The ‘wine friend’ is a curious role to play. It’s never a part you audition for, but is thrust on you by those around you as soon as they hear you speak a bit of French, or you let slip that you understand orange wine.
Soon, you’re typecast in every culinary interaction, and the sight of you holding a wine menu is as commonplace as Seth Rogen with a spliff or Jason Statham with his shirt off. Henceforth, friends will take a cursory glance at the list, raise their eyebrows and say something well-meaning like: ‘Oh, I wouldn’t dare choose, we’ll let the wine expert order’.
I am always loath to call myself an expert, for the simple reason that I don’t believe I am one. Yes, through accumulated knowledge, I can hazard a guess at what most wines on a list will taste like. But by no means have I worked my way through every bottle available in London, lest my liver finally hands in its notice. And for that reason, an in-situ recommendation can often be no more than a very well-informed guess — even for a decorated oenophile.
The trick? Dine somewhere that sources and imports their own wines, such as Noble Rot. I know, I know, it can feel like industry folk (and those who drink so much that they become industry-by-proxy) won’t not stop banging on about Noble Rot, but this is truly because every single thing they do is brilliant. And, you guessed it: this makes being the wine friend exceedingly easy.
You see, typically, an importer will purchase wine from a producer, and will then sell it on to restaurants or wine bars. But Keeling Andrew (Noble Rot’s import business) will buy directly from the grower to sell in their own restaurants. The result? Sub-£12 glasses of wine for broke freelancers (myself included).
This week, I found myself there with another non-contractually-obliged person, taking full advantage of their bargain £22 lunch. He was after a single glass of rosé, and before any requests for recommendations could be made... there it was, in a category of one: a glass of Can Sumoi’s 'La Rosa’ priced at £12. A blend of Catalan grape varieties Sumoll, Parellada and Xarel·lo from winemaker Pepe Raventós (whose ancestor invented Cava in 1872), it’s a pure yet sapid, moreish rosé, with notes of red fruits and Mediterranean herbs. For fans of clean, classic rosé, it’s an easy choice.
At most other restaurants, a £12 glass of Can Sumoi is out of the question — or you’d simply have to buy the bottle. But at Noble Rot, who import their list themselves, anything is possible. There is no ‘wine friend’ discourse required, where I must seek out the perfect glass for the perfect price. Like everyone else, I can just get on with the drinking.
So, my fellow wine friends... take a deep, collective breath and order something nice for youself. After all, you deserve it.
Corker: A Deeply Unserious Wine Book is out now, £16.99 (EBury)
