London bar launches ‘Terroir’ cocktail menu inspired by European wine regions

The K Bar inside The Kensington hotel in west London has launched a cocktail list called Terroir that takes inspiration from famous European wine regions.

Created by bar manager Salvatore Maggio and Master of Wine, Anne McHale, each of the 15 cocktails on the list are designed to showcase the characteristics and flavours imparted by some of the world’s top terroirs, from Champagne to Meursault.

Among the wine regions explored within the menu are Alsace in France, Porto in Portugal, the Mosel in Germany and Piedmont in Italy.

Alongside each cocktail is a description of the terroir specifics of the region, including the climate and soil type, the native grape varieties grown there, the types of wine made there, and produce specific to the region, such as olive oil and quince from Jerez, hazelnuts and white truffles from Piedmont, lavender and lamb from the Rhône, and cherries and almonds from Porto.

“I’m delighted to be launching the Terroir menu and can’t wait for our guests to take a taste tour through Europe to sample innovative new cocktails and explore the flavours that are imparted by some of the world’s most celebrated terroirs,” Maggio said.

Dovetailing with the cocktail list, the bar bites menu shines a light on some of the local produce from the revered wine regions, such as Provençal chickpea panisses with ratatouille, and Rías Baixas-inspired padrón peppers with smoked paprika breadcrumbs.

Click through for pictures and recipes of our top ten picks from the new menu.

Rioja 

Taking inspiration from the famed Spanish region of Rioja, the Float On cocktail aims to mirror the fruity character of the wine by blending Bulleit Bourbon, Antica Formula, grapefruit, cranberry, blackberry and almond. It is served with a red Rioja float.

Sauternes 

Taking the French sweet wine region as it cue, the Somewhere in Sauternes shares the exotic fruit flavours often found in the wines from the region, and is made from a blend of Pisco, jasmine, honey, apricot, nutmeg and lime.

Provence 

Paying homage to the wind that blows through Provence, turning the skies a deep shade of blue, the Mistress Mistral is a delicate and floral cocktail made from Belsazar Rosé, Ketel One vodka, thyme, cherry and lavender.

Southern Rhône 

Riffing on the fact that Southern Rhône wines often have an appealing meaty character, the Bakin’ cocktail, a twist on an Old Fashioned, blends Talisker and Auchentoshan whiskies with bacon, thyme and black pepper.

Bordeaux 

Taking its name from the position of the famed French region, halfway between the Equator and North Pole, the 45th Parallel cocktail mirrors the cassis flavours often found in Bordeaux by blending Rémy Martin VSOP, Syrah jus, blackberry, citrus and ratafia. 

Piedmont

Named after the literal meaning of Piedmont, the Foot of the Mountain marries Amaro di Angostura, Ketel One vodka, La Penca, rose and hazelnut, in a nod to the northern Italian region’s abundance of hazelnut trees that are used for the production of Ferrero Rocher and Nutella.

Jerez

Named after the long thin device used for flamboyantly pouring Sherry into tiny copas, the Venencia cocktail aims to emulate the saline flavours found in fino and manzanilla, via Casamigos mezcal, blanco Tequila, rosemary, anchovy and olive.

Champagne 

A twist on classic cocktail the Kir Royale, the Reims Royale aims to recreate the citrus and bready notes found in long lees aged Champagnes by marrying VSOP Cognac with apple ice-wine, apricot, lemon and butter.

Chablis

Inspired by the French region’s Kimmeridgian limestone soils, the Kim Lim cocktail is a tart and refreshing sipper that blends Chablis with Botanist gin, green apple and a saline solution in a hat tip to the wine’s minerality.

Alsace 

And finally… the Take Your Time cocktail is a tropical delight that mirrors the exotic flavours often found in Alsatian whites by marrying Plantation pineapple rum, Plantation 5 Year Old rum, pineapple, ginger, lychee, grapefruit and Fernet Branca.