Yes, the name kind of gives it away - The 10 Cases only ever buys 10 cases of the wines that it serves.

After years of trading, the same wine hasn’t been listed twice, although there is a reliable list of winemakers and vineyards that The 10 Cases goes back to again and again. This approach means that, even for regular visitors, the wine list is always fresh and flirty.

The 10 Cases Bistrot à Vin first opened its doors in 2011, with 10 tables and serving 10 whites and 10 reds by the glass / carafe / bottle. The 10 Cases Cave à Vin, wine bar, shop and cellar followed shortly after - just next door - in 2013. Similarly to the wine list, the food offering changes monthly and is built around three starters / three mains / three desserts.

We take a seat, three of us, at one of the sidewalk tables outside the Cave à Vin. Inside, the left-hand wall is lined with hundreds of bottles, and almost every one screams “Pick me! Pick me!”. A flash of blue, a hint of yellow, and splattering of bright red capsules.

The décor is simple – dark wooden tables and chairs like you’d see in most French cafés/bars. It’s casual and welcoming, and within moments you’ve pulled up a chair and started nattering to your companions or one of the waiters. We’re outside in the summer sun today, but it’s just as easy and carefree. The staff are helpful and attentive, but there’s no crowding, no rush.

We order three different reds by the glass and some nibbles to share (charcuterie, cheese and polenta chips). B and I share the Zweigelt/Blaufränkisch, ‘Velvet’ Pittnauer NV from Burgenland, which is cheap and tasty (£6 for 125ml), and the Pinot Noir, Didier Fornerol, Côte de Nuits-Villages 2014 from Burgundy, which has dark red and black fruits on the palate, and traces of lavender and eucalyptus on the nose (£9 for 125ml). We’re big fans of the Pittnauer ‘Pitti’ red blend, if you can get your hands on a bottle.

On today’s visit to the Cave à Vin, there are:

• three house wines

• two sherries

• one sparkling

• six whites

• one skin contact (the fabulous Pinot Gris, ‘From Sunday’ 2017 from Victoria)

• six reds, and

• two sweets.

If you’re hankering for 75cl, you can purchase any of the bottles on display to take-away, or drink in-house for £12 corkage. Our waiter recommends the Gamay, France Gonzalvez, Côte de Brouilly 2017 from Beaujolais, and we thank our lucky stars for this choice on tasting. It’s decadent, juicy and black-fruited, and takes care of us three over the next hour as we catch up.

While we don’t order any more dishes on this occasion, we’ve had fantastic food here in the past. We can highly recommend the soft shell crab, avocado and jalapeno, and the slow-cooked Iberian pork, white beans and gooseberries (my father said it was some of the best pork he’d ever had).

As to the Cave à Vin versus the Bistrot à Vin, the former is perfect for a casual, simple sojourn and the latter is preferable if you wish to reserve and are trying to impress. Sitting at the Bistrot à Vin benchtop is also lovely for two, with the added benefit of being able to chat with – and receive samples from! – the amiable bar staff.

Effortlessly sophisticated and unaffected, The 10 Cases is one of our favourites in London generally, and our go-to in the Holborn/Covent Garden area. We rarely leave without taking a bottle away (yes, we bought a bottle each of the lip-smacking Côte de Brouilly and the From Sunday skin-contact, this time around), and we always know that we can trust the waiters’ knowledge and nous.

And so, trust us if you haven’t yet been to The 10 Cases – it’s really hard not to enjoy this buzzing little gem.

A few helpful hints

• The Cave à Vin accepts reservations at lunchtime, but in the evening operates on a walk-in basis only. We’ve always been able to find a seat, but be wary of super-peak times.

• You can easily reserve a table at the Bistrot à Vin online, which we’d recommend on Friday and Saturday nights, especially for more than two people.

• The 10 Cases has two private dining rooms, which you can book without room charge but with a minimum spend (it’s a three course set menu at £45 per head). We highly recommend this for groups of six or more (we celebrated my 30th birthday there with family, and it was wonderful, like an extension of our own dining room).

• The 10 Cases also runs the Drop wine delivery app, which brings great wine quickly and cheaply to your doorstep in zones one and two (immediate delivery is £3; other one-hour slots are £1.50).

Photo credit: Rachel Palmer Photography & Film