86 review

Eighty-Six is the kind of restaurant where you’d expect to find the cast of Made in Chelsea knocking back Martinis, nibbling on a Cesar salad and bitching about their love rivals on a Wednesday night.

So suited is it to the manicured, perma-tanned, braying bunch, that it has featured in various episodes of the “structured” reality TV show as a setting for the cast’s catty confrontations and cocktail-swilling debauchery.

The restaurant, which opened in its current guise in November 2010, is set in a converted, three-story Georgian townhouse at number 86 Fulham Road; a space once occupied by the somewhat less salubrious Cactus Blue on a stretch of the Fulham Road known as The Beach, due to the toned, tanned denizens seen sashaying up and down it in Twenty8Twelve dresses, beige Chihuahuas named Fluffy and Coco peeping out of their “amaze” Louis Vuitton totes.

Founded by posh party boys George Adams and Charlie Kearns, who cut their teeth at tiki nightclub Kukui in Oxford and the Coco Club in Swiss ski resort Verbier, affectionately known as Fulham-sur-neige, Eighty-Six initially lassoed Mark Broadbent of Bluebird fame as head chef, though Frenchman Simon Levy, previously of Koffmann’s at The Berkeley, has since taken over the reins, giving the menu a decidedly French kiss. Stylish modern European food is the order of the day, ticking trend boxes from foraging to retro classics en route.

Venison carpaccio

Despite its somewhat frivolous location, the owners are serious about serving well thought out dishes made with fresh, seasonal ingredients. Prettified by designLSM, the team behind the breathtakingly beautiful Galvin La Chapelle, the three-tiered venue begins with a well-stocked, dimly-lit bar on the ground floor.

An industrial spiral staircase leads to a lounge area filled with framed pictures of besuited, bushy-tailed, tweed-clad badgers, foxes and ferrets, while on the top floor, the gold-panelled restaurant filled with Hollywood flash bulbs is crowned by a mirrored ceiling – add pink Champagne on ice and you have an Eagles hit, and more gold than Michael Phelps’ medal cabinet.

Our buff, bronzed waiter, Cedric Martinez, with glinting brown eyes, raven hair, immaculately clipped stubble and abs you could grate white truffles on, is fresh from LA, having recently caused controversy in reality TV show The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

Striking up a conversation about the besuited animals adorning the walls, Cedric reveals he used to have a ferret called Tequila. My six-foot-seven Finnish dining companion and I begin our meal with an amuse bouche of herb-flecked goat’s cheese on a supermodel-thin bruschetta served with a seasonal strawberry puree. Kudos to the chef for the addition of strawberry, which added welcome sweetness to the salty cheese.

Veal chop

A starter of venison carpaccio, truffle oil, pea shoots and parsnip crisps is indecently moreish, the ruby red, razor-thin slithers of meat umami rich and silky on the palate, enhanced by the crunch of the parsnips and lifted by the earthy aromatics of the salad – like diving into a freshly rained on vegetable patch with a knife and fork.

A sweet and meaty second starter of foie gras, duck rillette and blood orange marmalade teased the taste buds, the audacious addition of marmalade freshening the intensely rich and velvety foie gras, adding zip, zing and citrus zest to the dish, which featured a rogue fold of uninvited ham, while adroitly cutting through the fat.

The wine list is small and perfectly formed, featuring the likes of exciting English white Chapel Down Bacchus, and a selection of Bordeaux classed growths from the notoriously tannic 1986 vintage, including Château Mouton-Rothschild, Haut-Brion, Pichon Lalande, Cos d’Estournel and Leoville Barton.

Mark-ups on the majority of the wines are incredibly fair. I opt for a £38 bottle of the bright, fruit forward Koura Bay Blue Duck Pinot Noir 2010 from the Awatere Valley in Marlborough, New Zealand, which had a lobster rather than a duck on the label and delivered a dense, vibrant, black cherry-filled mouthful, with hints of Oriental spices, licks of salt and a liquorice finish.

Koura Bay Blue Duck Pinot Noir

My main – a swan-white hunk of pan-seared halibut, arrived atop scallop and crab ravioli in a white wine sauce. Though beautifully cooked, I develop food envy at the sight of my companion’s Herculean veal chop glinting in the half-light, its delightfully juicy interior, the colour of a flushed cheek, melting in the mouth.

The accompanying, chunky, chicken salt fat chips are exemplary – crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Green-eyed, I order a bowl of my own while nibbling on a modest but sensational side of sesame-doused Asian veg.

Room must be made for pudding – or, more specifically, for the Brandy apple tart drizzled with vanilla anglaise fashioned into exquisite folds of feather-light pastry that shatters like glass with a delicate tap of the spoon, revealing a base filled with warm toffee sauce so comforting, I’m tempted to ask Cedric for a blanket and a bedtime story.

