Bedales, London Bridge, London

Is there such a thing as an intelligent and unpretentious wine expert? Enter Arnaud. This French man knows his wines, in a way that doesn't intimate or smack of pompous righteousness, which is so very important when it comes to a night of wine tasting and education.

What I loved about our evening here was that there wasn't a question scoffed at or brushed aside, and we all felt comfortable enough to expose our lack of wine knowledge.

The tasting was very well designed- we were given 'unusual' wines, purposely designed to surprise us, get us talking about the differences and generally exploring the tastes. The tasting was essentially in the cellar- converted, allowing for minimal disruptions.
If you want to drop in for a more casual visit you can ring in advance (for if the wine you select needed time to breathe) but are just as welcome to show up- park yourself on one of the rustic wooden table and select a wine.

If you need help with your selection any of the staff are able to guide you comfortable according to your tastes.
Add a side of well chosen provincial cheese, olives or cornichons and your set for the next couple of hours!

Once again thanks to Qype for giving us an insight into the world of wine!

Arnaud is one in a million, his expertise was really interesting, i can now test wine with a little more confidence in front of the in laws and actually know what i am looking for smelling and swilling ha ha, the cheese was awesome the meats also of equal quality, this place actually is the shop out of Bridget Jones dairy when D'Arcy and Hugh grant went through the shop window, the whole feel atmosphere is class and cant wait to go to the next 2 venues

ARNAUD I SALUTE YOU, VERY WELL DONE

It may become apparent, dear reader, once you read further down the page, that we bloody love Bedales. It is for good reason.

I was part of a group led down to the converted cellar one night for an evening of wine tasting and appreciation by Wine Master Of The World (this may or may not be his correct title) Arnaud. We were taken carefully and amusingly by the hand through some pretty exciting and unusual wine, entertained by Arnaud's anecdotes of stories both with ("What's the most expensive bottle of wine you've sent back?" "£600") and without wine ("What do you order in a restaurant?" "Beer").

Holed up in the cellar I was amazed at how quickly the time passed - I learned a lot (a lot more than I still remember now - should have taken more notes) and massively enjoyed myself. I'll be bringing people back here time and time again.

UPDATE 02/11/09

Listen to me very carefully. Drop everything you're doing right now and go wine tasting at Bedale's in Borough Market. I've sipped cabarnets in St. Emillion, I've guzzled grigios in the Napa Valley and i've kwaffed Syrah's in Stellenbosch, but none of these experiences compared to the awesomeness of the private wine tasting at Bedale's on Wednesday night!

The other reviewers below describe the evening with great panache, so i won't go into too much detail. What i will say is that the tasting evenings at Bedales are exceptionally good value for money, incredibly interesting and really good fun. This is a great place to come with friends, with your folks, with colleagues or on a date.

Highly recommended!

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Popped in here last night for a few glasses of wine. Excellent selection and the staff are happy to give you a taste before selling you a paritcular glass or bottle. Lots of room to sit down and, although we didn't eat, the food looks great. A very decent bottle of wine won't cost you more than £20.

Killer location and certainly a hidden gem of Borough Market!

Super night doing wine tasting at Bedales last night with the perfect balance of entertainment/learning something new/having a smashing time.

Arnaud opened a window to his life and passion as he shared trying new bottles of wine - new to him too - including tips of what it should look, smell and taste like, but ultimately enforcing that 'right' is actually a very subjective term and in fact 'right' for you is most important. I quite like that. Gone are the days of pompous wine experts and the feeling of panic if you're charged with ordering wine for a table of guests. Tackle it instead as an adventure for everyone to partake in, and accept that even by grape one can differ greatly from the next so just give it a go and learn from there what tickles your palate.

Aprt from the education piece the setting is marvellous nestled in the heart of Bourough market and the decor is unpretentious and basic, with outside-ish tables where you're allowed to smoke. Cost of wine varies by glass from £3.50 upwards and you can get a decent bottle to takeaway for £15, with a corkage fee if you wish to drink it in house. You can get basic platters of authentic French cheese, meats and pickles too. Great date spot and great for groups if you can get in a tasting session.

Well what can you say about a place the serves a great selection of wines from around the world, even Australia, wines that you would never select for yourself because you have never heard of them or because you are a scared little hermit will not try something new. Fresh and flavorsome food that compliment the wine but just compliment the atmosphere of the place. So what do you say about Bedales....F@>king amazing.

