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What to drink at Vining Street Wine Club
Brixton’s newest wine bar claims to offer an oenological experience “without the bullsh*t” – owner Tom Grater tells Louis Thomas what this means, and what to expect on the list.
“Historically the world of wine has carried a sense of pretentiousness and exclusivity,” argues Grater, “we want to be the opposite of that. Enjoying good, varied wine is for everybody, and we want all of our customers to feel comfortable being in our environment, and enabled to ask as much or as little about the wines as they’d like. The core principle of our tasting events is ‘there are no stupid questions’.”
Grater is also the founder of Crystal Palace Wine Club, which opened in 2021. Asked about how this new project will set itself apart from this site and other wine bars south of the Thames, he says: “South London doesn’t have enough wine bars to worry too much about setting apart. Brixton has some lovely wine and food spots, and we’re joining that community with a commitment to showcasing 100+ delicious wines, alongside a simple, high-quality food offering.”
He succinctly describes the list as “varied”, with a global wine selection “encompassing every style all the way from classics to natty oddities, and from affordable weekday drinkers to premium, special occasion bottles”.
“Because we have our own import company, we are able to curate a selection that even the most dedicated wine fans should find surprising and exciting,” he adds.
Vining Street Wine Club is both bar and bottle shop, with a £15 flat fee to drink anything from the shelf inside.
“That means our markup on top end bottles is very low,” explains Grater. “If you want to drink in a magnum of Andre Jacquart Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs Champagne, which retails at £110, it will cost you £125.”
That particular fizz also happens to be the most expensive bottle in stock at present, though he reveals that, at the moment on the other end of the price spectrum, there is a French blend of Chardonnay and Viognier available for just £14.
When it comes to unusual inclusions on the list, Grater plumps for the offerings of one Southern Spanish producer in particular: “From Bodega Forlong in Andalusia we import some exceptionally ‘out-there’ wines which we absolutely love, such as their 80/20 orange wine, which is Palomino aged on Pedro Ximénez skins, and their Mon Amour Baja, which is Palomino made like a White Burgundy.”
For those who aren’t up to a bottle (or want to try something else in addition to one), Vining Street Wine Club also promises a regularly-changing by-the-glass offering, with the constant inclusion of a home-grown wine too: “We’re aiming to curate a selection that can cater to any given taste on the night, from light easy-drinkers to big, bold, special wines, starting from £7 a glass. We’re planning to always have an English sparkling on by-the-glass, which we’ll change every week.”
“We also have two Coravin specials, at the moment those are the Yarra Yering 2021 Chardonnay and the 2017 Dry Red No.2,” he shares. “When it comes to natural wines, which comprise roughly one third of our selection, crucially they must not go mousey overnight!”
As for what to nibble on when you’re enjoying a bottle, the cheese selection will give many a monger a run for their money.
Picking his own personal wine and cheese pairings, Grater says: “Always Comté, always 18-months aged, and it goes with everything, but let’s say Black Chalk’s 2021 Classic Cuvée. And then Fourme d’Ambert with Duckhorn’s Canvasback 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, and Dorstone Goat’s Cheese with Pecavi’s 2017 barrel-aged Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc.”
Although there is also the promise of weekly food specials, he clarifies that the team “don’t cook per-se as there’s no kitchen on site”.
The food that will be served is, like the wine list, reassuringly BS free: “We’re always sourcing seasonal cheeses, lovely nibbles like boquerones, and delicious treats such as pâté en croûte. Come Christmas we’ll buy in an entire wheel of Gorgonzola Dolce which we’ll serve by the ice cream scoop.”
Grater also reveals that there are hopes to do supper clubs and pop-up food residencies at the bar, located at SW9 8QA, in the future.
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