Dynamic double
What do you get when you put Nigel Sutcliffe and Matthew Bradford together? You get Think Drink (020 7631 0088). The ex-Fat Duck general manager and former Image Restaurants wine buyer have teamed up to create a new wine business. "It's more of a club," explains Sutcliffe, who has been building it up slowly since October 2002. "We can buy wine for any individual, but also buy from source." Their thing - wines from small independent producers too small for most agents to bother with.
They've sourced wines exclusively from Spain and the South of France though to Chile, California and Australia - one of Bradford's current favourites, for example, is a McLaren Vale Shiraz he discovered recently from Linda Domas, called Egidio. They also buy wine through UK agents. "It gives us the opportunity to put the right wines on the right wine list. We know what sells," they declare.
Sutcliffe and Bradford got together before Christmas. For those who aren't familiar with the pair, they have palates to be reckoned with. While at the Fat Duck, in Bray, Berkshire, Sutcliffe built up a multi-award-winning wine list, while Bradford broke new ground with his selections for the larger, more fashion-conscious style of operation (Image Restaurants includes Circus, Avenue and Kensington Place). In short, they know their stuff.
There's a consultancy side to the business, too, and the pair have teamed up with Oxfordshire restaurateur and hotelier Jason Hunt to open the Crazy Bear, which opens in London next week. The site, a former Thai restaurant in Whitfield Street, has 85 seats in the restaurant and 65 seats in the basement bar, an Oriental-inspired kitchen, and a wine list with 250 bins. "We're going to try and offer as many wines by the glass as possible," Sutcliffe says.
It's Bradford's job, though, to train up the staff so they can confidently sell around the list. Though the menu is pan-Oriental, it's still heavily influenced by Thailand, so what wines are we talking about here? "As long as it's not too acidic, or tannic, you can have just about anything,"Sutcliffe reckons. "We've gone for slightly more fleshy Sauvignon Blancs, for example, and rich, soft reds - Spanish Tempranillo is fantastic." Can't wait. n
| ShortsVery new Spain If you want to know what Spain is up to right now then make time to visit a new event from Wines from Spain called the Wines from Spain Exporters Fair, which takes place on Monday 15 March at the Park Lane hotel, London, from 10am to 4pm. There will be 50 stands with 250 wines all looking for distribution. Over at the Royal Horticultural Halls on 16 and 17 March at the Wines from Spain Importers Fair, more than 1,500 wines will be offered. For an invitation and more information, call 020 7467 2330.Smartie pants Until the end of the month, the Bluebird bar in the King's Road, London is offering a special menu of cocktails created with a rather unusual range of infused vodkas, in partnership with Absolut. Bluebird bar manager Chris Sheldon's creations include vodkas infused with Smarties, chilli and coriander, liquorice, jellybean, and orange and raspberry, all at £5.95. Shaking it up Russian vodka giant Stolichnaya and the UK Bartenders Guild (UKBG) have hooked up to offer bartenders across the country the chance to compete in the UK's biggest cocktail contest with a total prize of £22,000 up for grabs. Entrants must create an original cocktail, using up to six ingredients with Stoli being the main spirit, served in a martini glass. Judges will be looking for creativity, flavour and originality. Regional heats will take place in Edinburgh, Manchester, Nottingham and London during the last week in April and the first three weeks in May, with 24 going through to the final, to be held in London in June. For full details, contact Lucy on 0870 770 0707 or |