Instead, he brings me a small glass filled with the golden elixir that is Château Giraud Sauternes 2008, which rewards with a honeysuckle nose and a dried apricot, acacia and peach palate.

Brandy apple tart

At times appearing like a nightclub masquerading as a restaurant, the funky house soundtrack is unapologetically loud, though perhaps this is a thoughtful touch, so the beautiful people merely have to pout and pose in their beloved’s direction rather than converse.

In an apt twist of fate, on my way out I clock Richard Dinan from Made in Chelsea cross-legged at an outdoor table, loafing in suede loafers with a trio of perfectly preened friends. Masked by a mop of blond hair, I glance in his direction and he seems pleased at the recognition, almost as if he’d parked himself by the entrance in a deliberate bid to get laid in Chelsea.

Eighty-Six, 86 Fulham Road, London, SW3 6HR; Tel: +44 (0)20 7052 9620

Sam Neill to open Pinot Noir NZ 2013

Actor turned winemaker Sam Neill will headline the Pinot Noir NZ 2013 conference in Wellington next year. The New Zealand-raised star, famous for his roles in Jurassic Park and The Piano, owns Pinot Noir producer Two Paddocks in Central Otago.

As reported on thedrinksbusiness.com, chairman Alastair Maling MW announced the news as he opened registration for the event, held in the New Zealand capital every three years. “Sam was our first choice and we’re tickled pink because he’ll set the tone of “serious fun” over the four day event,” Maling said.

“Sam isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty – we’re trying to uncover the real work behind New Zealand’s fantastic Pinot Noirs, which have beguiled the world,” Maling said. Pinot Noir NZ 2013 will be the fifth event of its kind. Maling describes the look and feel of the 2013 event as “kiwi laid back elegance”, and is hoping to engage visitors with challenging talk, memorable food and “unbeatable” New Zealand Pinots.

Four days of Pinot workshops will focus on the country’s five major Pinot regions, with confirmed speakers including Jasper Morris MW, Matt Kramer and Lisa Perotti Brown MW. More than 100 producers have signed up to the event, which will take place from 28-31 January 2013.

The conference, supported by New Zealand Winegrowers, was first held in 2001 to explore and celebrate Pinot Noir in New Zealand and has since established a dedicated following. Registration for Pinot Noir NZ 2013 is now open. As reported on Wine and the City last week, Marlborough is emerging as one of the most exciting regions to watch for Pinot Noir, according to a number of the country’s top producers.

Marlborough – the next big Pinot region?

Marlborough is emerging as one of the most exciting regions to watch for New Zealand Pinot Noir, according to a number of the country’s top producers. As reported on thedrinksbusiness.com, Steve Smith MW, founder of Craggy Range, believes the international thirst for Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc has lead to an interest in the region’s fledgling Pinots.

“Not many producers will admit this, but the success of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc has opened the door for Marlborough Pinot Noir. Our challenge will be to ensure that the wines are not devalued by producers pushing a high volume, low margin approach,” he said. Boasting 42% of the country’s Pinot plantings, ahead of Central Otago’s 28%, Marlborough is fast becoming a serious Pinot player.

Displaying a bright, red-fruited style, the quality of Marlborough Pinot has increased dramatically in the past few years, bolstered by the strength of “brand” Marlborough. “Marlborough is coming of age. There’s huge potential for Pinot there, especially in the hillside areas,” wine writer and founder of The Great New Zealand Pinot Noir Classification Matthew Jukes said.

Meanwhile, Tamra Washington, chief winemaker of Marlborough-based Yealands Estate (pictured above), believes the region has a fantastic opportunity to make quality Pinot Noir that will over deliver at every price point. “Due to Marlborough’s size, there is huge potential to make many styles of Pinot – from powerful wines full of dark fruit and spice, to feminine, red-fruited wines,” she said.

Despite its escalating profile, David Cox, director – Europe of New Zealand Winegrowers, is confident that Marlborough winemakers won’t make the same mistakes with Pinot as they did with Sauvignon Blanc in 2008 and 2009. “Plantings and production will be closely aligned with worldwide demand so a balance is retained and prices are kept at the correct level,” he insisted.

Pinot Noir has been instrumental in highlighting New Zealand’s diversity, and is carving out a niche for itself as a solid second to Sauvignon Blanc, despite only accounting for 10% of the country’s plantings compared to Sauvignon Blanc’s 69% monopoly. In the UK, exports are up 24% on a year ago, with a growing depth of distribution in both the on-trade and off-trade. While most Pinot Noir vines in New Zealand are under 10 years old, as the vines mature, the wines will develop a greater ability to age.

