Edonism Wines London mani con vino

London, a city full of youngsters who desire great wines

Here wine means wine market at an International level, Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers, sommeliers, wine writers, bloggers, wine shops, luxury restaurants

Seen for you by Donatella Cinelli Colombini

My husband Carlo Gardini and I are in London for the wine tasting of our importer Ellis of Richmond and this gives us the opportunity to discover many things which we will now share with you.
We go into one of the buildings of the new economy, One Canada Square, the 4th highest skyscraper in London. Beautiful receptionists in the lobby, a security system similar to the Bank of England and in the offices where we meet the owners of Humble Grape- a situation which you might expert at Apple or Microsoft: open space offices, common areas where young people communicate via iPad. Someone explains that this is one of the spaces that the Government has given for start ups that use new

technologies.

What we are told also seems to come from science-fiction: the creation of a restaurant with wine shop though the offer of the project via web. As if to say from virtual to real. From the windows the panorama is fantastic it is also possible to see The Shard, a pyramid of glass which changes colour according to the sunlight.
Hedonism wines in Chelsea, is surrounded by shops for Rolls Royce Bentley and Jaguar and this creates in us great expectations, but

inside things are even better. A collection of Chateau d’Yquem starting with bottles that cost 100.000£ each, magnums of Petrus, entire series of Margot, Latour, Lafite … you have no idea of where to look, and then the works of art: outside is the mouse door, underground the ghosts room, a cave where vine shoots in moving catch bottles, and another where tens of hands made by different artists.

Not too far away Hakkasan the best Chinese restaurant I have ever been to – and it must be said that I have been in the best

restaurants of Beijing – And believe it or not they serve 800 meals a day! Three of the sommeliers are Italian and one of them, Riccardo Marcon, is a fantastic taster and has received an award as best of his course. I would not be surprised to see him among the Masters of Wine in a few years time. I carry out the tasting of my wines in front of 9 guests and they tell me every week the whole staff, dining and kitchen, taste the wines matched with food … this approach is exceptional, there’s no two ways about it , London is way ahead.!
The Ellis of Richmond tasting is at the Vintners’ Company, a club which groups together the

owners of the largest companies who sell wine (such as Ellis) since 1437. It is one of the oldest businesses in London, rebuilt after the 1666 Great Fire. The façade dates to the beginning of the 20th century, monumental furnishings with fireplaces, carved cabinets climbing up the walls as far as 4 metres high, enormous crests, flags, paintings…. The main hall is reserved for French wines, but there are wines from all over the world. There are few of us Italians, but all friends. Next to me there is the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano by Susanna Crociani and a little further away

Chianti Classico from the Castello di Vicchiomaggio. 500 guests arrive, some of which are really really important.
I like the new London. When I came when I was younger it was very Victorian, very British and pollution black, while now it is bright, technological, multiethnic, and full of youngsters, not much traffic and a tube which permits you to go everywhere rapidly and at any time of day and night. The signposting is also perfect, if you do get lost it means that you are daydreaming, and that can be case, its easy to understand……….here there is just so much to see.