If you thought everything in Zone 1 nowadays requires frantic upfront booking and a whopping bill, a little under-the-arches wine bar in Coal Drops Yard might just change your mind.
Every month or so, canalside hideaway The Drop – owned by the titans behind neighbouring Barrafina, Parrillan and El Pastor – is hosting a “casual and un-ticketed evening” focusing on a certain wine region or style of wine, with a special dish served on the night to match.
The events are intended to be a sociable way to discover new wines and develop your palate. We swung by this week’s event last Tuesday (21st Feb), which celebrated the charming combo of French wine and warming cassoulet. The interior’s cosy red-brick cavern vibe, dimly lit, suggests it’s been there forever – although, of course, like the rest of Coal Drops, it only opened in 2018.
Wines are available by the glass (from a reasonable £5.75 for a 125ml), or take a flight of four 75ml glasses, as we did, for £22 (which included some very expensive wines). The two whites comprised a dry, easy-going Melon de Bourgogne Muscadet Sèvre et Maine from the Loire, and a crisp, earthy Burgundian Chablis ‘Pargues’ – normally £95 a bottle. We sipped these with a bowl of moreish Torres truffle crisps and shiny green olives.
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Meanwhile, our two reds, the light and juicy Glou Glou (meaning ‘glug glug’) Cabernet Franc from the Loire (£63 a bottle) and Château Macquin’s spicy, full-bodied Bordeaux blend from Saint Émilion (£67 a bottle), paired perfectly with the special dish that was being served all night.
This was a rich, hearty duck cassoulet, the slow-cooked stew traditionally made in earthenware ‘cassoles’ with haricot beans, stock, meat and herbs (a vegan option was also available). A bargain at just £10, the warm baguette on the side, smeared with butter, was delicious too. And fear not, the regular food menu – charcuterie, cheese, oysters – is also available on the night.
What was even better was that our server was gently knowledgeable, able to lend an unobtrusive hand with some tasting notes to look out for in each glass. If you’re a wannabe oenophile, this is a relaxed and civilized way to get out the house on a chilly Tuesday night.
Gasholder were guests of The Drop.
