London’s booziest tourist destination Vinopolis offers more than just wine tours thanks to its own Bar Blue. Gleaming and modern, it’s a great place to put to use those newly acquired wine tasting skills.

The Venue
Located at Vinopolis in Borough Market, this bar is easily reached from London Bridge tube station. Inside, Bar Blue is like a big Bombay Sapphire bottle: there’s lots of glass, it’s very blue and there’s a floral design on the windows that gets brighter when the night draws in. This effect wasn’t a mistake, architects Greig and Stephenson designed the venue to reflect the gin brand that is a major shareholder in the venture. The floor-to-ceiling windows make it very light and bright, and the gleaming metallic surfaces and cold blues give the place a businesslike feel. It’s not necessarily relaxing, but it is cool and modern.

The Atmosphere
Bar Blue attracts an eclectic mix of local businessmen stopping off for drinks, gourmets stopping by before moving onto the great restaurant Cantina next door, and tourists before or after a tour of Vinopolis. It’s a strange blend, but it works well enough and during the day it can get pretty buzzy, although after the last tour ends the crowd does thin out and sometimes by 8pm you’ll have the place to yourself. That makes this the perfect place for a quiet evening drink and the staff are friendly and courteous with unrivalled knowledge of the wines they’re serving.

The Food
A short menu of bar snacks are served at Bar Blue, the highlight of which is the cold tapas - a selection of parma ham, salami, cheese, olives and bread. It costs £15 for two, and is a great snack to accompany a nice lazy glass of heavy red wine. There’s also mezze and light dishes such as Thai fish cakes, with options on the menu costing £3-£15.

The Drink
Strangely for an offshoot of Vinopolis, the focus at Bar Blue is more firmly on cocktails than wine, with martinis being particularly good. Try the Honey Appletini if you have a sweet tooth, a caramelised blend of Zubrowka, Krupnik and apple juice for £7.50. Those with a more refined palate should go for a Champagne cocktail such as the Antoinette (Bombay Sapphire, Black Sambuca, blackberries and Champagne). It’s totally toxic, one of these will have you slightly merry with just a few sips.

Wine is still important here, of course, with a choice of around 30 sparkling wines and Champagnes plus 12 pink, 30 whites and 25 reds. Prices range from £4-£12 a glass and £13-£40 a bottle. Take the bartender’s advice on the best choices seasonally, their training is second to none. One word of warning though, they’ll recommend the best, so if budget is an issue give them an indication of your preferred price range.

The Last Word
Bar Blue is a cool and stylish destination in its own right, well worth a visit even if you’ve never been to Vinopolis or eaten at Cantina. There are prices to suit every budget, wines to please the fussiest palate and cocktails to get you drunk in one gulp!

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