Dan Keeling

One of the great pleasures of Rotters Towers is seeing our alumni going to on run the wine programmes of brilliant restaurants such as Mountain, Dorian and Cloth. Now our own @stephwangui has relocated to Burgundy to become trainee viticulturist at Meursault’s sainted Domaine Roulot, which you can read about on today’s Wine-Searcher.com. We’re very proud of you Steph. See you in Les Tessons soon! 🍷@luchets007

Here was another reminder that when it comes to old bottles provenance is everything. Sold to me by a pal who’d bought it from a retired wine merchant who worked with Harry Waugh in the 1980s, this could not have been better. Served blind, this light-coloured 1976 soared out of the glass with the essence of purest Rayas - one of the most sensual and unique perfumes on the planet - with one learned imbiber at the table so bowled over they assumed it was the legendary 1978. Opening old bottles is an always a gamble. But when they hit like this, nothing else compares. This beauty was obviously stored with love and care. Chin chin. #ifnotnowwhen? #rayas #1976

Link in bio to read all of restaurateur, author, and @noblerotmag ‘s Dan Keeling’s recommendations for London wine bars, restaurants, and shops that will satisfy wine connoisseurs and newcomers alike. #dankeeling #noblerot #bestwinesinlondon #InfatuationLondon

MASSIVE thanks to The New York Times, The Financial Times, The Times and The Telegraph for making ‘Who’s Afraid of Romanée-Conti? A Shortcut to Drinking Great Wines’ one of their favourite books of 2024 (slide to read reviews in that order). What a thrill! Also huge gratitude to Diana Henry for hosting a Q&A/ launch with me at Waterstones Piccadilly, and all the lovely folks at Toppings book shops in Bath and Edinburgh (first photo) for organising such brilliant events and making WAORC their ‘Drinks Book of the Year’. Chin chin x

Thanks to everyone who came to our Fête du Beaujolais collaboration with The Four Horsemen. It was a very special day and we raised over £17,000 for the charity Action Against Hunger. Don’t forget that we have donated several great prizes to their silent auction that ends this evening. Bid on dinner with Caitlin Moran and John Niven in our Soho private dining room, a set of Alien/Gladiator themed art prints signed by Ridley Scott, large format bottles from Latour, Guffens-Heynen and Telmo Rodriguez (direct from the producers), and a mixed case of wines featured in my book ‘Who’s Afraid of Romanee-Conti?’. Link in bio to auction 👆🏻👆🏻👆🏻

I’m honoured to have made the shortlist for the British Society of Magazine Editors ‘Editor’s Editor of the Year’ at tonight’s awards in London. Chin chin. @_bsme

It was a huge buzz discussing ‘Who’s Afraid…?’ with William Kelley on Thursday at Athenaeum in the heart of Burgundy. So many of the stories and themes of the book come back to this sainted region, and the inspirational characters behind its magical wines. None more so than Jean-Marc Roulot (pictured) who generously laid on high quality refreshments for the audience. Chin chin.

Excited to be signing books and talking all things ‘Who’s Afraid of Romanée-Conti?’ with my friend @wgfkelley at @athenaeumwinelovers in Beaune at 7pm tonight. There are still a few spots left so please come down and say hello (register for free at [email protected]) We have something very nice to drink too.

I loved visiting Gilles Peterson in his studio last week to play a few of my favourite records and discuss my previous career as an A&R man, and current one as a writer, restaurateur and wine importer. The show is available to steam now on Worldwide FM, link in bio via Linktree.

LAST CHANCE TO WIN DINNER AND THE CHANCE TO DRINK DOMAINE DE LA ROMANEE-CONTI! Thinking back to April 2022’s ‘once in a lifetime’ vertical of 25 vintages Romanée-Conti, one of the wines that most stands out – whose aromatics I visually picture in my mind – was the glorious 2007. A so called ‘off’ vintage and the only wine served in magnum (which, as everyone knows, always tastes better), its super-fine perfume of faded rose petals, rotting strawberries and undergrowth seemed to levitate above the glass. It’s an awe-inspiring memory from a day that provided many insights about both the world’s most fabled wine, and where the legions of great artisanal wines I have tasted from Switzerland, Corsica, Chianti, Jura, Barolo, Muscadet, Bordeaux, Priorat and England over the past couple of decades fit in relation. I’ve loved writing about this in ‘Who’s Afraid of Romanée-Conti? A Shortcut to drinking great wines’, full of my recommendations of exceptional, lesser known wines to drink now, and the stories of the places and people behind them. Published this Thursday 7th November by @quadrillebooks , if you pre-order a copy before then and send in your receipt (details in bio), you’ll enter into a draw to win dinner at Noble Rot with co-founder Mark Andrew and I, when we’ll open many goodies from the book including a bottle of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru ‘Duvault-Blochet’. Keep drinking! Dan x

I FINALLY made it as a pin-up! (Darts not included). And I’m absolutely THRILLED to be talking about ‘Who’s Afraid of Romanée-Conti?’ with my pal William Kelley at Athenaeum bookshop in Beaune, Burgundy, on 14th November from 7pm to 8.30pm. Please come and say hello. To register for the event please email [email protected]

Rayas, Rayas, Rayas! What a pleasure to drink multiple vintages of one of France’s most singular reds back to back. It wouldn’t surprise me if (totally unsubstantiated) rumours that spices and citrus peel are added to ferments to produce such visceral sensuality are true. Pictured are the underrated 2003 - the youngest vintage of the tasting which is great to drink now - the delicate, ethereal 1971, and an extraordinary, label-less 1978, whose effortless harmony, power and finesse saw it tower over all others once again. One of the 20th century’s greatest wines of any region, no doubt! Cheers @orriolsgil #rayas