Hand on heart, I think we’re all guilty of pretending we know a thing or two about wine. For someone who, prior to our visit to The Mulwray, claimed my expertise by ordering whichever wine my finger landed on from the wine list, it’s fair to say I was desperate to know more.

Tucked away above The Blue Posts pub among the streets of Soho, the intimate atmosphere of The Mulwray couldn’t have been further from that of a rowdy local boozer. Sexy, sophisticated and stylish, we were greeted by friendly faces who guided us to our velour sofa seats and were immediately impressed by the picturesque décor which surrounded our candle lit table

Mulwray promise you all things discreet yet delicious.

Our tasting experience for the evening was aptly titled the ‘Sundowners’ (£15), which involved us being treated to a selection of three fine wines. The choice of wines was selected at random and cleverly set out to take our minds away from the busy London lifestyle to watching the sun set over the ocean on a beach abroad. Anything which attempts to sooth the sore subject of foreign holidays is a winner in my eyes. We started with an orange wine, otherwise known as skin-contact white wine (wit-woo), which contained a tropical zest that nicely fed into the narrative, followed by a silky red, and finished with a rosé, which, as always, slid down the throat way too easily. All of a sudden, I was drinking wine on a beach in Marbella (the only thing missing was a tan).

Our designated sommelier guided us through the origin, age and stories of our selection of wines and when I say she knew her stuff, I mean she really knew her stuff. It’s safe to say I will no longer consider myself a wine connoisseur when I do the old smell, swirl, sip, and slurp. Everybody knows that good service can make or break a dining experience, and throughout our evening our server certainly went above and beyond to ensure we received the best.

Royal blue velvet sets a slinky evening tone. 

We couldn’t step out of Soho having not tried a cocktail (or 3). Spoilt for choice by an array of cocktails unique to the venue, we settled for the sommelier’s recommendation of the Kanpai (£12.50), the main ingredient being the Japanese drink Yuzu sake which provided us with a strike of lemon to loosen up our cocktail tastebuds. Anything containing gin will always be sacred in my eyes, however the Holy Water (11.50) took this to another level and provided us with the hit of the spirit accompanied by all things succulent and citrus - a real crowd pleaser. We finished what was a delightful evening with the El Rayo Tequila and Tonic (£10), which wasn’t my usual form of tequila in the sense that it was tasty enough to not make me wince, yet still packed the sharp punch of the salt/shot/lime combo.

The DesignMyNight Digest

If you’re looking for a perfect spot for a romantic date night or a fancy wine tasting experience with friends in the West End, you need look no further than The Mulwray. The definition of a hidden gem, you’ll leave the experience gifted with the wine knowledge of a sommelier, and crucially, no nasty £4-a-bottle hangover you get from a supermarket spend.

For more great bars in Soho, check out our guide here.