Surrey


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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-where"><strong>WHAT? WHERE?</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1001" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/11/The-Grape-Variety-Chipstead.jpg" alt="The Grape Variety, Chipstead, Surrey" class="wp-image-45145" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/11/The-Grape-Variety-Chipstead.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/11/The-Grape-Variety-Chipstead-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/11/The-Grape-Variety-Chipstead-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/11/The-Grape-Variety-Chipstead-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/11/The-Grape-Variety-Chipstead-768x513.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/11/The-Grape-Variety-Chipstead-787x525.jpg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>The Grape Variety is a cool wine bar and shop, tucked away near the train station in Chipstead. If two words were uttered most about it, they&#8217;d be &#8216;hidden gem&#8217;. And indeed it is. The speciality here &#8211; as the name strongly suggests &#8211; is wine, and there&#8217;s a well-curated, eclectic menu that offers a something for all tastes and budgets. </p>



<p>If wine tasting can sometimes bring with it an air of pretension, that vibe couldn&#8217;t be further from The Grape Variety which prides itself on catering not only to the expert tippler but also the wine-newbie &#8211; and everyone in between. </p>



<p>Since opening in 2018, it&#8217;s become a hotspot for locals &#8211; and most nights this neighbourhood wine bar is busy and bustling with locals sipping their favourite tipple. As well as offering a simple menu &#8211; think nibbles and sharing boards &#8211; The Grape Variety also hosts wine tastings, fine dining events, and pizza pop-ups. And now it has a sister venue in the heart of Dorking.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>THE VIBE</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2020/10/The-Grape-Variety_422-HDR-Edit.jpg" alt="The Grape Variety, Chipstead, Surrey" class="wp-image-28499" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2020/10/The-Grape-Variety_422-HDR-Edit.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2020/10/The-Grape-Variety_422-HDR-Edit-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2020/10/The-Grape-Variety_422-HDR-Edit-720x480.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2020/10/The-Grape-Variety_422-HDR-Edit-150x100.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2020/10/The-Grape-Variety_422-HDR-Edit-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2020/10/The-Grape-Variety_422-HDR-Edit-787x525.jpg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Small, artisan and loungey, TGV is set over two floors with a cool relaxed vibe. The ground floor is an open plan arrangement where the wine takes centre stage lining one of the dark green walls in floor-to-ceiling racks, it&#8217;s also where the main bar is situated. The seating is an eclectic mix of cushion-filled pews, vintage dining chairs and high bistro-style stools. In the evening it’s softly lit with lamps and candles.</p>



<p>Downstairs, it’s snug and cosy – walls are painted a dark teal, and seating is a mix of leather armchairs and velvet slipper chairs arranged around vintage coffee tables, high tables and button-backed stools. There&#8217;s also a large rustic timber dining table which can fit a crowd. </p>



<p>Lamps glow in each corner, and in the nook under the stairs a wine rack is heaving with bottles. There’s a distinctly Parisian vibe going on, which flows throughout the interiors and extends to the pavement style table and chairs that sit beneath the oversized awning out the front.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>SCOFF &amp; QUAFF</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Grape-Variety-Raclette.jpeg" alt="The Grape Variety, Chipstead, Surrey, Raclette" class="wp-image-45943" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Grape-Variety-Raclette.jpeg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Grape-Variety-Raclette-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Grape-Variety-Raclette-1000x667.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Grape-Variety-Raclette-400x267.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Grape-Variety-Raclette-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Grape-Variety-Raclette-788x525.jpeg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>The sharing boards here are phenomenal &#8211; available for two, four or six to eight people and featuring a range of cheeses and charcuteries. There&#8217;s also a vegan board, plus a baked Camembert served with toasted bread.</p>



<p>But tonight I&#8217;m here for the Raclette &#8211; a classic Swiss dish that involves melted cheese served with a trio of sides that includes potatoes, pickled onions and gherkins. The Raclette board at TGV also includes a delicious pile of artfully arranged charcuterie.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s a wonderful dish to share whilst enjoying wine &#8211; and the beauty of the wines at TGV is that large proportion of them are available by the glass, so you can take yourself on your own personalised wine tasting tour.</p>



