BOCA’s New El Vino es Vida
- Dubai Restaurants, Eat, Spanish Restaurants
- May 5, 2024
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BOCA’s New El Vino es Vida
Michelin Green starred BOCA launches El Vino es Vida nudging the wine shy towards their cellar’s hidden gems.
Written by Liam Collens // Read more reviews here. You can find Liam on Threads, Instagram or Facebook.
The Highs
The Lows
The Highs
The Lows
BOCA’s New El Vino es Vida
BOCA boasts one of Dubai’s best wine programmes, says me and these guys…
Dubai’s Star Wine List, which featured BOCA as one of the “great wine restaurants in Dubai”, also crowned with the double honour of taking home Sustainable Wine List of the Year UAE 2024. The List goes on to say:
With the exciting new addition of Shiv [Menon] as Head Sommelier, BOCA has to have one of the most exciting wine programs I have seen in the city. BOCA is shaking the game up with plenty of sparkling wines to keep you bubbly all night long, as long as a more quirky selection and interesting additions by the glass. The ethos here is really about sustainability, and showcasing that through their wine list is something that is ever-evolving in the venue. This is a great place for wine lovers to discover new and exciting varietals and producers at a very quaffable price point.
Shiv is gold. More on him later. These gongs, like shiny trinkets, signal to the world that BOCA is worthy of your money and time. So raise a grower glass, hurrah!
BOCA is a Green Michelin Starred restaurant in Dubai’s DIFC district with ample space for large groups of after work drinks.
Dubai’s Star Wine List, which featured BOCA as one of the “great wine restaurants in Dubai”, also crowned with the double honour of taking home Sustainable Wine List of the Year UAE 2024. The List goes on to say:
With the exciting new addition of Shiv [Menon] as Head Sommelier, BOCA has to have one of the most exciting wine programs I have seen in the city. BOCA is shaking the game up with plenty of sparkling wines to keep you bubbly all night long, as long as a more quirky selection and interesting additions by the glass. The ethos here is really about sustainability, and showcasing that through their wine list is something that is ever-evolving in the venue. This is a great place for wine lovers to discover new and exciting varietals and producers at a very quaffable price point.
Shiv is gold. More on him later. These gongs, like shiny trinkets, signal to the world that BOCA is worthy of your money and time. So raise a grower glass, hurrah!
BOCA is a Green Michelin Starred restaurant in Dubai’s DIFC district with ample space for large groups of after work drinks.
What makes a great wine programme
People often define a solid wine programme by its list of impressive labels. This is true, and like my cats, after an Amazon delivery, BOCA fills the box.
This only speaks to sourcing excellence, which is only one part. A great restaurant wine programme also needs the following:
Smart wine-by-the-glass options. BOCA boasts *what I believe to be* the largest wine-by-the-glass offering in Dubai, with more than 80 labels available. Tell me if you know a larger one.
Champions a cause. Sustainability runs through BOCA’s DNA, courtesy of Omar Shihab, Chief Sustainability Officer and all-around North Star. Shiv takes the ball and runs with it, signposting sustainable labels throughout BOCA’s wine list.
Santa Julia Mantis Pet Nat Natural chilled at BOCA.
Drives education. BOCA, formally and informally, leans into wine educational programmes by hosting vineyards in the cellar, leading global sommeliers and leading education sessions for other UAE-based Somms. Many in BOCA’s team are also WSET-qualified. That’s right, qualifications: people trained to shepherd you through a wine menu, so relinquish false Gods like Vivino and Google. BOCA frequently hosts external deep-dive masterclasses by The Tasting Class and advanced WSET & CMS guided tastings by the Breakfast Wine Club.
Storytelling. Storytelling is an art. Shiv does not sell you a bottle of wine; he sells you a story. A farmer’s struggle, a viticulturist’s journey. Order the house Grenache and ask Shiv to tell the tale of an about a South African wine producer arrested under false pretences after digging in his garden. Tell Shiv I sent you.
Food Pairing. Self-explanatory; fortunately, BOCA’s menu is also good.
Domaine du Pelican Trois Cépages Arbois 2018.