I will be coming back

I have been to Bedales several times, and never been disappointed by the quality of the food or the atmosphere that is really pleasant!! I highly recommend it to anyone willing to eat well!

Bedales is a little gem of a place in the bowels of the Borough market (in their cellar you can feel the vibrations as trains rattle overhead). It offers a brilliant selection of wines from small and unusual wineries. If you are bored of drinking the same old wine or in a wine rut this is the place to come. On a Qype tasting we also got to sample Bedale’s charcuterie and cheese boards which were truly brilliant - especially the comte and pickled garlic. Arnaud the Managing Director and “Bedales Wine Drinker” is a wealth of information and enthusiasm so if you can track him down in the store for advice you should do so.

When education, wine, and food come together in a charming setting, it’s a very good night.

I enjoy wine, though I confess that I am not educated. I usually grab a random bottle, or re-visit the same wines over and again, but at Bedales I learned a lot about why I make my choices and why to not base my choices on grape variety alone.

In the future, if I am wanting to try a new wine or too, or take an out-of-town guest out for a nice bottle, this is exactly where I will return. The staff is knowledgeable, friendly, and the pours are what they should be - sized for sipping, not gulping!

What a treat. A proper wine shop that knows it stuff, where you can sit down and try things by the glass and if you’ve tasted something that’s really tickled you pink, buy a bottle to take home with you to enjoy later. It’s a wine bar too see, and food to compliment your glass they also have. Cheeses, meats, olives- everything to work those taste buds into a frenzy and all things that are satisfyingly salty making the wine all the more delicious. The Borough Market branch of this three store strong business is the first. Bedales head drinker and managing director Arnaud Compas started selling organic wines in 2001 in the market. Slowly one thing led to another, bonds were made, money was found and Bedales was born. Their philosophy is pure and simple. Drink the wine you enjoy and enjoy the wine you drink. This is not about knowing the chemistry behind it all, it’s about the result: the drinking. Know the flavours, excite your taste buds and enthusiasm and the knowledge will come later. With things you won’t be able to find elsewhere and things you would never have tasted before (I urge you to try the Fugnano Vernaccia di San Gimignano, but hold onto your seats, you’re in for a surprise) Bedales is surely in a realm all of its own. All hail to the gods of wine.

This is a great little wine bar in the Borough Market. Its decor is on the rustic side, comfortable and spacious, all stone and wood.

I was here for a wine tasting, held in the cellar, and a great venue for it. A central table held a fascinating selection of bottles and some tasty tapas (pickled garlic = yum). Our host, Arnaud, was great: knowledgable, funny, and good at showing people that their own opinions and tastes can’t be wrong.

The majority of their wines are organic and biodynamic. Whether you believe in the efficacy of the latter system or not, they’ve got some tasty bottles on hand.

Handy place for a drink just away from the bustle of Borough Market.
Well designed with an authentic winery feel. Wines by the glass or bottle, and some beers. You can choose any bottle from their shelves with an £8 corkage. There’s a lot of seating in the cellar, which can be hired for group tastings.
Some great looking charcuterie platters.
However the more I looked the range didn’t seem that great, so in the end I felt it was really a wine bar rather than a wine merchant with drinks….. unless I missed something and they have another shop as well.

Situated on the edge of Borough market - Bedales is a great little place for a visit for those who love their wine and those who just like visiting great little bars. The ground floor has plenty of seating for those looking to enjoy a tipple from the very large selection of wines they have on offer round the walls of the room. The back has some seating which flows out into Borough market itself, and downstairs is an excellent cellar bar. The whole place has a great atmosphere to it, with lots of interesting characters enjoying their purchases. Staff are very friendly, although somewhat distracted when it get busy.

The corkage fee of £8 on each bottle I believe which is a bit over the top in my view. Especially when you consider the dictionary definition of corkage: “a fee charged, as in a restaurant, for serving wine or liquor brought in by the patron.”

Well - didn’t we just buy the wine there rather than bring it with us?

Excellent selection of wine, a cute, cosy cellar to drink it in and the best, most delicious tapas platters ever.

Bedales is a must when you visit Borough Market. You can escape the hustle and bustle of the Market and enjoy a glass (or 2).

The downstairs bit is nice and cosy. Ideal to spend an afternoon enjoying the wine and food. The wines are very good.

All around a lovely place to while away the time in a relaxed atmosphere.