As Squidbeak’s sometime associate who writes about wine, it’s sometimes tricky to recommend places with an exceptional wine list where you can go enjoy the vino without having a full meal.
Lucky then to be invited to the soft opening of Iberica in Leeds, the latest outpost of a group which has a small number of places in London, and one in Manchester.
Dedicatedly Spanish in food, wine and décor, you can have the full Monty, tapas or just a glass with some bespoke ham or cheese. The sherry list (yes, I’m a sherry aficionado) runs to 12 different choices and is far from your warm cream sherry at Christmas as it’s possible to get. Oak aged fino, nicely chilled with some green olives? Yes, please. Similarly, the list also features a range of Cava and cider from Asturias. And for the non-Spanish minded, a range of cocktails.
But it’s the wine list where the glories lie. Grouped according to wine style with good tasting notes, the range strides across Spain from £5 a glass to Pingus, from Ribeiro del Duero, at £166 a glass.
We asked for our bottle of red from Mencia (fruity and light) to be chilled, to go with the glorious tapas they were bringing out, and not an eyebrow was raised.
Jill and Mandy will be reporting on the food when it’s fully open. But it matched the wine perfectly.
Iberica, Hepper House, 17a East Parade, Leeds, LS1 2BH
http://www.ibericarestaurants.com/restaurants/iberica-leeds/