This only speaks to sourcing excellence, which is only one part. A great restaurant wine programme also needs the following:
Smart wine-by-the-glass options. BOCA boasts *what I believe to be* the largest wine-by-the-glass offering in Dubai, with more than 80 labels available. Tell me if you know a larger one.
Champions a cause. Sustainability runs through BOCA’s DNA, courtesy of Omar Shihab, Chief Sustainability Officer and all-around North Star. Shiv takes the ball and runs with it, signposting sustainable labels throughout BOCA’s wine list.
Santa Julia Mantis Pet Nat Natural chilled at BOCA.
Drives education. BOCA, formally and informally, leans into wine educational programmes by hosting vineyards in the cellar, leading global sommeliers and leading education sessions for other UAE-based Somms. Many in BOCA’s team are also WSET-qualified. That’s right, qualifications: people trained to shepherd you through a wine menu, so relinquish false Gods like Vivino and Google. BOCA frequently hosts external deep-dive masterclasses by The Tasting Class and advanced WSET & CMS guided tastings by the Breakfast Wine Club.
Storytelling. Storytelling is an art. Shiv does not sell you a bottle of wine; he sells you a story. A farmer’s struggle, a viticulturist’s journey. Order the house Grenache and ask Shiv to tell the tale of an about a South African wine producer arrested under false pretences after digging in his garden. Tell Shiv I sent you.
Food Pairing. Self-explanatory; fortunately, BOCA’s menu is also good.
Domaine du Pelican Trois Cépages Arbois 2018.
Clinging to these paradigms confines consumers daunted by long menus, and like a man heading into an icy pool, it causes one's world to shrink.
We need great wine programmes, as buying (great) wine is hard, harder than it should be.
Why is that? Well, I have two theories.
Choosing wine in a restaurant is rarely easy for people.
Wine is fraught with jargon, and it should be made more intuitive to buy. At times, wine seems so shrouded in mystery that only a learned few – an ancient tribe ritually sponge bathed in en primeur – are aware that certain slopes printed in tiny font signal that THIS bottle is a juicy red or that one sports enough alcohol to keep a Hummer purring for a week.
Then there’s the parlance blithely banded around.
Old World vs New World. Tannin and Terroir. Natural wine. (Surely all wine is natural?!) Why is the world seemingly obsessed with pét nats? Cork or screw cap. Wait, screw-cap wines can be corked? Trocken sounds like a hobbit in the Lord of the Rings. Dosage sounds like something in Trainspotting. And who is this guy, Brett and why does his wine taste like shit (literally)? And WHO are these PERVERTS that ENJOY the TASTE of SHIT in WINE (literally)??!
To help, some winemakers thought, “Right, let’s help”. Read that back in an Aussie accent, spoken by a natural wine producer with a funny label in waxy enclosures.
(Sidebar: What a great band name, “Hey everyone, we’re Waxy Enclosures!”).
Wine’s patois of tasting notes causes eyebrows to furrow. Name any other situation in which you are willing to put “gravel, unripe nectarine and a pronounced whiff of kerosene” in your mouth. I’ll wait.
So yes, wine is hard. As a lawyer by day, I have suspicions that this thicket of chewy nomenclature is largely self-serving, if not self-destructive. People are drinking less and less. France paid over €200 million last year to destroy over 300 million litres of wine. It’s time to democratize wine not only for the consumer’s benefit but also for the viability of the industry at large.
BOCA’s Confit choco squid, smoked sweetcorn soup, Korean Jeju radish and quince jelly.
The second reason is that this esoteric vineland causes many to rely on familiar tropes—things that they know or “know.” This is often out of an insecurity—a fear of “getting it wrong,” especially if it means disappointment and footing the bill.
People order supposed safe bets like “bone dry Pinot Grigio” or a “grassy” New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. I heard that’s good, ergo I’ll like it. You are told never to drink red wine with fish. Or, when in doubt, just get the second cheapest one from the top. Getting it wrong feels like wasted money, especially in Dubai, where wine is pricey.
Clinging to these paradigms confines consumers daunted by long menus, and like a man heading into an icy pool, it causes one’s world to shrink.
