Le Di-Vin on Randolph Place is very different from the neo-classical and Georgian architecture that make up the New Town of Edinburgh.The building looks half French farmhouse, half Tudor Free House. It was formerly known as the Oratory of St Anne but once you are through the iron gates and blue doors, it feels like you have stepped into a wine cellar not a chapel.
The black painted walls, with white ceiling and cornicing, give way to two entrances. Turn left and you reach La Petite Folie – the first of this restaurant and wine bar chain owned by Virginie Brouard. Look straight ahead and you see the entrance to Le Di-Vin Wine Bar.
This dark passageway leads to another wooden door with presence. There are two large wine casks on either side of the door, which act as tables to the miniature trees made from fairy lights that reside elegantly on them.
There is also a chalkboard with today’s menus on it. Le Di-Vin offers a choice of two daily food menus – one set menu and one all day menu – and two drinks menus. The set lunchtime menu is £11.50 for two courses.
After taking a quick peek of the set menu, we pull open the wooden doors and are greeted by an unexpectedly large and light space.
Wine Bar
What instantly draws your eye is the wall of wine bins to the left of the entrance – the bins are so high that you need a ladder to reach the top four rows. It’s lovely to see so many bottles of wine on display. It makes you eager to start tasting them…
The whole of Le Di-Vin is open plan. There are seats at the bar for those who want to pick the brains of knowledgeable staff. And there are long rustic tables and quiet corners to sit at within the main street level space. But a waiter takes our coats and seats us somewhere special.
“Would you like to eat on our mezzanine level,” he says in a well-spoken Edinburgh accent.
“Yes please,” we reply.
There are only six tables on the mezzanine level and today only one other table is occupied here – making it a peaceful area from which to observe and savour.
I cannot get enough of the wine casks that are used as tables and the trees that are made from fairy lights. They are scattered about Le Di-Vin and I think it adds an authentic and feminine touch.
Wine by the glass
When our waiter hands us the menu and wine list by the glass, we are stunned by what we see. There are 26 different varieties of white wine by the glass and 26 different varieties of red wine by the glass – a phenomenal amount and much more than I have personally encountered before.
This is a hand picked selection of unique, quality wines. And with prices ranging from £3.65 to £10.00, they represent an affordable treat.
The three whites that interest me the most are the Macon Uchizy, Domaine Talmard – Chardonnay; the Chablis 11, Domaine Fevre – Chardonnay; and the Sancerre, Lucien Crochet 11 – Sauvignon.
Kirsty is finding it difficult to choose only one wine too and ponders over three reds: the Atacamea Carmenere; the Merlot, Domaine Astruc; and the Rioja, Dominio de Heredia.
There is another, bigger wine list too selling even more wines – this time by the bottle.
Merlot and Sancerre
Our waiter walks up the wooden steps to our table…
“Would you like a little more time, Ladies? Or are you ready to order?”
Kirsty and I look at the menu again, then each other.
“We’re ready!”
The lunchtime set menu, served from 12 noon until 5 pm, and the all day menu, served from 12 noon until 10 pm, sells traditional French fare. There is Croque-Monsieur, snails in garlic butter, Les Tartines (toasted country bread with a choice of two fillings) and four different sharing platters to name but a few.
We decide to order a rustic board of mixed cheese and ham to share, as well as a glass of Merlot and Sancerre.
I’ve visited France many times and one of the things that I love most, is the individual family run shops that make up each town’s main street, or each cities ‘quarter.’ Tesco is handy and quick. But there is nothing like meandering down a beautiful French boulevard, with buildings that have tall windows and ornate balconies, and wandering into a wine shop, cheese shop, delicatessen and bakers. It’s so French and fun. And I like the fact that this wine bar is trying to bring all these different cultural elements together to give you an experience, rather than just feed and water you.
Mixed Cheese and Charcuterie Planchette
The wines come first, followed by a wooden board covered in chunks of cheese and slices of cold meats.
Kirsty’s Merlot tastes of black forest gateau. It is a good choice and will go perfectly with the cheese and ham. My Sancerre is a beautiful colour. It reminds me of sand at sunrise. It tastes fresh and lively – like spring in a glass. It’s a good wine to sip by itself or to have with salads and fish. But for my palette, I think it’s a little light and bright to be having with strong cheese and spicy meats.
The sharing platter looks colourful. There is a selection of Saucisson, Salami, Parma Ham and Terrine. And cheeses from Chaource, Brie de Meaux, Tomme de Savoie, St Agur, Comté, Pont l’Evèque and Reblochon. All served alongside gherkins, grapes and bread with butter.
Kirsty and I knock glasses before digging in to our favourites. I love Salami and Brie and quickly grab these of the board first…
Très chic
Kirsty and I both enjoyed our quick lunchtime treat. The medium-sharing platter is more than enough for two people – we are both feeling contentedly full. And my glass of Sancerre was a lovely alternative to the Italian whites that I normally drink. It’s not a wine that I would have bought buy the bottle when dining out, as apart from being expensive, I had not tasted it before. So the opportunity to buy this by the glass was most welcome.
I can’t fault Le Di-Vin. Virginie Brouard has got the location, the design and the wine right. She’s built a classy establishment that is not pretentious – no mean feat in a city.
If I were to pull up anything, it would be the choice of cheeses and cold meats in the sharing platters. The wine at Le Di-Vin is not the norm. And I think the food should not be the norm either. The cheeses and cold meats are delicious, but what you would expect. Maybe an additional sharing platter offering rare fromage and charcuterie would be a nice addition…
Kirsty and I take our last sips of wine while looking straight ahead at a wall mural that is a modern take of The Last Supper. Instead of Jesus sharing a last meal with his Apostles in Jerusalem, there’s Oscar Wilde surrounded by the great philosophers and artists of the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. I like it. It’s a quirky take on Leonardo da Vinci’s work and it reminds me of a quote by Wilde.
“I have the simplest taste. I am always satisfied with the best.”
Le Di-Vin more than satisfies my simple tastes. It is one of the best wine bars that I have ever frequented. And I will be going back to sample more of these extraordinary wines by the glass.
Our light lunch for two:
1 x Merlot, Domaine Astruc, 250ml glass £6.95
1 x Sancerre, Lucien Crochet 11, 250ml glass £10.00
1 x Mixed Cheese and Charcuterie Planchette, small, £15.00
Total: £31.95 + tip (£16.00 per head for a cheese and ham sharing boar with bread and large glass of quality wine.)
We like…
THE LOCATION
THE DESIGN
THE WAITERS
THE BINS OF WINE DISPLAY WALL
THE LIST OF QUALITTY WINES BY THE GLASS
THE MERLOT, DOMAINE ASTRUC
THE SANCERRE, LUCIEN CROCHET 11
THE PLANCHETTE DE FROMAGES
THE MEZZANINE DINING AREA
THE PRICES
Contact details:
Le Di-Vin Wine Bar
9 Randolph Place
Edinburgh
EH3 7TE
0131 538 1815