The Savoy opened the Beaufort Wine Bar on 13 October with more than 250 wines from 18 countries, and half of that cellar — over 125 listings — poured by the glass, which the hotel calls the UK's largest wine-by-the-glass programme.

For a trade reader, the significance is operational as much as promotional. By-the-glass lists at premium London hotels rarely exceed a few dozen lines because of waste and oxidation risk. The Savoy is underwriting the offer with Coravin technology, the needle-based preservation system that lets staff pour from a bottle without pulling the cork.

"Half of the cellar is available by the glass using Coravin technology, allowing guests to discover rare, vintage and contemporary wines without committing to a full bottle," the hotel said in a statement.

Who is running the programme?

Head sommelier Romain Audrerie leads the venture. He previously worked on the opening team at Chiltern Firehouse before becoming global wine director for André Balazs Properties, the group behind properties including Chateau Marmont. That CV signals the Savoy is positioning Beaufort as a destination wine bar rather than a hotel-lobby add-on.

The list itself spans Bordeaux First Growths, blue-chip Burgundy and mature Champagne, alongside contemporary producers. Depth matters at this tier: First Growth and grand cru inventory represents tied capital that only a by-the-glass format can monetise in incremental pours.

What does the food and spirits offer look like?

The wine-led concept shapes the rest of the menu. The spirits list focuses exclusively on grape-based spirits, and a cocktail selection features Cognac, Grappa and Pisco in gastronomic wine cocktails.

Food is built for sharing:

• artisan cheeses
• cured meats
• hand-carved Jamón Ibérico, sliced tableside from a custom-made trolley.

The tableside carving service adds theatre and a service-labour cost that operators should note when benchmarking the format.

Why the by-the-glass claim matters

A 250-bottle cellar with 50 percent available by the glass changes the economics of the bar. Rare and vintage stock that would otherwise sit in reserve can now generate per-pour revenue at premium pricing. Coravin coverage at this scale also implies tight stock control, since every preserved bottle must be tracked for freshness windows.

For competitors in the five-star London segment — the Ritz, Claridge's, The Connaught — the opening raises the benchmark for wine programmes. Hotel bars across the segment have been shifting revenue mix toward premium pours as drinks margins outpace food.

The Beaufort Wine Bar is now trading at The Savoy, Strand. Expect the trade press and UK wine awards to test the by-the-glass claim against forthcoming lists from rival hotel bars over the coming months.