A great wine programme coaxes coy customers into navigating the unknown. A smart Somm, well-priced wine by the glass, recommended pairings and a short-listed wine menu that provokes you to step out of your comfort zone.
Choosing wine in a restaurant is rarely easy for people.
Wine is fraught with jargon, and it should be made more intuitive to buy. At times, wine seems so shrouded in mystery that only a learned few – an ancient tribe ritually sponge bathed in en primeur – are aware that certain slopes printed in tiny font signal that THIS bottle is a juicy red or that one sports enough alcohol to keep a Hummer purring for a week.
Then there’s the parlance blithely banded around.
Old World vs New World. Tannin and Terroir. Natural wine. (Surely all wine is natural?!) Why is the world seemingly obsessed with pét nats? Cork or screw cap. Wait, screw-cap wines can be corked? Trocken sounds like a hobbit in the Lord of the Rings. Dosage sounds like something in Trainspotting. And who is this guy, Brett and why does his wine taste like shit (literally)? And WHO are these PERVERTS that ENJOY the TASTE of SHIT in WINE (literally)??!
To help, some winemakers thought, “Right, let’s help”. Read that back in an Aussie accent, spoken by a natural wine producer with a funny label in waxy enclosures.
(Sidebar: What a great band name, “Hey everyone, we’re Waxy Enclosures!”).
Wine’s patois of tasting notes causes eyebrows to furrow. Name any other situation in which you are willing to put “gravel, unripe nectarine and a pronounced whiff of kerosene” in your mouth. I’ll wait.
So yes, wine is hard. As a lawyer by day, I have suspicions that this thicket of chewy nomenclature is largely self-serving, if not self-destructive. People are drinking less and less. France paid over €200 million last year to destroy over 300 million litres of wine. It’s time to democratize wine not only for the consumer’s benefit but also for the viability of the industry at large.
BOCA’s Confit choco squid, smoked sweetcorn soup, Korean Jeju radish and quince jelly.
The second reason is that this esoteric vineland causes many to rely on familiar tropes—things that they know or “know.” This is often out of an insecurity—a fear of “getting it wrong,” especially if it means disappointment and footing the bill.
People order supposed safe bets like “bone dry Pinot Grigio” or a “grassy” New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. I heard that’s good, ergo I’ll like it. You are told never to drink red wine with fish. Or, when in doubt, just get the second cheapest one from the top. Getting it wrong feels like wasted money, especially in Dubai, where wine is pricey.
Clinging to these paradigms confines consumers daunted by long menus, and like a man heading into an icy pool, it causes one’s world to shrink.
A great wine programme coaxes coy customers into navigating the unknown. A smart Somm, well-priced wine by the glass, recommended pairings and a short-listed wine menu that provokes you to step out of your comfort zone.
BOCA’s “El Vino es Vida” lures the wine-shy to live a little
I sampled BOCA’s inaugural El Vino es Vida menu recently during a private dinner. #invited It is a simple idea and, well, let them tell you:
BOCA proudly presents a new menu series, this time from our coveted cellar. In each edition of this menu series, our team of sommeliers carefully curates an unconventional wine selection, spotlighting unique winemakers and their dedication to their craft. This series reflects our passion for showcasing the stories of these producers.
BOCA’s El Vino Es Vida May wine menu selection.
The menu is joyous, well-signposted, and peppered with a tight fistful of options. The bottles don’t sit on the fence, nor are they fringe. They are expressive, possess both character and exhibit tipicity. They challenge without alienating. El Vino es Vida furnishes us with both familiarity and points of differentiation, daring you to step out but holding your hand along the way.
Mad Moser Hungarian Furmint Dry MM5 Tokaj 2021.
Shiv describes El Vino es Vida as “boutique, funky and delicious. That’s what I like to call the wine menu. That’s what gets me excited all the time about small lists, you get to play around and have fun.” The joie de’vivre is both palpable and palatable.
The Mad Moser Hungarian Furmint (by bottle and by glass) offers a dry version of a grape often served as a sweet dessert wine (Tokaji). A magnum of French Beaujolais Nouveau (that’s 1.5 litres or two bottles of wine) would delight large groups looking for value. You’ll find bottles from South Africa to Syria, champagnes and pét-nat. There’s also non-alcoholic wine by the bottle and by the glass.
