Perfect Wine Dinner: A Quick Guide to "Bring Your Own" Wine
Bring Your Own Wine BYO Wine Fine Wine Blog Michelin Wines
Bring your own wine policies are finding their way into some top London restaurants. Once reserved to cheap snack shops and establishments lacking an alcohol license, top and trendy restaurants are now offering a way for guests to enjoy their favourite wine with a fine meal.
Bring Your Own Wine Etiquette
Many restaurants in London and from around the world (including some reputable Michelin-starred ones) are testing the waters of BYO wine, most of them exclusively offering the service on certain nights (usually weekdays, and most commonly Mondays).You should always check with your restaurant in advance if unsure of their BYO policy, but here are some general guidelines.
BYO Guidelines
It is considered rude to bring a bottle already on the menu. Bring a favourite that the restaurant doesn’t have available (find inspiration further in this article for our own list of BYO favourites). If in doubt, call ahead or check the restaurant’s wine list online if available.Do not bring a cheap bottle – or worse, a boxed wine. It may be considered an insult to the restaurant if you prefer to drink a cheap wine rather than something already on the wine list. For ideas, you should check out our online wine shop here – where you’ll find a selection of some of the world’s best, delivered to your doorstep.
Usually, you will be expected to pay a minor corkage fee unless otherwise stated. The corkage fee covers your wine serving and the rental of the glasses that you will be using.
It is considered good etiquette to offer a taste of your BYO wine to the sommelier, waiter, or manager – whoever is taking care of your wine. Whoever has tasted your wine will be better able to make a food pairing recommendation too.
BYO Wine Restaurants In London
If you’re looking for a BYO wine restaurant in London, you will find our list of favourites below. You should also check out our list of the world’s best wine bars.1. Hix Oyster and Chophouse – most famous for its oysters, this Smithfields upmarket favourite has a BYO policy every Monday. Better yet, there is no corkage fee.
2. Foxlow – every Tuesday, you can bring your own wine to this carnivore’s dream-come-true for a minor corkage fee of £5.
3. Hawksmoor – on Mondays, you can enjoy your own fine wine all day for the minimal corkage fee of £5. Our most recommended dishes are fillet steak or rib-eye.
Top 5 BYO Wine Recommendations
Choosing a meal to pair with your wine can be easy with recommendations from the restaurant’s knowledgeable manager or sommelier. You can also call ahead and mention the wine you are bringing (and its flavour notes) to give them an idea of what to prepare in advance.For the wine, any fine wine such as those from our online shop will do. Some of our personal favourites that you can choose from are below.
1. This Chateau d'Yquem, 2006 – the bouquet of this fine white is full of fresh aromas of pineapple, caramel, coconut, spices, and vanilla, with persistent floral notes throughout.
With a lighter mouth feel, it has a silky texture which caresses the palate. The exploding fruit flavours of lemon and coconut are balanced by a sharp acidic note.2. The Marchesi di Barolo Riserva, 2004 – the bouquet of this ruby red is intense with violet, rose, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Also packed with mint, crème de cassis, tar, liquorice, cola, and cedar, its complexity gives a different taste to every sip.
With a full taste, full body, and soft tannins, the pleasant goudron and truffle are mixing perfectly with the aforementioned flower and spice flavours. The rich density also pairs perfectly with the long, persistent finish.
3. This Chateau Pontet Canet, 2006 – a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit-Verdot, this wine is definitely up there at the top, having strong critical acclaim for its previous four vintages.
It has a very strong nose, bursting onto the palate with graphite, charcoal, crème de cassis, dark fruits, and just a glance of scorched earthiness.
4. The Tignanello, 2007 – this wine is a unique blend of Sangiovese (80%), Cabernet Sauvignon (15%), and Cabernet Franc (5%).
A delightful bouquet and ripe palate of cherries, spices, flowers, tobacco, sage, mint, cedar and minerals provides an exquisite experience, followed by a silky tannin finish.
5. This Chateau Carrades de Lafitte, 2005 – the bouquet of this premium dark vintage is a sweet blend of black fruits, sea salt, and black cherries.
The palate has a balanced concentration and strong memories of toasty black fruits, black pepper, and spices.
Enjoying Your BYO Wine Dinner
You can choose any of the above selections with confidence, as each bottle is deserving of its own chance to impress at your next BYO wine dinner.For further BYO wine recommendations, wine investment advice, or any other questions about fine wine in general, the bespoke experts of Moncharm fine wine will be happy to assist you. Please contact us at any time, and we will respond promptly!
Image source: Skitterphoto
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