Tell us about the moment you first became interested in wine
I was working as a stagiaire at a vineyard hotel in the Cape Winelands and got interested in the process and the vines. When I got to know more and more about viticulture I was hooked.
Describe your wine list at Cycene
The list at Cycene offers fine artisanal wines from incredible makers. It has a focus on France along with a good mix of Italian producers. The list also features wines from South Africa’s most interesting producers. We have also decided to showcase winemakers from around the United Kingdom that are making wines with a sense of place.
Over the course of your career, have you had any wine-related disasters?
I once dropped a bottle of Pol Roger 1996. It exploded into many pieces. It was an up the walls and onto the ceiling situation.
Name your top three restaurant wine lists
Noble Rot in London and Parcelles and La Tour d’Argent in Paris.
Who do you most respect in the wine world?
Jancis Robinson.
What’s the most interesting wine you’ve come across recently?
There are so many but stuck in my mind at the moment are the wines from a talented group of makers from Portugal’s Azores islands. The local variety Arinto dos Açores has the ability to completely translate the crazy lunar landscape with a salty, mineral finish.
What are the three most overused tasting notes?
Lemony, oaky and minerally.
What’s the best value wine on your list at the moment?
Alice and Olivier De Moor’s Saint-Bris, the only appellation in Burgundy that uses Sauvignon Blanc as the main variety. Amazingly solar and warm with the precision that the De Moor’s are well known for.
What is your ultimate food and drink match?
Santorini Assyrtiko and lobster Thermidor.
Old World or New World?
I am not a big fan of the delineation between the global south and older wine producing countries. I do however gravitate towards wines that are made in a fresher, more austere style. Fine wines made like that can come from anywhere.
What is your pet hate when it comes to wine service in other restaurants?
Serving lower sulphur wines in the wrong kind of glass.
Who is your favourite producer right now?
I am blown away by the way Domaine Prieuré Roch is making wines in Burgundy. Also Telmo Rodriguez with his dozens of projects across Spain.
At Cycene, what question do you most get asked by customers?
Are British wines any good?
Which wine producing region or country is underrated at the moment?
Wines from Spain and Portugal outside of the more historic regions.
It’s your last meal and you can have a bottle of any wine in the world. What is it and why?
Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières 2014. It was my gateway into fine wines. It made me appreciate everything from history, precision and finesse that a winemaker can translate through meticulous making.
