Tell us about the moment you first became interested in wine
I was actually late to the wine game but I instantly became hooked. I remember begging a previous boss to put me on a course. I ended up doing around two years of quite full-on training with some exceptional somms. I’m always studying to keep my knowledge relevant, and of course drinking lots of good wine.
Describe your wine list at Cinder
Our current wine list is an approachable but very well drinking list. Some well known grapes, some less so, and a couple of hidden gems. The idea was to create a list that really balances the menu, all with the Cinder brand across it. We partner with some exceptional wine merchants.
Over the course of your career, have you had any wine-related disasters?
My worst was a private dining evening for Christmas. The group had spent a lot of money, and we were about three quarters through service, opening a Rothschild vintage, as I went to pour I completely missed the glass and the beautiful red wine stained the tablecloth. Awful!
Name your top three restaurant wine lists
The Devonshire - I have to mention them as I’ve been recently and had a phenomenal Premier Cru chablis. I would say Noble Rot too - it’s very approachable and won’t break the bank. Lastly, Clos Maggiore. I used to work in Covent Garden, so I got to know quite a few of their wines.
Who do you most respect in the wine world?
The independent growers, incredibly tough going, and some insanely talented houses out there of course, but for me, it’s them. Big love!
What’s the most interesting wine you’ve come across recently?
I have to give a big shout out to Supernova. It’s a Mallorcan wine on our list at Cinder from the producer Ca’N Vedura, using a grape I hadn’t heard of before: Mantonegro. It’s a beautifully balanced red, rich, deep red fruit and a gorgeous savouriness to it. Six months French oak, with organic farming. It’s super interesting, and I’d recommend it to everyone.
What’s the best value wine on your list at the moment?
Our house Rioja Blanco. Barrel fermented, with sustainable practices, it’s a wine doing good. The oak fermentation gives it some richness with buttery notes, while the blend shows off its citrusy notes.
Old World or New World?
Old World for me.
What is your pet hate when it comes to wine service in other restaurants?
A lack of training. Nothing is worse than going to a nice restaurant, with a great list, and the staff haven’t been trained enough. I have to say though, it’s not their fault.
Who is your favourite producer right now?
I’d go with Maison Advinam, an independent producer who settled in Bordeaux in 2019. We currently take their orange wine, which is a really remarkable wine in its own right. The house is also certified organic, biodynamic and all hand harvested.
As a general manager, what question do you most get asked by customers?
The most common is “what wine do you recommend?” which in itself is a complex question, it’s all about tailoring the experience to the guest in front of you, so requires a bit of input both ways. That way though, we discover some really good wine together.
Which wine producing region or country is underrated at the moment?
I don’t really go off the beaten track too much with the wines I taste and buy in, so in that respect it’s a difficult question. However, there are some incredible wines coming out of South Africa at the moment.
It’s your last meal and you can have a bottle of any wine in the world. What is it and why?
Petrus. I’m lucky enough to have had it once, I simply have never forgotten it, so I would want that feeling again.