Whispering Angel Opens Terrace at Yauatcha City for dim sum pairing
You would have to have been living under a rock not to have heard of Château d’Esclans Whispering Angel and its premium big sister Rock Angel. These rosés have gripped the summer drinking crowd the last couple of years and now they are launching pop-up terraces around the capital for the sunnier months. At Yauatcha City, where the Whispering Angel pop-up resides until 27 September, it was decorated in pink flowers and abuzz with City-types unbuttoning collars.
The evening began with an Angel Spritz, a refreshing fruity blend of the aforementioned wine, Aperol Spritz, apricot liquor and tonic to cool you down.
Whispering Angel is a blend of juicy Grenache, floral Cinsault and Rolle and it is bone dry, meaning it can pair freshly with rich dishes yet not dominate more delicate flavours. Yauatcha, experts in the art of dim sum, have devised a special pairing menu for the terrace and the rosé slipped down a treat with the fragrant, delicate lobster dumpling lightly spiced with ginger and topped with Tobiko caviar.
For those in the mood for something meatier, the soft-shell crab bao is supremely satisfying and the Iberico pork truffle siew long bao is a triumph so good we had to order more.
I could have happily nibbled away for hours as the sun set but was advised not to miss the dessert, a shiny cerise globe of rhubarb compote, gin jelly and juniper mousse. But it was the Sakura and raspberry macaron that won my heart in the end – a skilfully crisp bite of daintily perfumed flavours.
You can pause for a glass, carafe, bottle, magnum or – for those who are going large – even a jeroboam (£256) of this popular rosé.
Other terraces serving the wine include Searcy’s at the Gherkin, Stoke House Terrace in Victoria and Wright Brothers Jetty in Battersea.