Uncorked: Edd Clibbens
Tell us about the moment you first became interested in wine
From drinking it with my parents. They’re far from wine nerds, but nevertheless knew a good wine when they tried it. They predominantly had New World wine at home - Aussie Shiraz or New Zealand Sauvignon. Then they went full Italian after a few good holidays. Professionally my wine journey started at the pub (The Vanbrugh) I was managing in Greenwich when I was 21.
Describe your wine list at Forza Wine Peckham
Despite having an almost exclusively ‘natural’ and low intervention list, I’d say that our selection is very accessible. We have a very varied customer base, with plenty of students, olde, more traditional drinkers and people who are just here for a few cocktails to go with one of the best rooftop views in London. We do a lot by the glass, so we focus on wines that are stable and well made. We’ll never buy anything just because the label is fun or it looks pretty - one of the great downfalls of many natural wine lists around London.
Over the course of your career, have you had any wine-related disasters?
In my past life as a beer salesman, I had a 750ml bottle of mixed fermentation beer gush all over the table during a tasting with Remi (Cousin) at Le Gavroche, just as Michel Roux came up the stairs to try a few sips. They quite enjoyed the whole spectacle actually and it was the start of a lovely working relationship.
Name your top three restaurant wine lists
Elliot’s Borough Market, The Canton Arms and Quality Wines (all in London).
Who do you most respect in the wine world?
In all honesty, I don’t know a huge amount of people in the wine world. But when Trivet first opened in Bermondsey, I was its only beer supplier. I was always amazed by Isa Bal (one of the founders) who, despite being a Master Sommelier, spoke about wine in such a relatable way.
What’s the most interesting wine you’ve come across recently?
We’ve recently been stocking a Sauvignon called In Solidum from Domaine Bellevue in the Loire. It’s from 2017, oxidised and nothing like any Loire Sauvignon you’ve had before. It’s round, nutty and full of character. Turns out their whole crop was lost that year and they called in a favour from a friend in the Languedoc who had bountiful Sauvignon going spare. I staff purchase at least one of these a week at the moment. It’s also a fantastic price. We have it on for £9 a glass.
What are the three most overused tasting notes?
Fruity, dry and sweet (the latter when used in the wrong context).
What’s the best value wine on your list at the moment?
Our 2014 VDF Les Béraudies from Domaine Cosse Maisonneuve. They’re based in Prayssac, near Cahors. It’s a Merlot-Malbec that you could easily sell for £100 a bottle and nobody would bat an eyelid. We’re flogging it for £64, or £11 by the glass.
What is your ultimate food and drink match?
Pork scratchings and a pint of Rothaus Pils.
Old World or New World?
Old World. I only really drink New World wine when I go to my local wine bar, The Sourcing Table in Crystal Palace, as they have one of the best selections around. Also, the best wine I had last year was probably a mega Californian Zinfandel at The Quality Chop House. But it’s still Old World for me.
What is your pet hate when it comes to wine service in other restaurants?
I go out to eat with my parents a lot, and it always gets on my nerves when places really fail to grasp that they don’t want anything too funky. One particular meal ended up with the sommelier bringing us ever increasingly cloudy, farmy whites until we settled on an allegedly safe bet by the bottle which was pure guff. If you’ve got a decent sized list and a few of each colour by the glass, there’s no excuse to not have something for the majority of drinkers.
Who is your favourite producer right now?
I’ll always have a soft spot for Radikon. I don’t drink a huge amount of orange wine these days, but what Saša (Radikon, the son of founder Stanko Radikon) does is pretty remarkable. To combine such extreme periods of maceration and time in barrel, whilst producing wines that are completely bonkers on the face of it, but so precise, clean and measured on closer inspection is something to behold.
As a general manager, what question do you most get asked by customers?
“What’s your driest white?”. Nothing else comes close.
Which wine producing region or country is underrated at the moment?
I feel like German wines have less of a presence compared to five or so years ago. Give me a Mosel Riesling or a Gewurztraminer any time and I’ll be happy as can be.
It’s your last meal and you can have a bottle of any wine in the world. What is it and why?
A magnum of Champagne, or Champagne-adjacent fizzy wine. Maybe something from Jacques Lassaigne or Franck Pascal. Or, if a magnum of 2018 Sugrue The Trouble With Dreams exists, one of those. That’s the best English sparkling I’ve ever had.
