Californian accent

To all appearances the Nantyffin Cider Mill, sitting alongside the A40 between Brecon and Crickhowell, is a traditional country pub. Overlooking the trout-filled River Usk, and with splendid views of the Brecon Beacons, it looks like the perfect watering hole for tourists in search of a sandwich and a refreshing pint. But the Nantyffin is actually a serious restaurant that produces powerfully flavoured meals in a distinctive Cal-Ital (Californian-Italian) style.

Chefs Sean Gerrard and Glyn Bridgeman are food enthusiasts who pay great attention to detail, yet the Nantyffin maintains the relaxed atmosphere of a country pub. The two men first worked together in Cheshire, and in 1986 they opened the Fourgate restaurant in Chester.

Business went well, but both men were intrigued by the possibilities offered by the traditional British pub. When they were sent details of the Nantyffin they were immediately impressed and took over the lease in 1990.

Gerrard is a great fan of the new wave of Californian cuisine which has grown up alongside the dynamic wine culture of northern California. "I love the inventiveness of the Cal-Ital cuisine, the mixing of old and new ideas. We have developed the concept at the Nantyffin. We take a traditional dish and give it a new twist, something relevant to our locale. We're mixing local produce with international flavours."

This is certainly apparent on the current menu, which is an intriguing mix of the everyday and the esoteric, including Swansea cockle and laver bread tart with tomatoes and balsamic dressing; and deep-fried courgette flowers filled with Welsh goats' cheese.

The menu includes a great deal of local produce, including venison, salmon and lamb. Gerrard is enthusiastic about sourcing local foods: "Here, you are compelled to use local game because it's so good. One of the things I like about the British country pub is the degree of freedom it gives. We are increasingly concentrating on our ‘specials' board. This changes daily and reflects what's available. A farmer might bring us rabbits or pheasants and these are promptly put on the specials board."

Gerrard is largely responsible for selecting the restaurant's wines, and his enthusiasm for the subject matches his dedication to fine food. His interest in wine stems from his days running the Fourgate in Chester: "I was just landed with sorting out the wine list. I found the Californian varietal approach very easy to work with, and when I discovered wines like Kistler's Chardonnays I was hooked."

For the most part, he has remained faithful to California. The two men take their families off on an annual pilgrimage to San Francisco, and have become well-acquainted with the wine-makers at numerous wineries.

Gerrard's enthusiasm could present problems for the restaurant if he failed to rein himself back occasionally: "I have to remain constantly aware that an extensive wine list in a small restaurant puts pressure on the cash-flow. Initially we overcame this by using the Wine Treasury. They supplied wines and we paid for them as we sold them."

However, increasingly, Gerrard feels the need to move outside the confines of one supplier. He still buys from the Wine Treasury, but also uses local companies such as the Celtic Vintner and Tanners. He has recently started buying from Burgundy and Californian specialists Morris & Verdin, too.

"With Morris & Verdin I was originally attracted by the wines from Au Bon Climat, especially the really classy Chardonnays. My favourite of the moment, though, is Bonny Doon. The wines are just packed with character. We are using the Ca' del Solo range as our house wines at present, and they are proving popular. The Malvasia is wonderful, a real bargain; and the Big House Red is a blockbuster."

These two are listed at £10.95 and £11.95, and this says much about Gerrard's attitude towards house wines: "I don't think the house should necessarily be the cheapest wine on the list. Rather, it's the wine which reflects the style of your food. Often it serves as an introduction to your restaurant, and must be capable of making a positive impression."

Other notable Californians on the list include Stag's Leap Riesling (£16.25) and Olivet Lane Russian River Chardonnay (£16.65). Westridge Knolls Pinot Noir is good value at £12.25, as is Cline Cellars Zinfandel at £13.75.

While California may be his first love, Gerrard has now evolved a wide-ranging and imaginative list from around the globe which looks beyond the Cabernet-Chardonnay axis which dominates so many restaurant wine lists.

There are fine white and red Burgundies and Chardonnays from the New World, but also a strong selection of reds and whites from the Rhône. Semillon from Australia, Sylvaner from Alsace and Sauvignon from the Loire also feature.

The red list is particularly strong, with Spain represented by the excellent Bodegas Los Llanos (£12.25) and La Rioja Alta (£14.25). In addition, the list offers Sangiovese from South Australia, Merlot from Italy and Shiraz from South Africa.

There is not a huge price spread across the list, which starts at £9.85 and peaks at £32 for Champagne. Gerrard feels this is right for their type of restaurant: "The wines must match the food, both stylistically and price-wise. It's no good trying to sell cheap wines to accompany really good food. Equally, it would be pointless us listing a lot of £90 wines which would just be there as window-dressing.

"We have built up an atmosphere of trust with our customers. They are happy to take our advice and try new tastes and flavours on our say-so," says Gerrard.

The pricing policy for wines is reasonable: "We double the price for cheaper wines and add on £5 for the more expensive wines." The wines at the top end of the list thus represent excellent value - a fact that further encourages customers to experiment.

Ever open for a challenge, Gerrard and Bridgeman have recently taken over a nearby country-house hotel. The Manor, in Crickhowell, will work independently of the Nantyffin, offering more scope.

One obvious spin-off of the new business will be the opportunity to buy wines collectively. The two lists will differ but there will be some overlap. So economies of scale will allow Gerrard to experiment still further and extend the range - adding, undoubtedly, a few more Californians.