Winemaker Dinners 2016, The Covent Garden Hotel

Firmdale Hotels are back with another series of Winemaker Dinners in London from January to March, bringing a range of Chiantis and Syrah from places as diverse as Tuscany and the South of France to local, award-winning Rosés from West Sussex.
After the undeniable success of Tim and Kit Kemp’s boutique hotels dotted across the capital – each designed upon the premise that “hotels should be living things, not stuffy institutions”, this year the Covent Garden Hotel – with its theatrical and upbeat vibe, quirky furniture and bright furnishings – will play host to the proceedings.
A stone's throw from Covent Garden's buzzing market and Opera house, the hotel will take culinary adventurers on a virtual journey to Europe and back, through a series of intimate evenings hosted by winemakers from Italy, France and the UK.
The first evening of the series will be hosted by Faye Lottero, who runs La Fattoria Lavacchio winery in Tuscany with her husband Dimitri. Diners and wine-lovers can enjoy a three course meal with wine pairings handpicked and introduced by the couple: various chiantis will be served alongside classical Tuscan dishes, including a selection of cured meats with ciabatta, wild boar and red wine pappardelle and stilton with tomato and sultana relish, we're expecting a rich and explosive experience.
Next stop is Roussillon, France: introducing Jean Boucabeille of Domaine Boucabeille, who will guide guests through a selection from his self-contained, fully organic vineyard. The food sounds just as exciting as the wine, with an eclectic range of dishes, from five-spice seared tuna sashimi to roasted golden and purple beetroot and grilled sirloin with paprika sauce, all served alongside his Terrasses Régis blanc and rouge.
The Winemaker Dinners' journey comes to an end with Jennifer Yates from West Sussex's Bolney Estate, which brings the best of British to the heart of the city. She'll be serving local British produce alongside the wines, with steamed Asparagus from the Wye Valley border followed by roast Dorset cod with a parsley and crab risotto. The series comes back full circle to the English countryside as Jennifer leads her wine tasters through a curated selection from her family-owned, award-winning English winery.
Each of the Winemaker Dinners sounds just as exciting as the next. With wines brought from the famous Tuscan vineyards, the rustic slopes of Southern France and our own beloved English countryside, the experience sounds a treat for any wine lover’s taste buds.