South London gastro pub The Greyhound has been awarded Best UK Wine List at the 2006 Tatler Restaurant Awards.
The award was picked up by Australian landlord Mark van der Goot, who has gained a reputation within the gastronomic world for his thoughtful and often unusual approach to matching food and wine.
The Battersea-based eatery has a weighty wine list, divided into grape varieties and then by region (Bordeaux is listed under ‘Cabernet blends’). He offers 21 wines by the glass.
The list includes a healthy smattering of obscure bottles such as Swiss Pinot Blanc Auslese, Austrian Zweigelt and South African Zinfandel.
Equally impressive is the ‘Super Rare’ list of top Bordeaux or Burgundy. Those willing to splash out on a four figure bottle might be lured by the 1961 Hermitage La Chapelle Jaboulet Aine at £3,100 or the 1982 Petrus (£2,113).
Van der Goot’s self-proclaimed philosophy is that food must be matched to the wine and not the other way around. ‘When you’re focusing on wine, the simpler the food the better,’ he says.
The Greyhound has now set up a wine club for its more dedicated customers, offering regular tastings and food and wine matching dinners
Other awards saw London’s Ledbury voted restaurant of the year while Gordon Ramsey’s latest venture, Maze, was awarded Best Kitchen.
Best Newcomer was Galvin, set up by brothers Chris and Jeff Galvin as their first venture last year. Antonio and Priscilla Carluccio picked up the Tatler/Louis Roederer Lifetime Achievement Award.
• To read an indepth profile of The Greyhound, see the March issue of Decanter (due out on 1 February).
Written by Libby Banks
