60,000 Bottles of Wine, 6 Wine Cellars - A Visit to Palais Coburg Vienna

Recently I was lucky enough to have a private tour of the Palais Coburg wine cellars in Vienna, which house 60,000 bottles (give or take) of wines from a double magnum of Romanee-Conti 2004 to 1845 Tokaji to 1945 Chateau Mouton Rothschild to Sassicaia, Sine Qua Non and beyond.  I'm sure there are more reasonably priced and more every-day bottles in this incredible series of wine rooms which serve the luxury all-suite hotel that the Palais Coburg has become, but I have to confess I passed them by.

'The Palais Coburg was originally owned by the Kohary branch of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.  Designed in 1839 by architect Karl Schleps in Neoclassical style, and built from 1840 to 1845 by Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha atop the Braunbastei (Brown Bastion), a part of the Vienna city defences dating to 1555. It is nicknamed the Spargelburg ("castle of asparagus") for its central portico with many freestanding columns.'Wikipedia.com. 

The palatial hotel has 33 suites and it was the venue for the historic Iran nuclear deal reached on 14 July 2015.



Inside you can see a map of the original walled city on the floor near the entrance, plus some of the original walls, down near the cellars.  Click here to read the full history of the Palais Coburg.  Down in the wine cellars there are different cellars for French Wines, New World Wines, Old World Wines, Chateau d'Yquem, Rare Wines, and Champagne.  Inevitably after one tour of all of these wonders you really need a lie down or a strong drink - there is so much to take in.



Highlights for me were the superb bottles of Chateau d'Yquem, the Chateau Mouton Rothschild, particularly the 1945 and 1982, the collection of venerable Austrian wines and surprisingly some very rare (and very expensive) bottles of Sine Qua Non from California.

Having visited several of the excellent wine stores in Vienna, where you can actually buy the wine and take it away with you, as opposed to drinking these legendary wines in one of the two restaurants at the Palais Coburg or at one of their events I saw many excellent wines, some expensive, some very reasonably priced, from Spain, Italy, France and Austria (and managed to taste quite a few, coming up next).

However I have never seen a collection such as this one and if you're a wine lover and you visit Vienna you should try and see this legendary collections of the greatest wines in the world.

How Important is your Wine Glass?

Wine glasses - fad or fashion?  It used to be that cut wine glasses were 'the thing' and if you didn't have a glittering array of cut glass on your table you hadn't got it right.

Wine glasses have changed hugely over the past few years, to the point when pretty much most popular wine glasses are super thin, super tall and super large, unless they're stemless, of course.

'Scientists at the University of Cambridge have found that the capacity of wine glasses has ballooned nearly seven-fold over the past 300 years, rising most sharply in the last two decades in line with a surge in wine consumption.'  So you really shouldn't be that surprised if you're given a glass that holds most of a bottle.

Putting size aside, and as someone who loves to travel and dine out, there are some truly fabulous taste enhancing wine glasses out there, and I've taken to asking in a restaurant (if I like the glassware) who the designer/glass maker is - so along with wine this can become another extremely expensive hobby.....

Riedel seems to be the No 1 favourite most probably because it's the most widely available and for the entry level glasses not over priced.  Having said that, the top of the range glasses are beautiful.  Try them out at Wolfgang Puck's Cut at 45 Park Lane....

Zwiesel 1872 - not to be confused with the less expensive (but great value) sister brand Schott Zwiesel.  Handmade lead crystal glasses of the highest quality. Glasses from this glass maker can be found at 3* Epicure at Le Bristol Paris.

Zalto is a new generation of modern wine glasses, beautifully designed and pricier than many.  Along with Mark Thomas's double bend wine glasses - below -  these are loved by Sommeliers and top restaurants everywhere.  


Mark Thomas Double Bend Wine Glasses - to be found at Le George in Paris - beautiful to hold and drink from, uniquely designed and not overpriced.  So if you want to have something different on your table consider these.

Lehmann Jamesse Prestige wine glasses - try these out at 114 Le Faubourg in Paris then buy them here for your table.  These are much less expensive than I expected, I have to say, and I wouldn't hesitate to start a collection.

Then there is the beautiful 'dishwasher proof' (I wouldn't risk it, personally) stemware by Sophienwald - another Sommelier and wine lovers' favourite.  Beautiful, lightweight and oh so elegant.

How many different wine glass designers do you need?  It's like designer clothing to me, you can never have too many Little Black Dresses - all different, beautiful and to be pulled out when the mood takes you.

There are so many wine glasses to choose from.  I have changed from enjoying using Georgian glasses (large ones, I might add and no, I'm not that old) to traditional cut glass, to simple clear glasses whose main purpose in life is to enhance the wine I'm drinking.  I'm going to stick with those.  No coloured glass, no odd shapes, no cut glass.  Just a great bottle of wine and a beautiful glass.  Thanks....

