Wine Visit: Vinoteca
Cosy and vibrant, Vinoteca seemingly ticks all the boxes
This is not my first time at Vinoteca. It’s probably my nearest wine bar, and it’s always been a lovely place to go if I’m in the mood for good wine outside my flat. But this week, I paid a visit to properly evaluate just how good of a wine bar it is.
The Chiswick branch of Vinoteca is cosy and intimate. A big difference from their City location, which is massive, ostentatious, and fits perfectly with the finance bro vibe in that area. I definitely prefer Chiswick, the land of latte-meeting-mums and way-too-into-running dads.
I love that Vinoteca regularly rotates their wine offerings on (and off) the menu. The wines are displayed with prices along the bar, giving space to inspect bottles (and yes, buy one based on how funky the label looks). I was strictly sticking to by-the-glass wines, but there were plenty that caught my eye that would perk up seasoned wine lovers. If I had the cash to splash, it would be the Au Bon Climat and Viña Tondonia, both over £80 to drink in. I’m sure there’s costs and VAT to drinking a bottle in the bar, but when you can also see the prices to take them home (nearly 50% less), it’s a bit harder to stomach.
Nevertheless, I started my night with a wine paddle. Vinoteca’s wine paddles are NEVER boring. You get some weird and wonderful wines, some that don’t match your palate, but you never leave feeling like they weren’t worth noting. Today’s wine paddle was Power Grapes, celebrating women in winemaking:
S.A. Prüm Solitär Riesling Trocken
A really lovely riesling! There wasn’t much on the nose, but the taste was laser focused citrus, the acidity filled my mouth and left me wanting more.
Terra d'Alter 'ALF' Alfrocheiro 2022
If there’s fruit in here, it’s hard to find. Massive tannins . I’m glad I’m only have a small sample, a full glass of this would not be a good time for me.
Chateau la Coustarelle Cahors 2018
This is my first time having proper Cahors, the homeplace of malbec. People weren’t joking around when they say Cahors is a difficult wine. Massive leathery and earthy aromas and taste. Fruit is buried so far down I’d need a shovel. But surprisingly, unlike the wine before, the tannins aren’t that bad. It’s pleasant, and lovers of tertiary flavours with enjoy this immensely. But I managed to get joy out of it as well!
I didn’t like every wine in this paddle, but that’s not quite the point. The paddle got me to engage in some interesting wine styles, and gave me an opportunity to try wines that I wouldn’t usually buy. And Vinoteca changes it up every month! last month, they had a natural wine paddle that was weird, wonderful, and funky AF. This gives customers a reason to keep checking back, like I most certainly will next month
There are a couple more interesting highlights of the night. I had a glass of Les Vignes de L'Eglise Vermentino 2022, the cheapest white wine on the list. A great crowd-pleaser, with tropical notes and pleasing finish. It goes to show that you don’t need to break the bank to enjoy great wine.
The other was their orange wine The Vineyard Party, I'm Your Huckleberry 2022. Super delicious and funky in all the right ways, and really sells orange wine. In fact, I was kindly asked if I wanted to sample before buying a glass, as I suspect some patrons didn’t know what they were getting into.
But! Great wine is not the only factor for a great wine bar. Vinoteca in Chiswick is popular because it’s got great food as well, most people that night seeing it as a restaurant. It was heaving with good vibes, good food, and good chat, and for a second you could forget we’re mucking through a cost-of-living crisis. It’s a good time, whether you’re far into you WSET Level 3 course, or just fancy a decent glass of plonk alongside your meal. You’ll always leave with a smile.
Chin Chin,
Your Paddle-Loving, Cahors-Curious, Good-Vibes-Seeking, Wine Reviewer Ben
I'm thirsty, buy me a glass of wine! Your tip goes towards supporting the blog, and is immensely appreciated.
If you'd like to see a specific wine featured, donate the price, message me the wine, producer, vintage, and where to purchase, and I'll get my hands on it and review!