London’s best wine list? In a city that has, in the past 20 years, developed one of the most exciting and diverse dining scenes in the world, that’s quite a claim. But for sheer range of offer, and the obvious care and attention put into constructing it, L’Etranger is most certainly a contender—and worthy, too, of a place on the shortlist for The Best Wine List in Europe.
What makes the list stand apart from comparably lengthy compilations is the palpable feeling you get while reading it that it’s been assembled by wine-lovers, as opposed to mere box-tickers. There are big names here, to be sure, collections of vintages from the likes of Dom Pérignon and Salon; Coche-Dury and Henri Gouges; Haut-Brion and Cheval Blanc. But as might be expected from a restaurant that has earned plaudits for a menu inspired by the diverse culinary traditions of France and Japan, the list is attractively international, taking in the greats of California, a vertical of Lebanon’s Château Musar, and a fine list of Australians, as well as the best of classical France and Italy and a fine spread of sweet and fortified wines. An inclusive, extensive delight.