After visiting The National Gallery we needed to sit down and cool down. Yelp pointed us to a nearby winebar, Terroirs. California Girl and I sat at the bar and looked at their intriguing list of wines by the glass.
California Girl comments: Looking at art is thirsty work and we really needed some liquid refreshment. The Brit with his ever trusty Google found us just the right spot near by to the museum.
We both started with a cool, refreshing glass. I went with Vinho Verde, a favourite style for me since I lived in Portugal in the late eighties. California Girl picked a rosé; Château Hermitage “Enzo” from Provence. According to the menu the grapes were Grenache, Cinasault, and others; I was not familiar with that last grape.
California Girl comments: The winebar was kind of interesting. From the street, you walk into a sort of landing area and then steps down to the bar. The place was decorated simply with cream walls and dark brown/black accents on the woodwork. The bar was large with ample seating on the lower level, while dining was at the street level. It was a nice place and I could imagine us making it a regular hangout if we lived in the area.
The Aphros Vinho Verde had a very low-level of sparkle, but was delightfully crisp with a distinct hint of pineapple.
Terroirs was modeled on a French bar, with a menu of light snacks and meals that looked appealing even though it was only a few hours since we eaten lunch. The staff was young and talked to each other in French, adding to the authentic feel of the place.
The glasses were 125ml, which is on the small side for glass of wine. This is not a drawback as the size was reflected in the price and made us feel better about ordering a second glass.
I had a Domaine Breton from the Loire. This was a wine made with Grolleau grapes; a variety that I had not previously encountered. The wine was cloudy, presumably due to not being filtered. It was light in colour and in taste. That lightness did not mean that it lacked complexity; quite the reverse as the wine offered a delightful balance of low acidity. The result was an easy drinking red, especially on a hot day.
California Girl comments: I enjoyed a glass of the Dosset. It is an Italian varietal with medium body, good fruits and a bit higher in acidity. Whilst this was a good wine and I enjoyed it, it would have worked better with some food.
