Have you ever felt like a glass of wine was giving you a lovely, soft cuddle? Honestly, if a wine bar could do that, it would have to be Terroirs.

It has a lovely, relaxed bistro vibe, and once you sit down with friends and open up a bottle, you never want to leave. Unlike most places in London, you can almost always book a table for Friday or Saturday night at short notice, and I love that. B and I have rekindled old friendships and made new ones in this sociable little enclave, which invites you to linger, open another bottle… and another… until you suddenly realise that you’re very drunk, have to face the outside world, and find your way home.

Of course, a convivial atmosphere gets you nowhere if the plonk isn’t any good, but Terroirs excels with its wines by the glass, carafe and bottle. Every time we’ve come here, we’ve asked for recommendations from the staff, and it’s fair to say that it’s through their guidance that we’ve become such lovers of natural wine.

When we’re on our own, B and I like to sit at the stainless steel bar, as the knowledgeable staff busy themselves with pouring, cutting and plating in front of us. For a group of three or more, the front section by the street is a great place to perch.

On this occasion, as we often do, B and I start with a couple of wines by the glass: a Pierre Gerbais Réserve NV from Champagne and a Coravin Azienda Agricola Zidarich 2015 from Venezia-Giulia. Pierre Gerbais is one of the few Champagne growers to use Pinot Blanc, alongside Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and the result is an elegant and dry organic tipple, with hazelnut tones. Made from 100% Vitovska (an Italian and Slovenian grape variety), the Zidarich is sophisticated and delicate, with savours of honey, stone fruit and apple. It’s a beautiful wine that gently transforms as it slips from lips to throat.

Terroirs’ list of wines by the glass is unequivocally impressive, with four sparkling, seven white, one rosé, two amber (skin-macerated), seven red, two oxidative/sous-voile, and three sweet options. Most of the wines are natural, organic and/or biodynamic, with five on tap and three Coravins. It’s exciting and edgy, and you’re always bound to find something remarkable.

Bound in chestnut brown leather, the list of wines by the bottle is enticing. Each wine region has an insightful introduction, and the list has an easy-to-follow layout. There’s a huge variety of white and rosé Pétillant Naturels (Pét-Nats), as well as your Méthode Traditionelles, and there are some fascinating little beasts tucked away (like a Julian Castagna Savagnin 2016 from Beechworth, and a Davenport Horsmonden Baccus, Oriega, Siegerrebe and Faberrebe 2017 from East Sussex).

To accompany our charcuterie board, fried artichokes and green salad (more on the food a little later), we choose a bottle of les Vignes de Paradis, Héritage de Mes Ancêtres Pinot Noir 2014 from the Savoie. This is recommended to us by one of the gents behind the bar, and although it is more fruit-forward than anticipated, it is lovely and supple, with fresh red berries and subtle coffee flavours.

Fitting in with the bistro vibe, the food at Terroirs is French-focused, with a classic charcuterie and cheese selection, a number of small plates and two main courses. We almost always go with the charcuterie board – the pork and pistachio terrine (check out the recipe on the chalkboard by the entrance) and the duck rillettes are some of the best examples you’ll find in London. Unfortunately, there’s no goat’s or sheep’s cheese on offer this evening (damn my dairy allergy), but the staff happily alter the fried artichoke recipe for us, so that the accompanying cow’s cheese is on the side.

Scandalously tasty, the fried artichokes are thin, salty and crispy – we could quite easily devour a whole bowl of them, but restrain ourselves to the handful in front of us. The salad is wonderfully fresh, with bitter radicchio and a tangy mustard dressing. As always, it’s a delicious meal with high quality ingredients, and we take our time as we munch and slurp our way through the early evening.

The only things that let Terroirs down, just a little, are the poky bathrooms and lack of vegetarian/vegan and gluten free food. That being said, the staff do try to accommodate for dietary requirements as they can.

So, if you’re on a date, catching up with friends or family, or simply looking for an interesting tipple, Terroirs is a standout choice in central London. There’s also a second site in East Dulwich, and Soif in Battersea (both yet to be tried by yours truly), if those locations are more convenient. Sit back, relax, chat, sip, laugh, chomp and enjoy the lovely, warm, wine-soaked cuddle that is Terroirs.