Neleen Strauss, restaurateur, sommelier and co-owner of High Timber

Top London restaurants extend their expertise to diners doors

29th September 2011, 12:39pm

With their incomparable expertise and ability to secure the best prices, sommeliers at top restaurants across the Capital are finding regular customers increasingly turning to them for help buying wines to enjoy at home and building their own personal wine cellars.

Top City restaurant, High Timber and Thierry Tomasin's award-winning Angelus in West London, are just two fine-dining institutions who are advising their regular customers on far more than the restaurant wine menu.

As the sommelier of Le Gavroche for 12 years, there are few more well placed than Thierry Tomasin of Angelus to advise on wine. South African born Neleen Strauss, restaurateur and co-owner of High Timber has also created one of the best wine cellars in London, offering over 40,000 choice bottles, attracting a regular City clientele.

As prices of the popular premium wines such as Chateau Lafite increase due to unprecedented demand from Asia, consumers and restaurateurs alike have needed to look elsewhere for better value alternatives to enjoy.

Thierry Tomasin, award winning Sommelier and owner of Angelus commented: "As the price of the best known wines reach record levels, I have been delighted to see customers coming to me, asking for recommendations and better value alternatives to enjoy at home. In fact, we now often have a small queue of customers at the door most evenings, wishing to buy a bottle of wine from us, for a reduced price, rather than from a standard corner shop off-licence.

"Typically they will have tried something at Angelus with a meal and want to recreate this at home, surprising their own guests. There is such a range of wine out there, it can only be a good thing that people are becoming more adventurous whilst also getting more for their money. You just need to know where to look."

Neleen Strauss, restaurateur, sommelier and co-owner of High Timber commented: "Every year I make the trip to South Africa for High Timber, to pick the finest vintages from the best estates for our discerning City customers. Especially now High Timber has established itself as one of the best wine dining restaurants in the City I have definitely found regular clients are increasingly asking me to pick up cases of their favourite wines I have introduced them to for their personal collections at home. I am delighted to do it."

Click here to submit a comment!

Have your say!

To comment on this article, simply enter your name and email and send us your views. Please note that your comment will appear publicly below this article once it has been processed. For enquiries please email info@eatoutmagazine.co.uk.