New on Wine List Confidential: OXO Tower

Built as a power station, turned cold store for stock cube makers OXO, when it brazenly added illuminated windows shaped as the OXO logo to the now iconic tower to circumnavigate laws against conventional signage, the OXO Tower Wharf is now home to OXO Tower Restaurant, Bar and Brasserie, which features a list that will be familiar to anyone who has popped into the wine and spirits department of Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge.

Here, bartender turned Sommelier, Diego Muntoni, and his eight-strong team of sommeliers aim to have a wine from the Harvey Nichols portfolio, from top-tier, rested Bordeaux to Brazilian Chardonnay, and new-wave South Africans, to sate every palate and occasion, ‘ensuring our guests an exceptional wine experience.’

Prior to joining OXO, Muntoni dedicated 12 years of his life to Harvey Nichols, “developing my wine knowledge, gaining the WSET diploma and winning a WSET scholarship along the way”.

The rotating by-the-glass selection runs between 40-60 bottles thanks to Coravin, ‘including some very interesting white Nuits-Saint-Georges Blanc, and the guests’ favourite, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Charbonnière.’ Other options may include Kistler, Chardonnay and Fontodi’s Flaccianello della Pieve from magnum. Indeed, big bottles are a big deal up here.

Given dining here can feel quite celebratory, it is little surprise to encounter such an ample Champagne selection, especially so for vintage expressions. Hence the presence of Bollinger Vieilles Vignes Francais, Jacques Selosse, three vintages of Cristal Rosé, and 1989 Krug in magnum. ‘However, we have gradually increased our range of English sparkling wines, including our own label Brut and Brut Rose. There is a bright future for English Sparkling as sales are increasing and new brands are entering the market.’

Indeed, the total number of English wines currently approaches 30 bottles, including still whites and reds. Hence, dishes by long standing Executive Head Chef, Jeremy Bloor, who likely does not rely on OXO cubes, may include slow-cooked suckling pig with mushrooms, parsnip and mustard purée, Brussels sprout leaves and crackling crumbs with Stopham Vineyards’ Pinot Gris, or lamb loin with cumin-scented quinoa, chestnut gnocchi and goat curd with Gusbourne’s Pinot Noir, culminating in an OXO Chocolate Plate with Noble Harvest from Denbies.

Overall, given the crack wine team and an expertly curated selection of 800 bins, dining here is to gaze through an OXO shaped window onto the world of wine in all its glory.

To see the WLC position and scores for this review click here

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Restaurants are graded on a 100-point scale based on five criteria: size, value, service, range and originality. For a full guide to London’s best wine lists visit winelistconfidential.com

the drinks business published the inaugural 2017 Wine List Confidential: One to Sixty-One guide last year. We are currently working on a new 2018 edition and are busy re-reviewing top-scoring restaurants and adding new entries to the database. Check back later in the year for final scoring and position of restaurants.