Three Places to Eat Out in Vienna - From a famous Coffee House to one of the World's Best Restaurants

Having just spent ten days in Vienna, mainly for music - and wine - and food I came away having heard the most marvellous performances, drunk some incredible wines I had never come across before, and eaten some great meals.  I have to say I like simple(ish) food, predominantly seafood, and so I found most Austrian cuisine was not quite up my street, particularly Wiener schnitzel and goulash, both of which I know that many adore.

Firstly No visit to Vienna is complete without a visit to the famous Vienna coffee house Schwarzenberg.

'The history of Viennese coffee house culture goes back to the year 1683, when Turkish spoils of war in the form of bags of green beans came into the possession of a spy and coffee became the favourite drink of the Viennese. Gradually, establishments under the name of Viennese coffee house were opened up and became a popular meeting place.' https://www.cafe-schwarzenberg.at/en/

At historic cafe Schwarzenberg you can go for just a coffee, for hot chocolate, for lunch and/or for dinner.  It is always full.  If you're clever you'll reserve one of the window tables.  If you're not you'll end up queuing outside.  Originally built in 1861 - read the full history here - Cafe Schwarzenberg is the best known of all of the coffee houses.  It's close to everything cultural from the Staatsoper to the Musikverein and also very close to all the famous hotels and the shopping district.  Pay a visit.  have a coffee and reserve your table to lunch the next day.

Restaurant Steirereck.  No 10 in the list of The World's top 50 Restaurants, holder of two Michelin Stars, you can expect to part with a lot of money here but come away happy.  The service, as you'd expect, is superb, the food out-of-this-world delicious and the wines outstanding.  Start with a glass of their in house Blanc de Blancs unless you want serious bubbles, then try a delicious Pichler Gruner Veltliner and go from there.  This is one of the best restaurants I've ever been to and well worth a visit.

Finally a restaurant that I visited once on this trip but if I went to Vienna again I would definitely go more than one time.  Restaurant Paul, at  Johannesgasse 16, 1010 Wien, is a restaurant I can definitely recommend.  The food is excellent as is the service and you can drink superb Austrian wines that won't break the bank.

3 of the Best Restaurants in Santa Barbara California from an Italian Feast to Paella Paradise

When you look up the restaurants in Santa Barbara you can pick and choose from any number of highly rated and expensive restaurants.  Look a little deeper to find those you might not have heard of and you'll be in for a feast.  Dining out in Santa Barbara is casual everywhere (at least where I went) so leave the heels behind.

Angel Oak

This restaurant is part of the Ritz Carlton Bacara hotel and is beautifully situated right on the ocean.  Well worth booking in advance after a long day's travel to Santa Barbara - choose a local wine (of which there are many, of course - see next post), some abalone pasta, and enjoy the view and the excellent service.  This is, by the way, the most expensive of the three I'm writing about today because after a long days travel, and just a few steps away from my room, it was paradise.....

Angel Oak Restaurant at the Ritz Carlton Bacara
8301 Hollister Avenue, Santa Barbara, CA 93117
805 571 4220
Book via Open Table.

Toma Italian Restaurant Santa Barbara

One of the most popular restaurants in Santa Barbara don't try to get in to Toma without a reservation.  Serving excellent Italian cuisine such as black spaghetti with shellfish (my favourite) polenta with Puttanesca sauce and on occasion tomato gazpacho with crab and avocado this is a must visit, highly rated, great food, excellent service, you really couldn't ask for much more.  Just book, as I say......

Toma Restaurant and Bar
324 West Cabrillo Blvd.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805)962-0777
Book via Google/Open Table




Loquita Santa Barbara

Loquita is another of the most popular restaurants in town - don't come to this marvellous Spanish restaurant if you don't like to share - from the delicious tapas to the excellent paella everything is for sharing.  If you like your sprouts please try one of their tapas starters - Brusela which is brussel sprouts with peanut romesco, chorizo, honey dates and gremolata - it is out of this world.  The paella too is superb with the tenderest chicken and incredibly flavoursome rice, chorizo and gigante beans.


Loquita Restaurant - book ahead
202 State Street
Santa Barbara CA 93101
(805) 880 3380Book via Google/Open Table

With most of the restaurants in Santa Barbara you can eat outside or inside so make sure you know which you prefer and ask in advance.  And as I've said, casual is the order of the day whether daytime dining or evening.

The temperature in Santa Barbara, being so near to the ocean, is usually warm but not boiling in daytime and can cool down quite rapidly in the evening so make sure you take a jacket or wrap with you.  

Five Restaurants in Sussex Worth Making the Journey For

When I originally wrote a post on where to eat in Sussex I only included three restaurants.  They’re all here, plus two more that have been thoroughly tried and tested both for lunch and for dinner.  If you’re planning a stay in Sussex, hiking on the downs, visiting Glyndebourne these are the five I can recommend. 



