Tell us about the moment you first became interested in wine
My wine epiphany happened over 1000s of meals as a guidebook inspector but several stand out as formative. A wine dinner at The Harrow at Little Bedwyn with the late Wayne Stehbens of Katnook Estate. John Abbey pouring me a glass of his birth year Coteaux de Layon at The Leatherne Bottle in Goring on Thames. The remarkable and never-equalled Judgement pairing at The Vineyard at Stockcross. But most significantly, Mikael Jonsson at Hedone repeatedly mocking my total inability to guess anything he poured me blind.
Describe your wine list at The Terrace Rooms & Wine
It’s a bit of an anomaly really. A huge proportion of ambitious wine lists are out of my price range. I know why this is – career somms need to generate revenue and attain qualifications; goals which are in some sense incompatible with genuinely affordable lists because certain, premium wines absolutely need to feature. I don’t face either pressure so my goal has been to create a stylistically broad list from which I can personally afford to drink every bottle.
Over the course of your career, have you had any wine-related disasters?
We once bought two cases of Leflaive Pernand Vergelesses 2010 from a private seller. On opening we found composite plastic corks and massive oxidisation. Another two bottles were equally undrinkable. My father-in-law cut his losses but kept the wine, hatching a plan to serve it to his in-laws when they visited for Christmas. Fourteen bottles in and he was relishing having fobbed them off with oxidised rubbish. I asked them how they were enjoying the wine, which they described as “stunning” and “couldn’t believe Phil’s generosity”. Out of curiosity I tried some. It was perfect.
Name your top three restaurant wine lists
I can’t name the best wine list in the UK because if I do wine lovers will bleed the cellar dry and I want to keep it to myself. Kaia Kaipe in Getaria is still ludicrous in terms of depth and value – why anyone goes to Elkano I don’t know. Wine Not in Chablis is one of the only places left to drink even moderately affordable Raveneau.
Who do you most respect in the wine world?
Too many to list. Queena Wong for just being so kind, generous and supportive to a vast number of people for absolutely no obvious reward. Roger Jones for the truly special cellar he built up at The Harrow and his constant willingness to guide and advise. Sonal Clare of The Wilderness, Birmingham for striking such a confident and unique path in a trade that doesn’t typically encourage them. Douglas Blyde for his incredible ability to connect and his constant unselfishness in doing so.
What’s the most interesting wine you’ve come across recently?
Dog Point Section 94 Sauvignon Blanc 2008 has developed into a truly remarkable wine.
What are the three most overused tasting notes?
Words that give off even a whiff of pretension should all be banned – palette, nose, bouquet and exquisite are obstacles to the simple enjoyment of tasty wine. I get the concept of ‘minerality’ as a certain lean austerity in wine but I think it’s time we stopped linking it directly to rocks and perhaps more to the wine-making that actually creates it. And the word ‘dry’ is ridiculous. Every one of my guests interprets it differently so it’s essentially just a meaningless hangover from the last century when you had to order a ‘dry white wine’ if you didn’t’ want Blue Nunn, Black Tower or Hock.
What’s the best value wine on your list at the moment?
Ram Paddock Red 2014 from Waipara West, New Zealand. You can drink this remarkable, ten-year-old Bordeaux-blend for a ridiculous £38.
What is your ultimate food and drink match?
Doner meat, chips and salad with chilli sauce and garlic mayo paired with Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva 2004.
Old World or New World?
This differential is no longer relevant.
What is your pet hate when it comes to wine service in other restaurants?
The idea of reading a customer could do with being redefined. It seems to me a baseline of “this person is interested in wine so I should tell them about wine” is the wrong place to start. Many people are not remotely interested in wine but that doesn’t stop them enjoying it. If you want to talk about soil, climate and aspect don’t just drone on, link these things to why the wine tastes bloody delicious because that’s the one thing most guests can actually relate to.
Who is your favourite producer right now?
You can find delicious wines and you can find wines with a unique production story but how often can you find a story that’s as reflected in the glass as Hundred Hills’ extended ripening periods and multi-pass picking? Not often in my experience. Their Saignée rose is a benchmark wine for English sparkling.
As a wine professional, what question do you most get asked by customers?
“What food should I pair with this wine?” The wine trade has created a virtual mania among consumers around food and wine pairing that doesn’t help anyone. Of course we in the trade can be incredibly complicated about pairings because we’re in the business of selling them, but if you’re just having dinner at home, drink the wines you like with the foods you like.
Which wine producing region or country is underrated at the moment?
Beaujolais. Nouveau really hurt the region in terms of consumer perception so the resurgent focus on tradition and quality has left some remarkable wines considerably undervalued. Fruit concentration and ripeness is immense, but what’s really changed are tannin levels and use of barrels needed to allow wines to benefit from aging. When I open a red Burgundy I’m almost consistently disappointed; when I open a Beaujolais, I’m more often than not delighted.
It’s your last meal and you can have a bottle of any wine in the world. What is it and why?
Chablis Premier Cru Butteaux 1986 by Francois Raveneau. This is an incredibly special wine that was poured blind for my wife, Ashley, and I at Au Fil du Zinc in Chablis. When we mentioned this was Ashley’s birth year, the owner produced a full bottle as a takeaway gift. The wine was actually a bit of an accident – in a super-hot year, Francois experimented with new oak but decided he didn’t like the result so cellared the wine and forgot about it. Over 30 years later his daughter Isobel found the batch and begin offering it to local restaurants who, as is often the case in France, passed it on to guests at a fraction of market value. It is (or probably was) a mesmerising wine.
