In a hurry: take the tube to Knightsbridge and visit Handford, Lea & Sandeman and La Réserve or take the tube to Piccadilly Circus and visit Berry Bros & Rudd and Fortnum & Mason.

More time to spare: start at Piccadilly Circus (Berry Bros & Rudd, Fortnum & Mason), then take the Piccadilly Line to Knightsbridge (Handford, Lea & Sandeman, La Réserve). Then take the District and Circle line to Notting Hill Gate (Corney & Barrow), from where you can hop on the Central Line to Bond Street (Selfridges). Back on the Central Line, continue to Chancery Lane (Oddbins Fine Wine). Various permutations of this route should be easy to devise. For those interested in wine accessories, it’s worth stopping off at Autour du Vin (Oxford Circus tube, or walk the short distance from Bond Street).

Berry Bros’ historical St James’ Street shop is a must-visit. Until recently there were no bottles on display; you simply sat down and discussed your requirements with one of the staff. You can still do this, but there’s now also a small selection of bottles from the 2500 strong range available for browsing on the shelves. The best way to shop here, though, is through the state-of-the-art website: you can either have the wines delivered, or specify collection from the shop. As you might expect, the range is comprehensive.

Strengths: All the classic European wine regions

Must buys:

• Château de Beaucastel 1998 Châteauneuf du Pape (£55.00)
• Dr. Loosen Erdener Pralat Riesling Auslese Goldkap 1996 Mosel Saar Ruwer (£37.00)
• Hiedler Grüner Veltliner, Spiegel 2001, Austria (£7.95)
• Ch. Gruaud-Larose 1978, St Julien (£61.00)
• Ch Talbot 1996 St Julien (£35.00)

Strengths: Languedoc, South Africa, Burgundy, Italy, Portugal

Must buys (this is based on La Vigneronne stock):

• Domaine Mouton Syrah, Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes 2000 (£6.95)
• L’Esprit de Fonte Caude 1998, Coteaux du Languedoc Montpeyroux (£20)
• Domaine Gros' Noré 1999 Bandol (£14.95)
• Niepoort Redoma 1999, Douro (£24.99)

Tucked away in an affluent residential area, Corney & Barrow’s small shop is a gem. With the parent company boasting an impressive list of UK agencies for the likes of Tardieu Laurent, Pétrus, Domaine de la Romanée Conti, Domaine Leflaive, Pingus, Hacienda Monasterio and Alvaro Palacios, there’s no shortage of quality on the shelves. Downstairs there is also a fair selection of rare bottles from C&B’s broking arm. Prices are surprisingly fair across the board.

Strengths: Bordeaux (especially right bank), Burgundy and Spain.

• Château La Pointe 1998, Pomerol £28.44
• Château le Bon Pasteur 1996 Pomerol £27.73
• Domaine Leflaive Puligny Montrachet 1999 £32.61
• Chocapalha 2000, Estremadura, Portugal £12.22
• Descendientes de J Palacios Bierzo 1999, Spain £16.45

With its genteel, slightly old-world atmosphere, buying wine at Fortnum & Mason is a very civilized process. The wine department is spacious, well laid out and the broad range, numbering some 1200 wines, is superb. Prices are fairer than you might expect for a high-end department store. My only gripe is the absence of any information on the shelf, which means you have to pick each bottle up to see the price.

Strengths: Burgundy, Germany and fortified wines

• Château Leoville Barton 1996, St Julien £55.00
• JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese 1999, Mosel Saar Ruwer £21.00
• Xavier Copel Primo Palatum Cahors Classica 1999 £15.50
• René Dauvissat Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 2000 £36.00
• Domaine de la Romanée Conti Romanée-St-Vivant Grand Cru 1998 £185

Strengths: Italy and Burgundy

Must buys:

• Jean Thévenet Domaine de la Bongran Mâcon Villages Sélection E.J. Thévenet 1999 (£15.95)
• Bricco Maiolica Barbera d’Alba Vigna Vigia 1998 (£10.50)
• Podere Luigi Einaudi Dolcetto di Dogliani i Filari 1999 (£13.50)
• Castello del Terriccio Tassinaia 1999 (£18.95)
• Domaine de l’Hortus Pic St Loup Grande Cuvée 1998 (£14.95)

Once you’ve finished shopping in Selfridges’ wonderful food hall, spend some time browsing the wine department, rather awkwardly located in a corner of the main store. There’s plenty to catch the eye here, with a list that is strong in every department: lots of mouthwatering names to get any semi-serious wine nut salivating. Prices are higher than normal, but this is forgivable in light of the breadth and quality of the range.

Strengths: Burgundy, Bordeaux, Alsace, Rhône, Loire, Spain, South Africa, California

Must buys:  

• Araujo Estate Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 1998 Napa £99.00
• Andrew Will Pepper Bridge Sangiovese 1999 £19.50
• Seresin Chardonnay 2001, Marlborough £10.99
• Jermann Vinnae 1999 Venezia Giulia £13.75
• Alain Graillot Crozes Hermitage 2000 £14.50
• Alion 1998 Ribera del Duero £26.95
• Jean Louis Chave Hermitage 1999 £125

The concept behind Oddbins Fine Wine stores is to provide an outlet for parcels of interesting wines that are simply too small to go round all the regular Oddbins branches. There are three of these Fine Wine outlets in London, but I’ve chosen the Farringdon branch for its central location and atmospheric cellar-like setting under the railway arches. Worth visiting for a regularly changing and eclectic mix of fine wines at good prices. Despite Oddbins changing hands last year, the official PR line at the time of writing was that they are continuing with the fine wine concept. Time will tell. 

Strengths: Australia, USA

Must buys: 

• Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz 1995, Barossa £19.99
• Jean-Luc Joillot Pommard 1er Cru Les Petits Epenots 1999 £31.99
• Edmunds St John Les Côtes Sauvage 1996 Napa £12.99
• Kent Rasmussen Chardonnay 1997 Napa £16.99

Set in the middle of a smart residential area, La Reserve has a glittering range, with the old world elite rubbing shoulders with the best of the new. The main drawback is the poor value for money: prices are pretty frightening for some of the top bottles. But then you get stuff here you wouldn't find elsewhere, and the local residents are loaded.

Strengths: Burgundy, Bordeaux

• Domaine Courbis Cornas 'Champelrose' 2000 (£20.95)
• Sylvain Cathiard Vosne Romanée 1er Cru 'Les Malconsorts' 1999 (£38.95)
• Brokenwood 'Graveyard' Shiraz 2000, Hunter Valley (£41.95)
• Bodegas Mauro 'Vendimia Seleccionada' 1996 Vina de la Tierra (£37.95)
• Trimbach Riesling 'Cuvée Frédéric Emile' 1997 (£24.95)

Harvey Nichols Ltd
Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7RJ Tel: 020 7235 5000 (large department store with plenty of high-end wines - Knightsbridge tube)

Harrods
87–135 Brompton Road, London SW1X 7XL Tel: 020 7730 1234 (world-famous department store boasts a range strong in the classics - Knightsbridge tube)

Jeroboams  A chain of shops around the capital boasting a tidy range with some real interest. Branches include 50-52 Elizabeth St, SW1W 9PB; 6 Pont St SW1X 9EL; 96 Holland Park Avenue W11 3RB; 20 Davies Street W1K 3DT; 77-78 Chancery Lane WC2A 1AE - see www.laytons.co.uk for details of their range

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