Albeit Vineyards Cartology (Bush Vines) 2022.
May’s white wines are boisterous and flirty, lively and palate-cleansing, perfect for cutting through Chef Patricia’s plates of ajoblanco or lifting light salads and cheeses (like those judiciously selected by Maison Morand).
Shiv’s choice of reds do not disappoint. A red Jura, a region rarely seen on wine menus in Dubai, is bright — almost luminous. I snuck a second glass when no one was looking. The Beaujolais Nouveau speaks of strawberry jam, violets, and those morello cherries I would save for last as a child on an ice cream sundae.
Ancestral de la Vinyl del Mas 2018.
El Vino es Vida, perhaps unknowingly, speaks to those who want to step outside of their comfort zone by offering an accessible wine list. A list curated by Somms telling you to put down Vivino, shun paradigms or perhaps try something you’ve either heard of or never knew existed. Go on, live a little.
I am looking forward to seeing this wine list evolve each month, and I encourage you to do the same.
See you in the cellar.
Dominique Piron Beaujolais Nouveau 2023 by the magnum.
El Vino es Vida is available all day, every day, while stocks last. Book through +971 4 323 1833, message on WhatsApp +971 52 160 7507, or email hola@boca.ae.
If you enjoyed this, the BEST thing you can do is hit the like button and share it with a friend! The subscriptions rise every week, so thank you!
BOCA proudly presents a new menu series, this time from our coveted cellar. In each edition of this menu series, our team of sommeliers carefully curates an unconventional wine selection, spotlighting unique winemakers and their dedication to their craft. This series reflects our passion for showcasing the stories of these producers.
BOCA’s El Vino Es Vida May wine menu selection.
The menu is joyous, well-signposted, and peppered with a tight fistful of options. The bottles don’t sit on the fence, nor are they fringe. They are expressive, possess both character and exhibit tipicity. They challenge without alienating. El Vino es Vida furnishes us with both familiarity and points of differentiation, daring you to step out but holding your hand along the way.
Mad Moser Hungarian Furmint Dry MM5 Tokaj 2021.
Shiv describes El Vino es Vida as “boutique, funky and delicious. That’s what I like to call the wine menu. That’s what gets me excited all the time about small lists, you get to play around and have fun.” The joie de’vivre is both palpable and palatable.
The Mad Moser Hungarian Furmint (by bottle and by glass) offers a dry version of a grape often served as a sweet dessert wine (Tokaji). A magnum of French Beaujolais Nouveau (that’s 1.5 litres or two bottles of wine) would delight large groups looking for value. You’ll find bottles from South Africa to Syria, champagnes and pét-nat. There’s also non-alcoholic wine by the bottle and by the glass.
Albeit Vineyards Cartology (Bush Vines) 2022.
May’s white wines are boisterous and flirty, lively and palate-cleansing, perfect for cutting through Chef Patricia’s plates of ajoblanco or lifting light salads and cheeses (like those judiciously selected by Maison Morand).
Shiv’s choice of reds do not disappoint. A red Jura, a region rarely seen on wine menus in Dubai, is bright — almost luminous. I snuck a second glass when no one was looking. The Beaujolais Nouveau speaks of strawberry jam, violets, and those morello cherries I would save for last as a child on an ice cream sundae.
Ancestral de la Vinyl del Mas 2018.
El Vino es Vida, perhaps unknowingly, speaks to those who want to step outside of their comfort zone by offering an accessible wine list. A list curated by Somms telling you to put down Vivino, shun paradigms or perhaps try something you’ve either heard of or never knew existed. Go on, live a little.
I am looking forward to seeing this wine list evolve each month, and I encourage you to do the same.
See you in the cellar.
Dominique Piron Beaujolais Nouveau 2023 by the magnum.
El Vino es Vida is available all day, every day, while stocks last. Book through +971 4 323 1833, message on WhatsApp +971 52 160 7507, or email hola@boca.ae.
If you enjoyed this, the BEST thing you can do is hit the like button and share it with a friend! The subscriptions rise every week, so thank you!
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