties include Viura (Macabeo), Tempranillo Blanco, Malvasia and Garnacha Blanca.

9. Loire, France

The fifth most popular French wine region, according to Wine Picker’s list, the regions of the Loire Valley follow the course of France’s longest river. Producing a range of styles including dry, off-dry and sweet whites, traditional method sparkling wine and light to medium-bodied reds, there is plenty on offer for sommeliers.

The Loire accounts for 3% of wines on London wine lists, a figure that has remained stable, according to Wine Picker.

8. Veneto, Italy

The popularity of Veneto is in large part down to the two ‘Ps’: Prosecco and Pinot Grigio. The region, however, is also home to Valpolicella and Soave – two neighbouring districts, each with a ‘classico’ sub-region, producing fresh, pear-scented Garganegas and rich, concentrated Amarones.

Veneto also accounts for 3% of wines on lists, however this figure has fallen from earlier highs.

7. Mendoza, Argentina

By far the largest wine producing region in Argentina, Mendoza accounts for 75% of the country’s area under vine and two-thirds of its total wine production. Over 60% of plantings are Malbec. It is famous for its high altitude vineyards – rising over well over 1,500 metres in certain areas particularly in the Tupungato sub region of the Uco Valley.

The only Argentine region represented, wines from Mendoza account for 3% of lists, a percentage which has decreased.

6. Tuscany, Italy

Tuscany in central Italy is primarily known for its reds made from Sangiovese as well as international varieties (where permitted) such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Home of Chianti and its various DOCGS, as well as Brunello di Montalcino DOCG,Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG and Bolgheri DOC, the region has also spawned Super Tuscan labels Sassicaia, Ornellaia, Masseto and Tignanello.

Tuscan wines account for 4% of wines on London’s wine lists. 

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5. California, USA

Moving into the top five, it is California, the largest wine producing region in the US, which takes the fifth spot. Responsible for the production of around 80% of all wine made in the country, wines are grown from Mendocino County in the north right the way down to the South Coast AVA which extends to the border with Mexico.

Top grape varieties include Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, and Merlot. Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are by far the most planted varieties, both accounting for just under 40% of the state’s grape plantings.

Californian wines account for 4% of those on London’s wine lists, a percentage that is on the rise, according to Wine Picker.

4. Rhône, France

After California, the top four regions are dominated by just one country: France. First up is the Rhône Valley, which is divided into two vine growing regions separated by a gap of around 30 miles.

Home to the vast Côtes du Rhône AOC, the Rhône Valley is also known for wines from the famous appellations of Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie (Northern Rhône) and Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas (Southern Rhône). 80% of the wine produced in the Rhône Valley is red, 13% rosé and 7% white.

Wines from the Rhône Valley account for 5% of those on London’s wine lists, a percentage which is also on the rise, according to Wine Picker.

3. Champagne, France

Champagne, located in north east France and home to the traditional method sparklers of the same name, is the third most popular wine on London’s wine lists. This, as Guibert states, is partly due to restaurants listing a large number of rare bottles on their lists.

Champagne accounts for 8% of the wines on London wine lists, however this figure is falling, according to Wine Picker. Champagne shipments to the UK have fallen, although this primarily affects lower-priced, often own-label offerings. The declining figure could be due to restaurants retaining their high value Champagne, but replacing fizz at a lower price with other sparkling wines from around the world.

2. Bordeaux, France

Just behind Burgundy, Bordeaux is the second most popular region on London’s wine lists, representing 10% of all wines. This figure, according to Wine Picker, is rising.

Nearly 90% of the plantings in Bordeaux are black grapes, while the production of AOC wine is 85% red, 10% dry white, 1% sweet white and 4% rosé.

1. Burgundy France

Despite increasingly eye-popping prices for its top wines, Burgundy is the region most represented on London’s wine lists, accounting for 12% of all wines on lists. The wine region (excluding Beaujolais) boasts 84 appellations, including 33 grands crus, 44 village appellations and 7 regional appellations.

High land prices, combined with strong world demand and low volumes, have led to substantial prices increases, with Liv-ex’s Burgundy 150 Index showing that prices have risen by 200% between 2003 and 2016. Total production in Burgundy is around a quarter of that in Bordeaux. However, the percentage of Burgundian wines on London lists is rising, according to Wine Picker, suggesting that restaurants are investing in more top-end wines, and are perhaps also searching for more affordable alternatives from less well-known appellations.