In the Glass: A London Guide to Some of the Best French Wine Addresses in Town

London has always been an exciting city for wine; and a long-time supporter of French wines. From a centuries-old wine merchant in St James’s to a natural wine bar in Hackney sourcing directly from small producers, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite spots around town. 

Noble Rot 

Founded by importers Dan Keeling and Mark Andrew, Noble Rot began life as a wine culture magazine before it became a restaurant group with three outposts in London, and that curatorial approach still shapes everything here.  

Head to the original Noble Rot Wine Bar & Restaurant townhouse in Bloomsbury, for one of the most rewarding French wine experiences in the city. Whether you come for a glass at the bar or a full Frenglish dinner overseen by executive chef Stephen Harris (The Sportsman), you’re in for a treat: think Comté PDO beignets and pickled walnut ketchup, pâté de campagne, John Dory sauce Grenobloise, and a Gariguette strawberry tart with Crémant PDO sorbet to round things off. At lunchtime, the set menu is a steal. 

Through the wine list, French wine runs like a backbone, from undervalued gems to rare bottles from the Loire, Alsace and the Rhône that you wouldn’t encounter elsewhere. Don’t miss out on their beautiful selection of Burgundy Chardonnays. 

📍 Noble Rot 
51 Lamb’s Conduit Street, London WC1N 3NB 

noblerot.co.uk 

Berry Bros. & Rudd 

There is arguably no wine and spirits merchant in the world quite like Berry Bros. & Rudd, Britain’s oldest. Trading from St James’s since 1698, it is an institution where the walls hold stories of claret. The original giant scales on which customers were once weighed are still there, ledger entries for Lord Byron and Napoleon III among them. 

For French wine lovers and collectors, the cellar here is quietly extraordinary. Bordeaux goes without saying as they have been buying en primeur for centuries, but the range extends across the entire French wine map: grand cru Burgundy, grower Champagne or structured Rhône reds.  

From tutored French regional wine tastings to a deep dive into French regions to First Growth Bordeaux Dinners with Michelin-starred chefs, the events programme is highly considered. The perfect place to build a collection, find a special occasion bottle. 

📍 Berry Bros & Rudd 
3 St James’s Street, London SW1A 1EG 
bbr.com 

Provisions  

If Berry Bros. & Rudd represents the classical establishment, Provisions is one of London’s cool kids. With outposts on Hackney Road and Holloway Road, the wine and cheese shop-cum-importer founded in 2015 has quietly become a reference point for the culinary scene. 

The selection is built around small, independent producers, and a genuine commitment to natural and low-intervention winemaking. French wine is a serious focus across both sites, but the Hackney branch has a particular pull towards the South West. 

You can have a glass there too whilst nibbling on generous cheese and charcuterie boards. 

📍 Provisions Hackney 
319 Cambridge Heath Road, London E2 9LQ 

📍 Provisions Holloway 
167 Holloway Rd, London N7 8LX 

provisionslondon.com 

Hedonism Wines 

This is the one for a very unique occasion, a gift for someone special, or simply a moment of magnificent indulgence. Since 2012, Hedonism Wines in Mayfair is what happens when the idea of a wine shop is taken to its most spectacular conclusion: over 6,500 wines and 3,000 spirits, arranged across a double-height space in Davies Street, adorned with hanging glasses. 

For French wine, the breadth and depth here are incredible, from the rarest Burgundy estates to two-century-old iconic Sauternes. With 5 Enomatic machines at hand, it is also the place to go to sample 50 special wines on site. 

📍 Hedonism Wines 
3–5 Davies Street, London W1K 3LD 
hedonism.co.uk 

Ploussard 

Named after the Jura grape variety, Ploussard is a Clapham Junction neighbourhood gem that wears its allegiances openly. A “small restaurant with a big wine list”, it pulls off that rare thing: brilliant bottles by the glass alongside seriously crafted dishes like rabbit, foie gras and prune terrine, the shiitake, hazelnut, egg yolk & Comté PDO or the chicken, morel, pea and vin jaune. 

Wine-wise, the list covers all the French regions from Jura of course, Bugey, but also the Loire or gems from Languedoc-Roussillon.  

📍 Ploussard 
97 St Johns Road, London, SW11 1QY 
ploussardlondon.co.uk