“I’m confident that the best New Zealand Pinots are at least a 10-15 year proposition. I can testify that they age well,” Smith said, adding, “I firmly believe that Central Otago, Martinborough and Waipara will be producing the world’s best Pinot Noir, alongside Burgundy, in the next two decades.” Matthew Jukes agrees: “One or two New Zealand Pinots are already at Premier Cru level. We’ve yet to see a Grand Cru wine emerge, but it will come,” he said.

Tamra Washington, Yealands Estate

Wine and the City talks to Tamra Washington, chief winemaker of Yealands Estate in the Awatere Valley in Marlborough, New Zealand, at The Modern Pantry, about the trend for single vineyard wines in NZ, single block Pinot Noirs, the Gruner Veltliner buzz in Marlborough, and why now is an exciting time for New Zealand wine.

Invivo dinner at The Fulham Wine Rooms

Proving that small can indeed be beautiful are Rob Cameron and Tim Lightbourne of Invivo Wines, a boutique New Zealand winery founded by the entrepreneurial pair in 2007. Making wine from both Marlborough and Central Otago, Invivo released its first wine in 2008 and has built up its range to five wines: a Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Rosé and a low alcohol Sauvignon Blanc called Bella, known as "skinny Sav", which is proving incredibly popular with health-conscious women, leading the boys to triple production.

While in town last month, winemaker Rob Cameron (left) showed off his quintet at The Fulham Wine Rooms at a dinner organised by Jimmy Smith of the West London Wine School. Having worked stints in Slovenia, Cyrpus and Moldova, Cameron is happy to be back in his homeland, with business partner Lightbourne – who counts L'Oreal among his previous employers – looking after the marketing.

Conscious of the importance a label can have on a global brand, the pair struck upon a dynamic design; a white eight-point star set against a black background created by New Zealand fashion house Zambesi. But with so many wineries out there, what makes Invivo different? “Hands on marketing, hands on winemaking and a strong belief in the quality of our wine,” enthuses Lightbourne. “We don’t just send a container of product to our export market, we send ourselves as well."

Ensconced in The Fulham Wine Rooms' private dining room, Cameron kicked off with 2011 Bella Sauvignon Blanc, which I was curious to try. The nose displayed all the typical Kiwi Sauvignon aromas you'd expect, from blackcurrant leaf to freshly cut grass, pineapple and passion fruit, while the palate offered mouth-watering acidity and surprising body and punch for a 9% abv wine. Having been charmed by Bella, we moved on to the 2011 Pinot Gris produced in Marlborough. The feminine nose showed exotic aromas of quince, fig, lychee and poached pear, while the unctuous palate offered both texture and clean acidity. To match, we enjoyed an autumnal tartine of aubergine and mushrooms in an earthy, creamy sauce.

For the main event, we moved on to the estate's signature wine, the 2011 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, releasing the inner philosopher in Cameron: "With our Sauvignon Blanc, it's about creating a moment in time in the vineyard." More fragrant than Bella, it had a zingy nose of cut grass, tropical fruit and freshly squeezed lime. Bright and alive, the palate was deceptively powerful, with impressive concentration and lift from the vibrant acidity and herbal notes, which proved a great pairing for the accompanying fillet of cod in a zesty sauce vierge – a virgin sauce made from olive oil, lemon juice and chopped tomato.

Up next was 2010 Sophie's Rosé, named after the founder of Zambesi. A pretty salmon pink, the fresh, summery wine burst with strawberries, raspberries, redcurrants and watermelon. A charming picnic wine, it proved a perfect pair for our pineapple pud. Saving the best till last, Cameron cracked open his 2009 Central Otago Pinot Noir to enjoy with the cheese. By far my favourite wine of the night, its deep ruby colour revealed a meaty nose of forest floor, red berry, smoky bacon and herbal aromas, while the soft, perfumed palate of bright red cherries almost longingly recalled a beautiful Burgundy. Was he aiming for a Burgundian style? "All New World winemakers that make Pinot Noir are aspiring to the heights of great Burgundy," Cameron admits.

Wine aside, both Cameron and Lightbourne take a great interest in art, sponsoring and setting up an Invivo bar at the 2011 Venice Biennale, and nurturing homegrown creative talent, including musicians, fashion designers and their latest discovery; a group of graffiti artists, TMD Crew, at the forefront of the global graffiti scene. Could this mean a daring new label for Invivo's next release? Watch this space...

Video: Patrick Materman of Brancott Estate

Wine and the City caught up with Patrick Materman, chief winemaker of Brancott Estate, at the New Zealand Annual Trade Tasting at Lord's cricket ground yesterday to ask him about the estate's recent name change, his Icon wine project and the newly released sparkling Sauvignon Blanc.