Wine List Of The Year
Hide
Nearly five years in the making, the Russian-owned Hide was the biggest restaurant opening of 2018 and the next chapter for Ollie Dabbous, one of the UK’s most exciting chefs. The blow-the-budget Mayfair restaurant is backed by the owners of Hedonism Wines, a shop for those that don’t want to hear the word no.
Diners at Hide have full access to what is probably the biggest and most valuable range of wine and spirits of any retailer in the world with around 10,500 bottles via an iPad. A quick tap will see any of these hand delivered to the restaurant within 15 minutes (more valuable wines are carried ‘like a baby’ so as not to disturb the sediment).
Due to the length of the list, customers are encouraged to browse it ahead of their visit and can consult with one of Hide’s many sommeliers if required. In terms of single bottles, the list currently tops out at £72,553.80. If magnums of Romanee Conti aren’t within your budget, there is a surprisingly good choice of bottles under £50 and a smaller list of carefully chosen wines held on site, many of which are available by the glass.
While it’s not exactly pitched at those on a budget, Hide is able to undercut its competitors with wines ordered from the shop charged at their retail price plus £30 corkage. With fine wines in restaurants typically sold for at least double (often closer to triple) their retail price, this policy offers extraordinary value.
The Wine List Of The Year award is sponsored by San Marzano