Tell us about the moment you first became interested in wine
My grandfather hosted dinners around London with a focus on classic wines; ostensively wines from Jerez, Burgundy and Bordeaux and vintage port. This sowed the seed for experiencing wine in a dining sphere. Professionally, I worked at Borough Wines alongside Hugo Meyer Esquerré (of Provisions Wine and Cheese fame). His passion for wine is contagious, and he gave me a real push towards the discovery side of wine. Soon afterwards I joined Le Bar (The wine bar adjacent to Club Gascon) later joining as a junior sommelier at Club Gascon before taking the head sommelier role at Pollen Street Social.
Describe your wine list at Kioku by Endo
The wine list is reflective of the nature of the cuisine at Kioku by Endo. The meeting of Japanese and European flavours required wines that resonate with what is a sea-focused menu. With this in mind I have included focused sections of the list including Mediterranean, Coastal, High Altitude and Volcanic wines. The main body of the list is divided into grape varieties, and each starts with lightest at the top of the page down to the more rich and full bodied wines at the bottom: wines with a little more bite, some oak or skin-contact. We also offer a comprehensive offering of Champagne, both grower and more established houses.
Over the course of your career, have you had any wine-related disasters?
Serving highly-priced Burgundy into the wrong glass could be up there with great disasters, especially when they are the last bottles of both. Diners after a number of glasses will undoubtedly move glasses like a cup and ball sleight of hand trick. So I have learned with multiple glasses on the table to mark the wines with a number with chalk markers.
Name your top three restaurant wine lists
Restaurant Andrew Edmunds, Dorain and The 10 Cases (all in London).
Who do you most respect in the wine world?
The winemakers. Farming can come with its challenges and then you have to ferment, age and bottle it. There is a romantic air around the concept of being in the vines and owning a vineyard but it’s incredibly challenging.
What’s the most interesting wine you’ve come across recently?
Orange Marmalade by Deurić from Fruska Gora in Serbia. The Chardonnay is fermented on the skins, then aged for 10 months in barrel on the lees. It has a smoky, sesame nose, a rich rounded body and a brilliant orange colour.
What are the three most overused tasting notes?
Expressive of the terroir, mineral, and lively.
What is your ultimate food and drink match?
Our king crab chawanmushi with ginger, kaffir and yuzu pairs beautifully with Biodiverso from Altolandon’s Rosalia Molina.
Old World or New World?
The world of wine now produces such a huge plethora of wine, producers in the ‘new world’ are producing great wines in more restrained styles, and classical countries in more rich. So from that perspective, I like to focus on the producer, not the region per se.
What is your pet hate when it comes to wine service in other restaurants?
Clunky glassware and glassware that has been polished with an old cloth.
Who is your favourite producer right now?
Vini Eudes (from Sicily’s Etna region).
As a head sommelier, what question do you most get asked by customers?
How do you remember all of the flavours of all of the wines on the list?
Which wine producing region or country is underrated at the moment?
Elgin in South Africa. Cool climate and considered viticulture are producing great value, age worthy Chards and Pinots.
It’s your last meal and you can have a bottle of any wine in the world. What is it and why?
Palo Cortado Reliquia from Barbadillo. A thinking wine for the last meal, can pair with almost anything and it’s got a sophisticated little kick.
