Tell us about the moment you first became interested in wine
In 2013, a year before I opened my first restaurant in Saint Petersburg, I had a friend who was very into red Burgundy. I remember him talking about different styles of wine depending on the appellation and aspect of the slope. And how he easily could finish a bottle on his own and still feel pretty normal - not drunk, but maybe a little merry. Light, juicy, lower abv wines were so new and attractive that I realised I needed to know more about them. That curiosity led me straight to sommelier school.
Tell us about your wine list at Firebird
I keep our wine list short, sharp and dynamic. It’s carefully curated, an ever-evolving selection of wines. I highlight producers that inspire me. I’m a francophile so you’ll find a lot of beautiful bottles from Burgundy, Champagne and Jura.
Over the course of your career, have you had any wine-related disasters?
Not really, but there is still time.
Name your top three restaurant wine lists
Noble Rot and Brawn in London and Brutos in Paris.
Who do you most respect in the wine world?
Winegrowers and winemakers producing inspiring, authentic wines. Those artisan farmers who work hard and face difficulties treating their vineyards organically and using low-intervention methods.
What’s the most interesting wine you’ve ever come across?
Wild Geboren from Mythopia. It’s a Chasselas from Switzerland with one year of fermentation and four years in pine barrel. Tar, iodine, resin and smoke mixed with multi-fruit juice. Absolutely wild wine with an alpine feeling. Not sure if I’d want to drink more than one glass but definitely worth trying.
What are the three most overused tasting notes?
I would just name just funky. People have controversial opinions about what it means.
What’s the best value wine on your list at the moment
A Chenin Blanc from Testalonga winery in South Africa. Clean, crisp and affordable. No surprise it sells like hotcakes.
What is your ultimate food and drink match?
Champagne and fish and chips. I would go for any independent grower from Côte de Bar. Their lively, energetic and tense wines pair brilliantly.
Old World or New World?
Definitely Old World.
What is your pet hate when it comes to wine service in other restaurants?
My wine not being topped up and no cooler provided.
Who is your favourite producer at the moment and why?
I’m really into new wave Burgundy. So many winemakers in the region excite me so it’s hard to name just one. Some of my favourites are Julien Altaber and Dominique Derain from Saint Aubin, Jean-Pascal Sarnin and Jean-Marie Berrux from Saint-Romain and Julien Guillot from the Mâconnais.
As a co-owner and sommelier, what question do you most get asked by customers?
Do you have dry whites? What’s natural wine? What’s your favourite wine?
Which wine producing region or country is currently underrated at the moment and why?
Georgia. The earliest evidence of grape fermentation there has been traced some 8,000 years ago, pre-dating winemaking in France. Many wineries still use the same techniques, including fermenting wine in a qvevri - a huge clay vessel that can hold up to 300 litres and is buried in the earth. But people still know so little about this beautiful country and its grape varieties.
It’s your last meal and you can have a bottle of any wine in the world. What is it and why?
Champagne of course! I’d go for a 2011 Blanc de Blanc Brut Nature from Jacques Lassagne (from Montgueux). It’s ripe, complex and vivid, so definitely good for celebrating life.