Wine secrets of Welsh inn
William and Janet Hutchings couldn't be happier. Not only did they scoop the 2006 Michelin Pub of the Year award, but their Champagne list was voted top in Europe, winning first prize for Great Britain in the Gosset Trophée Celebris Gagnant des Gagnants .
As a judge on the latter, I witnessed the ferocious strength of the competition - the Hutchings' little Welsh inn, the Bell at Skenfrith, near Monmouth, faced some real gastronomic heavyweights.
Overall winner of the competition was Hotel Zur Traube in Grevenbroich, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, which is owned by chef Dieter Kaufmann, a man with a huge passion for wine.
And the same is true of William Hutchings, who has been a loyal fan since taking out a subscription to Decanter at the age of 12.
At the end of his working day at his Kraft Foods marketing job, he joins his wife to go through their wine list at their 17th-century coaching inn overlooking the River Monow.
What has sold well? What needs to be topped up? What isn't shifting? Well, wouldn't you like to know.
Their list nudges the 400-bin mark, drawing from more than 24 suppliers - and that doesn't include the 90 or so varieties of Cognac Hutchings has been adding to their list
regularly.
But Cognac? Hardly the most fashionable of drinks, unless you're a rap star.
A Cognac and a half
William Hutchings has been steadily collecting vintages from each decade of the last century, plus a fair few non-vintage types of Cognac. But who is drinking them, exactly?
"You'd be surprised," he tells me. "Lots of different people are excited about Cognac, ranging from those who want to drink something from their birth year to tipplers who just want a nice digestif."
Hutchings picks up some vintage brands from auctions:"My oldest dates from 1904 - and I snaffled some 1946 Frapin the other day," he says. But don't assume that folks in this part of Wales must be loaded - the Bell's mark-ups are famously modest.
Hutchings admits the secret of their success in selling above-average amounts of wine per head lies in their eight-page half-bottle list.
"I prefer a good selection of half bottles rather than lots by the glass - it keeps the wines truer to their original calling," he explains.
And shifts more wine, of course. Instead of ordering a glass with a starter, customers order a half bottle, followed by a bottle of something else to accompany the rest of their meal.
But half bottles aren't so easy to source. Sure, bog-standard Sancerre and Chablis can be found, but sourcing half bottles from good producers requires more legwork - Hutchings recommends Lay & Wheeler: 0845 3301855 and T&W Wines: 01842 814414.
And they import their house Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, bottled under Stelvin screwcap, from a biodynamic producer in the Limoux region of France, Domaine Begude.
"Screwcaps are not to be feared - they capture precisely what the producer wanted to show in the wine," writes Hutchings in the Bell's entertaining wine list.
The Bell also offers rooms: "The first thing guests request is a copy of our wine list to take to bed," says Janet Hutchings.
The couple consider their list to be the Bell's main attraction, although the food isn't bad either - it's noted for its two AA rosettes and careful sourcing of ingredients.
Topping up
a successful list
"Riesling sales were this year's surprise - the public are finally getting what wine writers have been banging on about for years," William Hutchings adds.
A dry Riesling from German producer Hans Wirsching is a best seller, followed by Henschke's Julius Eden Valley Riesling from Australia. Pinot Noir sales are flying, ranging from New Zealand-led New World wines to top-end Burgundy, with half bottles making it easier on the wallet.
The awesome Champagne list features non-vintage Champagnes, including lesser-known producers and unusual cuvées; impressive half-bottles; pink bubblies; large formats; great vintage and rare cuvées. A page is devoted to Bollinger and Dom Pérignon 1998 costs £80.
Now you know where I'll be next weekend.
