A Table Set for Indulgence

A Table Set for Indulgence

Seated tasting · 40s & 50s · 18 guests · Marylebone

Eighteen guests gathered around a long table in Marylebone, the open kitchen flickering quietly in the background. A welcome glass of prosecco set things in motion, and from there, the evening unfolded at an easy, considered pace.

Guests moved between tastings, six introductions in all, each accompanied by a new pairing and conversation. Guiding it was Head Sommelier Terry Botta. Raised in Paris and, somewhat improbably, first trained in aeronautical and space engineering, he now brings that same precision and curiosity to the table.

Brillat Savarin with Chablis Domaine Ellevin 2023 to begin. Goat’s cheese with Vouvray “Les Coteaux Tufiers” 2024. And finally, 24-month Comté with Lussac Saint-Émilion Château Lucas 2016, which drew the table into a brief, appreciative silence.

Served with warm sourdough and artisan crackers, it was the sort of evening that encourages people to linger. Guests drifted off little by little, numbers exchanged and good feelings in tow, while a smaller group stayed on, ordering more wine and generous sharing boards, making the most of pairings they weren’t quite ready to leave behind.