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What to drink at Boxcar Bread & Wine

28 October 2024 By Louis Thomas

Boxcar Group’s latest opening is a café, bar and restaurant in Marylebone’s Connaught Village. db gets the lowdown on the wine list from general manager George Collyer.

The 7 Kendall Street site promises farm-to-table dining and, as one part of the Bread & Wine name suggests, a bakery – but perhaps more exciting is the second part.

“Our wine list is comprised mostly of classic cuvées with some interesting modern expressions thrown in the mix,” reveals Collyer. “We strive to source the majority of our wines from producers who practice biodynamic and sustainable processes. The aim with the list was to make it approachable and easy to navigate while still offering some intriguing & unusual bottles. The list is structured with wines descending in order of body and character, going from light and crisp to full and rich.”

One such intriguing, perhaps even polarising bottle is not necessarily divisive because of what it is, but rather due to how it is served.

“American Recordings, Pinot Noir 2021 is an Oregon Pinot Noir made with grapes grown in Willamette Valley by the wine makers at Field Recordings in California,” he shares. “What started out as a single estate, single barrel project has become a huge hit and continues to deliver new world energy with old world class. Super light red berries with soft oak and pepper, we serve this red wine chilled by the bottle only. A bit controversial to put a chilled red on the list coming in to the winter months but I feel the peppery and earthy notes combined with the super fresh and light red berries make it such a compelling wine for those looking for something different to their regular drop.”

The by-the-glass selection also features some wines which might surprise, including what Collyer promises is an “absolute belter” of a Gewurztraminer in the form of Banyan, from Hobo Wines in Monterey County: “A slight amount of residual sugar brings wonderful roundness to this aromatic and punchy wine. Expect a full smack of ;ychee and green apple coming off the palate with some fresh cut soft herbs.”

He also suggests the Domaine du Vieux Pressoir Puy-Notre-Dame 2015, a Cabernet Franc hailing from the Loire: “Really benefitting from time in bottle the Cab Franc has mellowed and become silky smooth whilst still holding a lot of weight. Aromatic, dark berries and vanilla, it is a very pleasurable wine to drink.”

Two English wines also feature on the current iteration of the list. One, Roebuck Estates Classic Cuvée 2018, is described by Collyer as “a fantastic expression of English sparkling with a lovely mousse fit for any occasion, on its own or with food”.

The second, a still single varietal Pinot Blanc from Sussex-based producer Sov’ran: “It is very well made, having aromas of ripe stone fruits with medium body and holds up well against mature hard cheeses and creamy seafood.”

The food side will be handled by Greek-born chef Zisis Gkalmpenis, though his Hellenic heritage has not been represented in the wine list just yet.

“Chef Z came onboard as Head Chef for Bread & Wine quite late into the project so haven’t had much time to work on pairings for our current all day menu. We will be working closely as we develop the evening menu, which we hope to launch late November and who knows, maybe there will be some Greek wines making their way on to our list,” says Collyer.

Another work in progress is the dinner menu, due to be launched in November, with all day menu also “still evolving”, though a press release on the restaurant promises food which “celebrates the finest British meats and seasonal produce”.

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