<p>There are more than 80 wines on offer here &#8211; with most bottles priced between £20-£30, so if you want a seriously sassy bottle of something good, you won’t need to remortgage the house to pay for it.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Grape-Variety-Wine-rack.jpeg" alt="Wine racks at The Grape Variety, Chipstead, Surrey" class="wp-image-45945" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Grape-Variety-Wine-rack.jpeg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Grape-Variety-Wine-rack-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Grape-Variety-Wine-rack-1000x667.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Grape-Variety-Wine-rack-400x267.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Grape-Variety-Wine-rack-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Grape-Variety-Wine-rack-788x525.jpeg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>I went the by-the-glass route, and took suggestions from the bar manager, Adrian, who knows his stuff. Red wine and cheese are the perfect partnership &#8211; and my first tipple was a Château Hourbanon Médoc a ruby red wine from Bordeaux. I&#8217;m not wine expert, so can tell you only that while the tasting notes describe it as having complex aromas of tobacco, forest fruits and blackcurrant &#8211; for me it was simply a lovely and drinkable red wine. Not too heavy, but not too light.</p>



<p>My next choice falls neatly into the eclectic category &#8211; a Chateau Musar Hochar from Lebanon, described as silky and elegant. I loved this wine, and in fact went back for a third glass. </p>



<p>Mr M, meanwhile, started with a glass of the André Faller Pinot Noir (light and medium dry with tastes of soft brambles and blackcurrant), before moving onto craft ales which, which as it happens, also forms a good partnership with cheese and charcuterie.</p>



<p>And that brings me nicely to the Raclette &#8211; hunks of Swiss cheese melted over a grill heated by a candle and then drizzled over a bowl of perfectly boiled new potatoes. It was gloriously indulgent, and the howling weather outside only seemed add to its appeal.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>KID-FRIENDLY?&nbsp;</strong></h2>



<p>Children are welcome until 7pm, But personally, I&#8217;d leave them at home. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>AND DOGS, TOO?</strong></h2>



<p>Yes, pooches are also welcome until 7pm.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>DISABILITY ACCESS</strong></h2>



<p>There ground floor is easily accessible, but there&#8217;s no lift to the basement level.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>OUT &amp; ABOUT</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Banstead-Woods-Ivy-AE.jpeg" alt="A dog in Banstead Woods, Surrey" class="wp-image-45947" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Banstead-Woods-Ivy-AE.jpeg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Banstead-Woods-Ivy-AE-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Banstead-Woods-Ivy-AE-1000x667.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Banstead-Woods-Ivy-AE-400x267.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Banstead-Woods-Ivy-AE-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Banstead-Woods-Ivy-AE-788x525.jpeg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>The beautiful Banstead Woods is just across the road &#8211; which makes it a great place for a quick glass of wine after a countryside stroll.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>THE MUDDY VERDICT</strong></h2>



<p><strong>Good for:</strong> Lovers of wine (obvs!), gatherings of friends, girlie get-togethers, date nights, after-work tipples.</p>



<p><strong>Not for:</strong> If you&#8217;re after a hearty dinner, TGV isn&#8217;t your spot. The menu is centred around the wine &#8211; and there&#8217;s a small cocktail menu as well as lager and pale ale on tap. But if you&#8217;re after an extensive cocktail menu, this might not suffice.</p>



<p><strong>The damage:</strong> The Raclette is £20 per person. The cheese board and charcuterie boards for two are £22 each, the mixed board for two is £25. A mixed board for four is £46, and the extra large mixed board for 6-8 is £66. Wine is priced from £5-£12 for a 125ml glass, and from £17.50 for a bottle (with most in the £20-30 range).</p>



<p><a href="https://thegrapevariety.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>thegrapevariety.com</em></a></p>


Review: The Grape Variety, Chipstead

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