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Chances are, in these uncertain times, you’ll want to reach for a glass of something soothing at the end of the day, your very own ‘after work’ drinks, even if it is just you and the cat. Zero judgement here.
While supplies on supermarkets shelves are disappearing fast, don’t worry – London’s wine shops and independent retailers are stepping up to make sure you’ll have a steady stream of the good stuff for as long as you need.
The hospitality industry has been hit hard by the current crisis, with ‘temporary’ closures stretching out indefinitely, staff being left unemployed and vulnerable, and businesses that remain open reporting catastrophic losses to revenue. Lots more bars and restaurants are quickly and innovatively reorganising their entire business to handle online orders and deliveries, in the hope of providing food and drink for their customers, and retaining jobs for their staff. They need your support – this is one time when you really can drink for the greater good.
If you want to stock up on a few bottles and support a local, independent retailer, here are a few places to start.
Guilt-free boozing sounds good to me.
Independent Merchants & Makers
Dynamic Vines, Bermondsey
An independent wine merchant with a focus on organic, biodynamic and low-intervention wines, Dynamic Vines is one of the top suppliers to London’s most highly respected restaurants. To make sure thirsty customers still have sommelier-quality wine at home they are offering free delivery to anywhere in the UK on all orders over 6 bottles. Snap up a selection box of ‘House Wines’ of red, white and mixed for £120, or choose your own selection from their list here. Locals can also pre-order and collect from their Bermondsey warehouse.
Ancestrel Wines, Bermondsey
A wine shop tucked under the arches of Bermondsey’s Spa Terminus, Ancestrel specialises in natural wines made by hand by farmers and grape growers of France, Italy, Spain and the USA. Working hard to keep us stocked up on the grape and the good, they’ve put together a range of mixed ‘survival’ boxes. Choose from Italy, Spain, or France with cases starting from £100 + delivery, or enjoy 20% off if you can collect. Orders can be placed via Instagram, their website or email laura@ancestrelwines.com, or via the brand new Natoora app, launching brilliant quality produce previously only available to chefs, where you can add Neil’s Yard cheese and bread from Little Bread Pedlar straight to your door. Sign up for new app here.
Uncharted Wines, online
Innovative and future-focussed – if you’ve ever had ‘wine on tap’ in one of London’s progressive wine bars, chances are it’s come from these guys. While they can’t set up a wine tap in your own home (shame) they can get some great bottles to you, pronto. For the first time you’ll be able to get your hands on wines previously only available in London restaurants, such as Chateau Yvonne from Saumur and bottles by talented winemaker Yann Bertrand in Beaujolais. Delivery across the UK is free for orders over £150, or £15 otherwise, and next day delivery in London is available on orders placed before 12:30pm. Tip: don’t forget to add some Ramona wine tins for the authentic Friday ‘after-work drinks’ feeling.
Specialist Cellars, Brixton
These New World wine warriors based in Brixton have a mouth-watering selection from across New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, and are offering 10% off all first orders. Snap up some crisp Marlborough Sauvignon, organic wine or vegan wine – or if you’re all out of headspace to make decisions then choose from an array of mixed cases starting from £38. Order online to either collect from the Brixton shop or have it delivered to your home.
Blackbook Winery
Keep it truly local with Blackbook Winery, a London urban winery based in Battersea, producing boutique English wines from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay varietals among others. Founders Sergio and Lynsey are currently offering FREE local delivery to those dwelling in SW8, SW4, SW9 and SW11 postcodes, and free delivery of orders over 3 bottles outside of that, with no-contact ‘Door Drop’ services available for anyone self-isolating. Wines start from £17.50, check out the selection online for bottles that look so good you’ll want to keep them afterwards.
Renegade Urban Winery, Bethnal Green
Renegade Urban Winery and Taproom is another of London’s vinous hotspots residing under some railway arches, this time in Bethnal Green. Speaking candidly about how COVID-19 has resulted in an immediate loss of business, founder Warwick Smith has reported a catastrophic 100 per cent fall in orders from trade customers (restaurants and bars), and the overwhelming majority of their total revenue – reflecting the situation being felt across the food, drink and hospitality industry at the moment. Smith says, “We are trying to find out how to stay afloat and pay staff. I can’t bring myself to ever not pay our staff, even if they’re not contracted – they are the most vulnerable ones”. You can support by ordering online.
Offering free next-day delivery on all orders, there’s no minimum amount, and packages can be delivered to your doorstep or left with a neighbour. Orders over £100 for a 10% discount, using code LETSDRINKTHROUGHTHIS. Pick up a bottle of ‘London Sparkling’, ‘Bethnal Bubbles’ or an English Rose, among others, and keep an eye out for online virtual tastings via social media. Bottles start from £24.00.
Bars and Bottle Shops
Quality Wines, Farringdon
The wine shop and bar of Clerkenwell’s inimitable Quality Chop House is now offering wine for delivery, so customers can still get their fill of brilliantly sourced, well-priced artisanal wines. Next day deliveries are available if placed before 8pm, minimum order is £100, and delivery is available to zones 1 and 2, with potential for some zone 3 (delivered by the team themselves in order to help keep the cogs turning). New lists will be released and updated each day, and to inject a bit of lighthearted entertainment into the current situation, co-founder Gus Gluck will be leading online ‘blind’ tastings via Instagram Live. Stay tuned on social media for that (and Gus’s sharing of well-known inspirational quotes such as “Get on up, when you’re down, baby, take a good look around…”). Get in touch via james@thewoodheadrestaurantgroup.com, or gus@thequalitychophouse.com for the current list and to place your orders.
shop.thequalitychophouse.com/pages/quality-wines
Burgess & Hall, Forest Gate
Anyone living in or around Forest Gate, Leytonstone and Leyton areas might be relieved to know that Burgess & Hall Wines are currently compiling their ‘big wine-hug’ wine list which will be just the ticket to see you through any isolation times. The specialist independent wine shop and bar holds friendship and warmth at their core, and want you to feel like you’re stepping into a ‘big wine hug’ when you visit them. So, with this in mind they’ll be bringing this to your doorstep – minus the hug of course! If that sounds good (we can think of worse!) then email info@burgessandhall.com and Rosamund & Paul will be on hand to help.
Provisions, Highbury
North London dealers in excellent cheese and equally excellent wine are offering wine orders (with the option to add cheese and deli goods) for next day delivery on all orders above £85, with an added 5% discount when using the code Provisions2020, or 10% on orders of 12 bottles or more. Take advantage and stock up on some of the wine industry’s favourite producers from across Europe. Simply drop an email to the team on Info@provisionslondon.co.uk for their wine list, and they’ll organise your delivery. Think of it as a wine-and-cheese care package for self-isolation.
Vinoteca, various London locations
London’s OG collection of casual, welcoming wine bars have a whole online shop featuring the same top quality classics and wines from under-the-radar regions that they pour in their bars across town. Put together a few of your favourites – shipping is free for orders over £150 or £12 otherwise, and signing up to become a member will land you some tasty discounts.
