London Uncorked

When it comes to drinking, London is not all gin and ale. For proof, there's Vinopolis, a multimedia wine museum on the south side of the city. It's a place bustling with energy from lectures on food-and-wine pairings and interactive exhibits on world wines from Hungarian sweet Tokay to Beaujolais and beyond. And you'll learn all sorts of fun facts for example, that there are more than 400 wineries in Britain and that China, known for plum and rice wines, is now producing grape-based ones. And, of course, you'll have a chance to sample some of them. The local Wickham Winery's white from Schonburger and Wurzer grapes was simple but pleasantly fruity. The Chinese Hudong winery made a very credible Riesling. These obscure varietals alone are worth the price of admission.

For snacks, bypass the on-premises restaurants and duck outside. Just up the twisty lane is a local outpost of Neal's Yard Dairy, the stunning cheese shops specializing in small producers in Britain. Adjacent to Neal's is Monmouth Coffee. And for great wine-and-food pairings, head back over the river to ritzy Knightsbridge.

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Fifth Floor, the posh restaurant in Harvey Nichols (the like-Harrods-but-hipper store), serves sophisticated Milanoesque cuisine. Thanks to Fifth's seriously geeky sommeliers, its wine scene pulses with options. Try one of the new wine flights a selection of four wines organized around a theme.

Across the street, the wine list at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel's Foliage is packed with beautiful champagnes and Bordeaux, but what caught my eye were hard-to-find regional French wines. I chose the Coulee de Serrant 1989, a legendary Loire white made from Chenin Blanc grapes from the town of Savennieres. With aromas and tastes of lychee and dried apples, it worked with everything from the herb-crusted lamb to the tender spring artichokes.