A fine lunch en route to the Royal Academy exhibition; we tried a wine flight each and loved the experience. I had read about such things but this was my first time – really enjoyable. Each flight comes as a carousel of 3 different wines, themed by style/grape/provenance, with a view to savouring their similarities and contrasts.
Now that’s my kind of edification – check out the March and June menus for an idea of the options.
The quality of the wines and the food was exemplary; everything was delicious and served both graciously and at optimum temperature: Mr T chose oysters and an Alsace flight, taking great glee in the unbidden yet generous bread and butter; I enjoyed a generous helping of potted shrimp with my selection of rosés.
As the wine worked its magic we sank back to enjoy the subtly beautiful decor by David Collins Studio: hand-blown glass pendants in the form of illuminated cocoons, walls wood-panelled horizontally to resemble the interior of a wine case, mosaic-tiled floor and the stunning backdrop to the square bar, an air-conditioned, glass-walled cube lined with wine bottles and LED light strips – a space-age virtual wine cellar.
Tableware too, was a delight. I was especially taken with my water glass (possibly from the Riedel “O” range – so light! so ergonomic!) and liked the olive-wood bread board, our wine glasses, cutlery. I suspect there was even some slate underpinning.
Service was comme il faut, even down to the slightest chill and I’d rather have that than some pup calling me “dear” any day…
Fortnum & Mason 1707 Wine Bar
181 Piccadilly London, W1A 1ER
+44 (0)20 7734 8040
nearest tube station: Piccadilly Circus, Green Park
Gastroplod 