Tell us about the moment you first became interested in wine
It all started with my wife. She always enjoyed a nice glass of wine and she encouraged me to try something other than beer. My father worked in a brewery all his life and beer was always there. I do not recall a single occasion on which we had wine in our house. When we were in Barcelona, she took me to several restaurants. Making me taste different wines and just like that, I fall in love with wine.
Tell us about your wine list at The Lanesborough Grill
Currently, our wine list has around 600 wines, we are slowly expanding to hit 800 wines. Our wine list is unique in that we have 50% predominantly classical wine names you would expect in this sort of venue. On another side, we have wines from China, Slovenia, Georgia, and Armenia. What we can for sure say is that we have a great selection with older vintages on our list. Those days most wine lists place younger vintages as supply is quite challenging.
Throughout your career, have you had any wine-related disasters?
Thankfully not many. There was an occasion when I served wine via Coravin at the table, and for no reason the bottle just exploded in my hands. Luckily nobody got hurt besides the wine bottle - a Leoville Poyferre 2009 - and our suits which were all stained.
Name your top three restaurant wine lists
67 Pall Mall, Hide and Trivet (all in London).
Who do you most respect in the wine world?
Actual wine growers as it requires dedication, patience, and lots of hard work. The love they invest into growing vines can compare to parenting.
What’s the most interesting wine you’ve ever come across?
I am Slovenian so we are the epicentre of orange wines, but my heart is with Silex from Didier Dagenau.
What are the three most overused tasting notes?
Minerality, citrusy and fruity.
What’s the best value wine on your list at the moment?
A beautiful Californian red from Rhiannon (a winery in Napa Valley), a blend of Syrah, Petite Syrah, and Barbera. The wine is aged in French oak and displays a purple, ruby color and an attractive nose of blackberries, licorice, and tar, with a touch of subtle smoke. The wine got 93 points from Robert Parker in 2013 and you can find it on our list for £55.
What is your ultimate food and drink match?
Meat tartare with vintage rose Champagne. When I see it on the menu, it’s a must.
Old World or New World?
No preference on this, as it depends on style. Both can be impressive and both possess some fantastic styles unique to them.
Who is your favourite producer at the moment?
One of my favourite producers is Manfred Krankl from Sine Qua Non (the cult Californian winery behind Queen of Spades). He started his winery in 1994 and firstly he was buying grapes and made garage wines. Today he grows his grapes. What is unique about him is his eye for detail. Each vintage has a different blend of wines which are usually Rhone-style wines. Each vintage also has different labels which are designed by Manfred himself. His wines are one of the most wanted in the wine world, and the only way to buy them is via a waiting list.
As a head sommelier, what question do you most get asked by customers?
“Are these wines any good?” Usually, the answer is that we only list wines we believe to be good. But we also say that they won’t necessarily all be to the guest’s taste, so we try to ask them more questions to see what they like.
Which wine-producing region or country is currently underrated at the moment and why?
Austrian, German and Slovenian wines. Those countries produce really interesting and high-quality wines but are quite unknown to most consumers. Guests who we encourage to try some of those wines are always pleasantly surprised.
It’s your last meal and you can have a bottle of any wine in the world. What is it and why?
Probably Hermitage La Chapelle from 1961. It’s one of the best red wines ever made. I am in love with its blackberry, savoury, gamey, and almost perfumy red notes.
