Restaurant and bar review: Whispering Angel at The Rooftop at The Trafalgar St. James in London

Upon The Rooftop at The Trafalgar St. James hotel, enviable views that capture the capital have been paired with a wine menu from Château d’Esclans, the home of the iconic pale rosé. Transforming into a floral summer rooftop space for lassie affair lunches, bougee brunches and smart evening meals, with a striking city vista of the London Eye, The Shard and Nelson’s Column just next door, is a luxurious place to soak up the precious British sunshine with the best French rosés and a new food menu to pair.

Situated in the heart of Provence, northeast of St.Tropez, Château d’Esclans epitomises the elegance of the French Riviera. On a mission to craft the greatest rosé in the world, since owner Sacha Lichine acquired the Château back in 2006, they have created sips of sunshine for wine drinkers globally. In addition to establishing the iconic Whispering Angel, this exclusive collaboration allows fans to also sample the Château d’Esclans sister label, the ‘high-energy’ Rock Angel wine. Described as having a ‘powerful, edgy attitude’, I have come across this lesser-known sister wine on a handful of occasions. Offering a more so complex flavour profile, this richer option with a mineral finish is a great option for Sancerre lovers.

Whispering Angel at The Rooftop — Upon The Rooftop at The Trafalgar St. James hotel, enviable views that capture the heart of the capital have been paired with a special wine menu from Château d’Esclans

Adding a creative cocktail twist to the rooftop partnership at The Trafalgar St. James, a collection of rosé based cocktails has also been invented. Notably, this includes the Taste of Provence, inspired by its French homeland. With delicate homemade lavender syrup, it blends with the fresh notes of the Whispering Angel rosé, finished with a touch of soda. Otherwise, there is also the Angel’s Secret, which is a delicate and refreshing blend of fresh raspberries balanced perfectly with the Whispering Angel rosé, Grand Marnier and lemon, and the Simple d’Esclans: combining Whispering Angel Rosé and fraise du bois with rosemary-infused sparkling water.

Turning our attention to the dishes, these too have been curated to perfectly complement the rosés from Château d’Esclans. Inspired by European summer, here features small and large plates with sharing platters and desserts. From light summery seafood dishes and salads to classic burgers, we shared a small plate of crispy prawns with lime, chilli and a clever vegan ‘nduja, and a bright and fresh cured salmon and seaweed salad with a citrus, sesame and peanut dressing. Plenty of inclusive meat-free small plates also include a “KFC” Korean fired cauliflower with coriander, lime and garlic aioli (fun, but not sure how KFC and Château d’Esclans unite), or a middle eastern inspired dish of halloumi fries with pomegranate, mint and molasses.

LONDON VIEW — The striking city vista of the capital

Sharing plates embody the expected European theme. These include a selection of cold-cut meats with sun-dried tomatoes and focaccia or a selection of artisan cheeses with apple and cider chutney and grapes. Substantial large plates are the standard crowd-pleasers, (and not what you’d usually uncover on a menu on the Cote D’Azur). These include the double cheeseburger, with smoked cheddar and chipotle BBQ mayonnaise, pork ribs with black garlic ketchup or a classic chicken Caesar. A hint of Europe (notably Italian-inspired) returns with a tiramisu or limoncello sorbet or some profiteroles, filled with pistachio and white chocolate.

Should the appealing option of a rosé brunch be on the cards, then there are some luxury takes on hearty brunch classics. This includes the aptly named ‘Rooftop Muffin’ piled with sausage, egg, hash brown, smoked cheddar and treacle cured bacon, crab and crayfish brioche with poached egg yuzu and chive hollandaise, and lastly a suitably French grilled minute steak topped with a fried egg, chives and garlic butter.

Château d’Esclans in the heart of Provence are leaders of what they call the ‘Rosé Renaissance’. Conceiving and crafting a world class rosé portfolio that is sold in over 100 counties globally, their elegant wines are characterised by depth, richness, and complexity. Meeting with the luxury British hotel The Trafalgar St. James, this partnership is a celebration of summer at the luxury five-star hotel that is sanctuary of style, rest and play in the big smoke.