No visit to Sussex is complete without a visit to magical Gravetye Manor, set in exquisite gardens, with lovely rooms and a wonderful new restaurant - you have to visit here.  It doesn’t matter if you’re staying, walking on one of the public footpaths that skirt the grounds or eating in the restaurant this really is a beautiful place.



The new Michelin Star restaurant makes you feel as if you’re sitting  right in the garden.  I confess, having enjoyed the previous restaurant on many occasions I was worried that the new one wouldn’t be as good, or as atmospheric, but this is so much better. 

As I said in my previous post this is quite a formal restaurant and not one for boisterous children.  It can also be expensive, although they have retained their Daily Menu which is exceptionally good value at £50 for 3 courses at dinner and £35 for 2 courses at lunch.  Almost everything-vegetable wise comes from the hotel’s kitchen garden, it’s very pretty food as you can see, but everything tastes exceptionally good.


To visit Gravetye (restaurant or hotel) make sure you book well in advance.
Gravetye Manor, Vowels Ln, West Hoathly RH19 4LJ  Phone: 01342 810567
Parking - easy



Next on my list is Jeremy’s Restaurant in Borde Hill Gardens just outside Haywards Heath.  This too is a marvellous restaurant set in beautiful gardens.  The terrace is the place to be if it’s warm and they have outdoor heaters if it gets a little chilly.

The restaurant itself is beautifully designed and a pleasure to eat in when it’s not warm enough (or dry enough outside) and the tables aren’t too close together.  Jeremy’s is always booked up so reserve a table well in advance and have a date or two to suggest - they also cater for weddings and parties.


The food here is superb.  Alongside the a la Carte menu they have an extremely well priced set menu at £29 for three courses - this is a real steal and one of the reasons why the restaurant is so popular.  The dishes are fresh, tasty and prettily prepared.  Make sure this is one of your stops if you’re going to Sussex.

Jeremy’s Borde Hill Gardens - 01444 441102
Borde Hill, Borde Hill Gardens, Haywards Heath, West Sussex. RH16 1XP
Parking - easy




The Dorset Arms, Withyham is my next Sussex restaurant, although it’s really a gastropub.  To me there are gastropubs and gastropubs, some which stand out via great food and excellent service and others which just don’t make the grade.  Having had several excellent lunches at The Dorset Arms (before a long walk through the Buckhurst Estate) I visited it for dinner.



This is simple really well prepared food, very fresh, and the service is excellent and very friendly.  Try the chicken and avocado salad for lunch, it’s delicious.  Or the sea bass with salsa verde, the menu includes some pub classics but mainly modern European fare and there’s definitely something for everyone.

There are some pretty and reasonable rooms next door to The Dorset Arms and for any of this, as usual you need to book. 
The Dorset Arms, Buckhurst Park, Withyham, Hartfield TN7 4BD.  Phone: 01892 770278.  Parking - mostly easy.




On to The Cat Inn, West Hoathly another pub/gastropub/restaurant that has become a real favourite both for lunch and for dinner and again a great place to start a hike on the Downs. 


There’s a wide choice of delicious sounding dishes on the menu plus the daily specials.  If they have it try the calamari and crayfish salad, totally delish and don’t miss the ice cream for dessert.   Be prepared for The Cat to be very busy, book ahead and expect to be surrounded by a lot of noise.  If you can put up with that then this may well be your place.

The Cat Inn also has some pretty country style rooms with bathrooms.

The Cat Inn - North Ln, West Hoathly RH19 4PP.  Phone: 01342 810369
Parking - can be tricky if it’s a popular time so try and go early or late




Any trip to this area needs to include a visit to The Griffin Inn in Fletching.  It has to be the most popular and well known of the gastropubs, with a large garden for pub food, a restaurant terrace, the restaurant itself and a large bar area. 



Come on a sunny weekend lunchtime and you’ll be competing for a table in the garden - they have a superb barbeque right through the summer and you can choose from tuna, sea bass, sardines and various meat options to which are added salads and potatoes. 

The food here is very good, I would say there is just one menu which appears to be more aimed at lunch (lots of salads) than dinner.  But it is all excellent.  The Griffin also has some lovely bedrooms so if you stay there you won’t have to go far after dinner….

The Griffin Inn, High St. Fletching, TN22 3SS.  01825 722890
Parking - can be tricky if it’s a popular time so try and go early or late particularly at lunchtime and at weekends.

Note:  I have never had a meal at any of these restaurants that has been anything other than delicious, they were all excellent and I’ll be going back.  I would say that at very busy times you may have to wait a little longer for service.  I would also note that at the gastropubs if you order fish such as sole or plaice you’ll be filleting it yourself - just so you know.