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The Epicerie opened in March 2018, but the four founders, which include Yapp Brothers Wine Merchants’ London-based representative Alexandre Bal, have waited until the deli and dining side of the business had become established before venturing into such an adventurous sized wine list in a neighbourhood catchment area.

Having successfully launched the kitchen in September 2018, the wine list then followed, drawing on both Yapp’s noted French portfolio, along with wine sourced from around 12 further suppliers.

“The idea is to have French wines and wines from French speaking countries,” said Bal.

“French wines have a sense of terroir, of place, and this is also usually true of wines made in other places where French culture has had an influence – and it shows in the style of the wines.”

Authentique Epicerie & Bar plans to host a busy series of wine events for its customers, including a monthly tasting journey through one of 12 French wine regions by showcasing by-the-glass wines against the appropriate regional cuisine, along with regular winemakers dinners.

Part of the Authentique Epicerie & Bar concept is to engage up-and-coming chefs by giving them a platform for a few months to show of their talents. The current ‘Goat in the Garden’ kitchen is presided over by Swiss-born Margaux Stepczynski, who honed her skills at estabslishments such as The Square and Martin Berasategui.

• wine
• London
• french
• restaurant
• wine list
• Authentique Epicerie & Bar
• Alexandre Bal
• Yapp Brothers