Tell us about the moment you first became interested in wine...
My artist grandfather had a little patch of vines on the slopes of Paarl mountain (near Stellenbosch) where he lived. He would proudly take his ‘bakkie’ full of grapes to the KWV co-op each year. He was rewarded in wine for that, which he was rather chuffed about. Most of my family have a great love for food and wine. Studying at the University of Stellenbosch meant being surrounded by vines. Friday afternoons quite often spent doing wine tastings – which were free in those days. Although I studied psychology and philosophy my first job was front of house at Rust & Vrede winery. My first job in the UK was at Summertown Wine Café in Oxford fifteen years ago and this is when my real journey in wine started.
Tell us about your wine list at Spring
The list at Spring leans towards small, organic and biodynamic producers. It is a fun selection with some quirky, indigenous grapes from far-flung places, but also has the classics to balance it out and give any customers wines they are familiar with. We have plenty of orange wines, but nothing too funky.
Over the course of your career, have you had any wine-related disasters?
At the first place I worked as a sommelier we always left decanters on the sommelier station rather than on the guest’s table. I got my decanters mixed up and mistakenly poured a first growth Bordeaux for a table who had been drinking a rather more humble Bordeaux. They definitely won there!
Name your top three restaurant wine lists
This is a very difficult one to answer as there are so many. My current favourites include Evelyn’s Table, Drapers Arms, Noble Rot, 10 Cases and KOL (all in London).
Who do you most respect in the wine world?
Again, so many! I think it is an empowering time for female sommeliers. Honey Spencer, Sarah Wright, Amber Gardner, Jac Smith, Queena Wong (the list goes on) are all incredible women in the trade who give inspiration to others in a no-nonsense way that is also not egotistical in any way.
What’s the most interesting wine you’ve ever come across?
We are so spoilt here in London with all these incredible producers introducing us to their wines. There are so many interesting indigenous, unpronounceable grapes out there. Maybe not the most interesting wine I’ve ever come across, but the wine that gave me a total eureka moment and instantly gave me a love for biodynamic wine was at my first trade tastings with Les Caves de Pyrene about 15 years ago. I came from a rather conservative way of wine drinking - mainly big and bold wines with a lot of oak. I was on my way out and Giusto Occhipinti’s (from Sicilian winery COS) table was close to the exit and I thought I would just take one sip for the road. I happened to taste his Frappato. It made me stop in my tracks. How could a wine be so lively and fresh coming from such a hot place?
What are the three most overused tasting notes?
Minerality, flinty and natty.
What’s the best value wine on your list at the moment?
Lopez de Heredia Viña Gravonia Blanco 2012 at £68. To get a wine of great value with such layered complexity and age is becoming more and more difficult. I am also very pleased to have Salt River Sauvignon Blanc by Duncan Savage as our house white.
What is your ultimate food and drink match?
Most recent and classic one was this past Sunday. 2019 Restless River Ava Marie Chardonnay with a buttery roast chicken and goose fat potatoes. Yum.
Old World or New World?
The line has become somewhat blurred with winemakers travelling and learning from each other. The blind belief that Old World wines are lighter in alcohol is also becoming a myth. I have a great deal of respect for the Old World and how they have shaped their regions for generations and generations. The history, traditions, and provenance is something the New world cannot compete with. However, the New world producers are trailblazers. They are experimental and inquisitive. They also have more freedom to play around.
What is your pet hate when it comes to wine service in other restaurants?
Stuffy wine service. Sharing passion and knowledge should never be intimidating. Also, warm red wine.
Who is your favourite producer at the moment and why?
The nomadic winemaker Darren Smith from TFWATH who travels the world in search of small, interesting grower-producers making wines from unsung, indigenous grape varieties. Following his journey is entertaining and tasting his wines are always rewarding and insightful.
As a sommelier, what question do you most get asked by customers?
Coming to the end of summer it would have to be “Which rosé is the driest?”. I also get asked about wines that are more ‘minerally’.
Which wine producing region or country is currently underrated at the moment and why?
The London wine scene is pretty good at showcasing underrated regions and countries. Look at how wines from Greece, Georgia, and Slovakia are represented now compared to say just ten years ago. English wine is the most underrated by the rest of the world – for now.
It’s your last meal and you can have a bottle of any wine in the world. What is it?
A Trebbiano d’Abruzzo made by Edorado Valentini.
