I've just put a link in to something very funny by Miquel Hudin. Little quote here: "others saw themselves as some new kind of trend setter within the restaurant world, the rockstars coming after the rockstar chefs.There’s something a bit amiss with this premise from the beginning. Sommeliers have not made any of the wines they’re serving. All they’ve done is organize and sell them. Do we ever talk about “rockstar” librarians?" Link also here: https://www.hudin.com/somm-a-decade-on-the-aftermath-of-a-documentary/
Ordering expensive wine at a restaurant is, in my view, a mugs game - better to take the money and buy retail. Often poorly stored as well. As for country pubs, as you say, the soundest approach is to order a pint. Finally, it is an invariable rule that wine bar staff East of Shoreditch know nothing about wine and will try to sell you some fashionable swill whilst being supercilious. Avoid. Drapers Arms is a great pub. Used to live up the street.
We ate recently at The Sportsman for my wife’s birthday. Expensive food which worth every penny and we had a glass of picpoul each. Left sober and very satisfied.
Really good advice. The sommelier in one of our local restaurants this week got very excited when we ordered a Gruner Veltliner (and then a reasonable Rhône) and told us all about the stuff they had that was not on the list but had very reasonable mark ups, including a Sassicaia for not much more than retail.
Just subscribed to your Substack after really enjoying your last book (could have saved me a couple of years of learning if I’d read it first!). This article really made me laugh.
I've just put a link in to something very funny by Miquel Hudin. Little quote here: "others saw themselves as some new kind of trend setter within the restaurant world, the rockstars coming after the rockstar chefs.There’s something a bit amiss with this premise from the beginning. Sommeliers have not made any of the wines they’re serving. All they’ve done is organize and sell them. Do we ever talk about “rockstar” librarians?" Link also here: https://www.hudin.com/somm-a-decade-on-the-aftermath-of-a-documentary/
Oh my goodness, did I laugh with your accuracy! Great morning read this am!
Ordering expensive wine at a restaurant is, in my view, a mugs game - better to take the money and buy retail. Often poorly stored as well. As for country pubs, as you say, the soundest approach is to order a pint. Finally, it is an invariable rule that wine bar staff East of Shoreditch know nothing about wine and will try to sell you some fashionable swill whilst being supercilious. Avoid. Drapers Arms is a great pub. Used to live up the street.
We ate recently at The Sportsman for my wife’s birthday. Expensive food which worth every penny and we had a glass of picpoul each. Left sober and very satisfied.
At this point, given the average quality of London restaurants, I basically pay for someone else to do the dishes and for somewhere nice to sit.
Really good advice. The sommelier in one of our local restaurants this week got very excited when we ordered a Gruner Veltliner (and then a reasonable Rhône) and told us all about the stuff they had that was not on the list but had very reasonable mark ups, including a Sassicaia for not much more than retail.
There's always gems in every list.
Just subscribed to your Substack after really enjoying your last book (could have saved me a couple of years of learning if I’d read it first!). This article really made me laugh.
Ah thank you!