Isle of Olive – Hackney’s home of Hellenic hospitality and great Greek food and drink – continues with its delicious charm offensive by offering wine tastings and related events.
A few weeks back, I was glad to attend a Greek Cheese and Wine Tasting at this lovely shop just off Broadway Market. The event was by Isle of Olive’s sommelier, Uli Gamber, who guiding the small assemblage (there might have been 12 of us in total?) through pairings of eight wines with an assortment of cheeses. All the wines – listed below – were available for purchase in shop.
White wines:
- Gaia Wines – Ritinitis Nobilis
- Monemvasia Winery – Kidonitsa
- Hatzidakis Winery – Santorini Assyrtiko
- Biblia Chora – Ovilos
Red wines:
- Thymiopoulos – Jeunes Vignes
- Semeli Wines – Nemea Reserve
- Moraitis Winery – Paros Reserve
- Thymiopoulos – Earth & Sky
I enjoyed them all and was deeply impressed with the range of wines presented – from lighthearted whites to big reds packed with serious oomph. It’s hard to pick a preferred quaff from the night. But Bilblia Chora’s bright, citric and aromatic Ovilos definitely intrigued my nose and palate.
Ditto for the cheese. I loved nibbling them all. But, hard smoked Metsovone has kept in my memory’s taste buds all this while.
Tasting event or not, foodies craving a friendly shopping experience would do themselves a flavoursome favour browsing the aisles of Isle. From white truffle butter to raw fir tree honey and a wide variety of dried herbs – the shop sources its products from small independent producers and agricultural cooperatives across Greece. There’s a café and deli service too with coffee, sandwiches, soups, salads and more offered at reasonable prices.
The shop is located just off Broadway Market and near the Regent’s Canal at 6c Ada Street, E8 4QU. Find out more and reserve your place at upcoming events at isleofolive.co.uk and facebook.com/isleofolive.
