Artisan and Vine is an organic wine bar and shop in Battersea on St Johns Hill, a 5 minute walk from Clapham Junction. This venue was London's first wine bar to specialise in local and natural wines and the atmosphere is homely and inviting.

The Venue
You can spy Artisan and Vine easily from the street thanks, in part, to its outdoor tables and chairs. Upon entering the bar you’ll immediately spy a deli-style counter and a large glass wine cabinet. There is seating by the windows and a well stocked bar in the centre. As well as some wall-mounted lights, there are chandeliers that add a sumptuous yet quirky touch. The bar has a late licence and a larger back section of the venue is often booked for private parties.

The decor in the front section echoes a Parisian cafe with cafe-style chairs and chilled out couches and coffee tables. Further in, the bar morphs into a cushioned lounge area with red tones and more intimate seating options.

The Atmosphere
The general atmosphere of Artisan and Vine is relaxed and friendly. People sit and chat whilst enjoying a glass or bottle of wine. The clientele here is varied but generally consists of a young professional crowd who come to enjoy a bottle of wine and indulge in some of the rustic food. Many customers are regulars and come in and chat about their lives or the wines they have had. The owner and manager is a true wine connoisseur and her passion for wine and showing others her finds is immediately apparent. The staff is extremely helpful and will answer any questions you have and are also happy to recommend and discuss with you what you might like.

The atmosphere changes night to night depending on what’s going on. For example, on a Monday you can have a quiet drink with a friend, Wednesdays offer up wine tastings, and Thursdays hold live jazz events. Every 1-2 months there is a trip organised to a local vineyard so you can see and experience where the wine comes from.

The Music
Jazz music is heard playing in the background on most days and on Thursdays there is live Jazz from a number of artists bringing different aspects of Jazz music from sax to smooth vocals and keyboard and even a full percussion bossa nova.

The Food
The theme of the food at Artisan and Vine is rustic home-style and the menu varies from time to time as the produce is sourced from local markets. There is not a huge selection of food as the priority is the wine but the dishes are of an excellent quality with good portions. Fresh produce is used and the simplicity of the dishes is executed perfectly. Staff can also recommend food that will match your wine for the full food and wine experience.

There are starters, mains and desserts here that all echo the home-style theme. The gravy served with the lamb £10.95 and sausages £7.95 is made with quality wine and the taste translates wonderfully. Snacks are also available like gourmet olives £3, seasoned mixed nuts £3, locally produced crisps 75p and an artisan bread basket £3. The cheeseboard is available for £7 and is a generous portion of carefully sourced cheese, meat (optional) and chutney served with salad and a rustic bread. Some of the cheese is organic and the meat sourced from local farmers who ensure natural surroundings.

The Drink
The 120 wines sold at Artisan and Vine are carefully selected and each have distinct characters. They are mostly organic, locally sourced, natural or biodynamic and the list changes from season to season. If you’re a cynic and the idea of organic wine doesn’t appeal to you because you think there will be a sacrifice in quality then you are sorely mistaken. These wines have a taste that directly reflects the grape and have very emotive qualities.

There’s a large selection of whites, reds and sparkling wines as well as organic lager - both bottled and draught - and organic cider. Sampling the boutique wines here is truly an eye-opening experience to a world of wines with distinctly different flavours. A glass of wine costs between £2.90 for a French Syrah and £7.40 for the Le Grand Blanc, and a bottle is between £14.50 and £95 for Champagne. A glass of port or sherry is around £4.

Draught beer is £3.50 and cider £3 a glass, which is a biodynamic cider from Normandy. As well as drinking in the bar you can also buy wine to take home so if you want to go on a recommendation or if you taste one that you are dying to have again then you can. The prices of these are usually about half the price of drinking them there. There is a happy hour between 5pm-7pm when you can buy bottles of wine for shop prices.

The Last Word
The atmosphere at Artisan and Vine is friendly and homey and the staff are welcoming and helpful. Whether you’re a wine connoisseur or someone who enjoys the odd tipple this place is guaranteed to offer something to interest and excite you.

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