Five star Berkshire hotel and ‘restaurant with rooms’ The Vineyard has been named the Decanter /Laurent-Perrier restaurant of the year.
Inspired by the sun-soaked vineyards of California, The Vineyard – located in the heart of rural Berkshire – is a true haven for wine and food lovers. Often referred to as a ‘restaurant with rooms’, the stunning premises feature a top class menu led by Daniel Galmiche (previously of Le Gavroche), an award-winning wine list managed by Alan Holmes, a comprehensive wine events programme, as well as 49 boutique hotel rooms and spa.
A monument to the owner
The concept of The Vineyard is a monument to the personal passions of owner Sir Peter Michael, representing his zest for fine food and wine, combined with his desire to promote the role of music and the arts. Sir Peter founded Classic FM in 1992, and his formula of classical music combined with relaxed presentation – ultimately making ‘elitist’ passions and pursuits accessible to everyone – is reflected in his distinctly relaxed approach to The Vineyard.
Andrew McKenzie, MD of The Vineyard say:
“It’s a real honour to be the Decanter/Laurent-Perrier Restaurant of the year. We’re no stranger to accolades at The Vineyard, and whilst customer satisfaction and enjoyment is our ultimate aim, it’s always a pleasure to receive industry recognition especially when it rewards our passion for wine.”
The accolade is well earned
Read in over 90 countries and commonly known as the world’s best wine magazine, Decanter visits a selection of the best restaurants in the UK to narrow down its selection for Restaurant of the Year. Contributing Editor, Brian St. Pierre comments on the publication’s choice:
“It’s one thing to assemble a large and impressive wine list, but it’s quite another to do that and then organise a sophisticated yet accessible wine programme around it. The Vineyard has managed that superbly – there’s a wine for everybody here, and the tastings and service make it all easy to enjoy. (The fact that the food’s so good is a nice bonus, too).”
The accolade is well earned- and no doubt in part due to the unique approach of The Vineyard to wine, where it sits with equal importance next to the food.
It’s teamwork
Executive Chef, Daniel Galmiche says:
“In the old days, a chef would just present a dish, as if to say ‘that’s my dish, and that’s that’, with no interaction with the sommelier – the wine wasn’t his problem, there was a separation from the dining room, a precipice. But something is missing with that approach. At The Vineyard, we taste, we talk, we share. It’s all teamwork anyway…I love wine too so it’s a pleasure for me as well.”
H&C News recently visited The Vineyard and our verdict in a review titled ‘Ten out of ten awarded for guest experience’ was ‘every course was delivered with precision presentation and a wonderful range of flavours that worked incredibly well with each other’. ‘The wine choices were beyond anything else I have ever tried.’ To see the full review click here