Wine List of the Year

Super 8 Restaurants do not do things by halves. Mountain was, and remains, an audacious restaurant project: an enormous, multifaceted site in the heart of Soho serving a distinctive menu that deftly blends Welsh and Spanish influences.

Technically a fine dining restaurant, Mountain nevertheless maintains a relaxed atmosphere and an 'order exactly what you want' approach. Guests can just as easily drop in for a glass of wine and a snack as settle in for a full-scale feast - something that cannot be said of many restaurants of similar ambition.

Overseen by Holly Willcocks and Martina Larnach, the Beak Street restaurant's wine list matches both the scale of the operation and its individuality. The list begins as it means to go on, with a champagne selection that would put many far grander establishments to shame. It includes an impressive range of hard-to-find bottles from cult producers such as Ulysse Collin, Cédric Bouchard and Jacques Selosse.

The remainder of the roughly 500-bin list is almost entirely European in focus, built around the theme of 'from the mountain to the sea'. In practice, this means wines from coastal regions, islands and high-altitude vineyards across Spain, Portugal, Italy and France.

It is a wine list that pairs beautifully with the food, of course. The menu is eclectic and thoughtfully constructed, featuring dishes such as beef sweetbreads with violet artichokes; grilled red peppers with razor clams; and a whole lobster caldereta – a traditional Spanish seafood stew served in an earthenware pot. Many dishes are cooked over Mountain's impressive bespoke wood-fired grill.

Brilliantly – and unusually for a restaurant operating at Mountain's level – guests are actively guided towards wines that offer outstanding value. A dedicated Down to Earth section limits bottle prices to a maximum of £50, with around 50 wines to choose from, catering specifically to diners seeking quality without overspending.

Accessibility is further enhanced by an extensive by-the-glass and carafe programme. Guests not wishing to commit to a full bottle can choose from a broad selection starting at entry-level prices, including options such as a Spanish Macabeo/Xarel·lo blend for just £7 a glass. A truly impressive selection of magnums rounds off one of the finest and most distinctive wine lists in the capital.