Bottles in Spitalfields Market opened just two months ago, offering a fresh take on the average London wine bar.
What’s so special we hear you ask? Well, the ante is upped with staff carrying a wealth of sommelier experience, each member an expert in their field. Or should we say, vineyard!
Bottles is fronted by two italian business men and owners of the Bottles and Battles wine shop in Mercato Metropolitano. The Sood Family (Sood meaning South of Italy) don the kitchen. They’ve been serving authentic, traditional Italian dishes for many years and one family members previous appointments include senior chef at Nuno Mendes’ Chiltern Firehouse..
Bottles is filled with enthusiasm and grace. My mum and I visited one evening and sat ourselves on the terrace, our backs nicely propped by plump boulster-cushioned seating overlooking the last of the market revellers.
The wine list is, quite rightly, extensive, offering a plethora of tipples by the glass and bottle. Namely Italian, each has its own story and all are supplied by small producers.
Whilst we’ll now claim to be experts in wine – from fermentation to region to flavour – it’s all thanks to our waiter who proved a fountain of knowledge throughout the whole experience. We put on our best sponge and soaked up as much as we could from him. Starting with the notes of a sparkling rose…
The Ettore Germano Rosanna Nebbiolo was light, sharp and certainly set us off on the right foot. Made from the Nebeolo grape from Piedmont – the same grape used in the famous Italian wine Barolo – the sparkling drink is made using the same method as champagne.
We supped alongside the Cacio & pepe rice balls. These were covered in a crispy coating shaved with pecorino and inside a creamy, stringy mozzarella centre took the mm’s and ah’s to another level.
Moving on to our next glass, we took a walk down the Rouge route.
My mum gladly accepted a glass of Primitivo. It was full-bodied with notes of tobacco, chocolate and blackberry. Coming from the Puglia region this tipple is squeezed from the same grape as a Zinfandel. It has a long, smooth finish.
I opted for the Pomerol, a French wine from the Bordeaux region, right bank. It’s a medium to full bodied blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon and went down a treat with my main course, the Spaghetti all’ amatriciana.
A traditional tomato based pasta, oozing with pecorino and scattered with crispy quanciale – an ingredient resembling pancetta (but much better) made from pork cheek. The pasta is made fresh daily in the Sood Kitchen and of course, served al dente.
My mum opted for the Beef bavette, served with thinly sliced and roasted beetroot, hazelnut and dotted with a horseradish cream. I had to try a bite, and wash it down with a sip of her Primitivo which I found to be comforting in taste.
Bottles also host parties for those perhaps better acquainted with the quality of wines from around the world. In the cellar presides a large Chefs table, surrounding it are wooden alcoves stacked with the finest wines from Italy and beyond. Guests can enjoy the Chefs table menu and sample fine wines, some reaching up to £600, whilst enjoying the company of friends, family or colleagues.
To learn more about the wine offerings at Bottles and to sample some impeccable grub by the Sood Family, visit their website here.
67 Brushfield Street
London
E1 6AA
