You’re waiting for your train and you have some time to kill. Rather than picking up a coffee or juice, why not sample specially selected wines at desVins?

The Venue
Being situated in St Pancras station makes desVins a convenient and easy to find bar. It’s located on ground level next to famed cake shop Peyton and Byrne, and doesn’t appear to be too fancy considering how sophisticated the staff and menu are - it almost looks to be part of the cake shop as they have the same windowed front.

Although the bar appears to be small from the outside, there is actually a spacious interior with plenty of places for people to sit down and enjoy their wine of choice. The bar itself is directly in front of the entrance, which is where you order as table service is not available. The gorgeous brickwork of the venue makes you feel like you are in an actual wine cellar, which adds a nice ambience to proceedings and makes you feel a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of the train station outside – well, almost.

The Atmosphere
As desVins is located within the confines of St Pancras Station, the majority of people who visit here are City types, tourists and the occasional post-work drinker. The busiest times are during the rush hour and at other times it’s notably quiet.

It’s important to note that, although desVins is located within a busy international station, it’s not the souless convenient stop-off that is so often associated with such places. St Pancras has famously selected very specific outlets to suit its clientele and attain a worldwide image of greatness. They have cleverly included this sophisticated wine bar as opposed to just another sub standard station pub to help them to attain their aim.

The Food
The breakfast menu, served from 7.30am, includes a selection of pastries including pain au chocolat, all of which are freshly baked and cost just £2.10. For the health conscious there is the option of granola, yoghurt and honey (£3.70), and for those who just want a greasy spoon in a roll, there’s the big breakfast bap with egg, mayo, bacon and sausage (£5.40).

Lunchtime dishes consist of hot paninis, sandwiches and bagels, all for around £5. Alternatively, the deli menu has a fine selection of different plates such as the Chacuterie plate (£8.20) with a variety of cured meats, or the Artsian cheeses (£8.50), which are all English and so delicious you’ll wipe the plate clean. Particularly good is the baba ganoush, or if you want something light a quiche or homemade soup (both £4.70) will tickle your fancy.

The Drink
desVins is all about the wine. There are twenty different samples available by the glass, which means more expensive bottles can be cheaply sampled. They use an enomatic system, which means once a bottle is opened a Nitrogen gas preservation process enables the wine to be kept fresh. Wine is usually kept on three week lifespans before being replaced with other bottles.

However, the greatest facet about this wine bar is their try before you buy policy. The staff recommend wine, but if you are not happy with the choice you can try another one before you commit. For the whites there are twelve types to choose from. For a fruity drink the Sauvignon Blanc Pallister Estate, 2006 from New Zealand is worth a try. A favourite amongst the customers, it has a subtle hint of peach and costs £6.60 for a small glass. Interestingly, they also stock an English wine, which is unusual to see. It is called Bacchus, Chapel Down 2005 and has a fresh, zesty flavour for £7.50. If you’re after a light white, the Pinot Grigio Brume di Monte 2007 from Italy, is definitely one to try at £4.70 with a refreshing, citrus, crisp flavour.

The reds do not disappoint, either. An unusual example is the Rondo Pinot Noir, Chapel Down 2005, which is an English brand. It may be one of the most expensive wines by the glass (£8.70) but it is worth the money. It has an interesting flavour of oak, bolstering the flavour to give a smoky taste. Also, the Cabernet Franc Loma Larga 2006 from Chile is an uncommon wine as most Cabernet Francs are blended in Bordeaux. It has a berry flavour that makes it quite heavy but it maintains its freshness and is really rather extraordinary. It’s also quite inexpensive at £5.90 a glass. However, the best example they have is the Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Domaine de Vieux Telegramme 2004, which can have up to 16 different grapes blended into it. This wine is for when you really want to treat yourself and it will certainly do the trick, although it is pricey at £11.45 for a small glass.

For the true wine connoisseurs there are exclusive wines by the bottle, like a Meursault, Domaine Francois Jobard, 2000 for £82, or for the reds Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou St Julien, 2001 for £150. Although don’t fret, if you’re more of a beer person then there are a few on offer: Carlsberg (£3.10), Tuborg, Kronenbourg and Budvar (all £3.50).

The Last Word
If you want the opportunity to have some wine you never thought you could ever afford then spending a couple of hours at desVins will open your eyes without burning a massive hole in your wallet.

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