Set against the gorgeous, glowing backdrop of Sumosan Twiga’s incredibly stylish Lounge Bar, Vida Wines and Spirits hold an intimate wine tasting session with Vida Wines and Spirits. Raised in Kent, the Garden of England,  famous for its rolling hillsides draped in the luscious green rows of vineyard grapevines, I am luckily well-versed in the tasting of English wines. Yet similarly to most, often think of the more prestigious and typical wine countries, such as France, Italy, Spain and the New World when it comes to purchasing wine.

Vida Wines and Spirits

Taking the UK wine market by storm, blowing away stereotypes, enlightening wine-lovers all over the country and shining a much-needed light on the finest Central and Eastern European wines. Wines that are just as likely to delight the taste buds as the classic wines that have dominated the UK market for decades.

Sumosan Twiga

To truly appreciate a good bottle and get the most pleasure from a sip, a wine should of course be paired with delicious food. Providing the perfect opportunity for this to happen was of course the divine menu of  Sumosan Twiga.  Offering a unique culinary experience consisting of both traditional Italian and Japanese cuisine. Before the other guests and I sat down to eat, we first sampled a range of wines that originated from carefully selected vineyards, scattered across countries including Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Moldova.

An Expert Team

On hand to inform, guide and teach us about each unique bottle, were Vida’s expert UK buying team. The team don’t just share a scintillating passion for good wine, but also a combined 50 years of industry experience! Vida’s sommeliers include; Lisa McBain (formerly of Bibendum Wine), Olivier Freymuth (former international business development and buying at Natufia and ASC Fine Wines) and Nausicaa Rotoloni (former sommelier for the Dorchester and ROKA Mayfair) who now heads up Vida’s UK branch.

First launched in Bulgaria, when the Chakolov family (the original founders of the brand) bought vineyards in Northern Bulgaria, home to the medieval fortress ‘Baba Vida’, Vida Wines and Spirits now have no less than 30 wineries across Central and Eastern Europe, imported exclusively from by them. “The UK is a market that is always open to trying something new – and while wines from elsewhere in Europe are household names, we know that the wines from Central and Eastern Europe are often overlooked – but can offer great quality and value for curious consumers.” Nausicaa Rotolini tells me, “So opening our online shop in the UK, along with their bricks and mortar store in London, which we will use for events and tastings as well as of course sales, is an exciting time for us.”

Stand Out Combinations

Accompanying Sumosan Twiga’s scrumptious sushi, gyoza miso cod and prawn, chilli yuzu and ponzu, and deep-fried calamari with chilli-mayo sauce was a crisp and refreshing ‘Gogo Viorica 2020 White’ from Moldova. A bottle that can be purchased for a very reasonable £13.49 per bottle. Switching to the Italian influence for the main course, Sumosan’s comforting ‘Tagliatelle alla Bolognese’ arrived perfectly paired with a deep and aromatic ‘Heimann & Fiai Bati Kereszt Kékfrankos 2018’ from Hungary (£23.79) alongside the ‘Fautor Illustro Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2015’ from Moldova, which is sure to compliment the rich flavours of any hearty main course for just £23.03. To round off the end of a delicious evening, dessert was served in the form of Sweet Mochi complimented perfectly with a dessert wine from Austria, ‘Angerhof-Tschida Beerenauslese 2017’(£14.49).

Bottoms up and cheers to showcasing the very best, handpicked fine wines from Central and Eastern Europe!