Tell us about the moment you first became interested in wine?
I’ve always had a slightly concerning, obsessive interest in wine (and food) – just ask my parents. I grew up in a very foodie family; wine and food were at the centre of every celebration and every holiday.
Describe your wine list at Carmen Street Wine and Caper & Cure
I’m lucky enough to write two wine lists: one for the bar and one for the restaurant. They both have quite different personalities, yet follow the same ethos: carefully and thoughtfully made wines from smaller, family-run producers. At Caper & Cure it’s all about bringing in interesting, gastronomic wines to pair with the menu, while also finding excellent examples of all the classics. We try to be conscious of cost. Eating out is expensive, so it’s essential to have good wine for everyone who walks in. Carmen Street is a little more experimental.
Over the course of your career, have you had any wine-related disasters?
I am an incredibly clumsy person. I am not well suited to carrying, pouring or going anywhere near expensive bottles. I’ve dropped my fair share, often in front of customers. But the most embarrassing wine-related experience was on a recent trip to Corbières with Giles (Coram, Purnell-Swan’s boss). It was the first time in my career that I’d had the opportunity to meet the winemakers and see where the wine I was pouring came from. On arrival in Paziols, we went out for dinner and got a little overexcited. It turns out several bottles of wine, a French nightclub and shots of Jet27 are not the ideal post-dinner activity when, the next day, you’ll be loaded into the back of a pick-up truck and taken on a kamikaze tour around the winding roads of a vineyard.
Name your top three restaurant wine lists.
The Bull Inn in Totnes, Wilsons in Bristol and Upstairs at Landrace in Bath.
Who do you most respect in the wine world?
The women who are making a name for themselves in what is still a hugely male-dominated industry.
What’s the most interesting wine you’ve come across recently?
I am currently very interested in all things Italian. I recently did a great tasting with Passione Vino. The highlight was I Custodi “Ante” Etna Bianco DOC. The native variety Carricante is grown on volcanic soils, at 750m above sea level, on the rainy eastern side of Etna. It was so complex and refined, and completely different.
What are the three most overused tasting notes?
Juicy, fresh, fruity.
What’s the best-value wine on your list at the moment?
Cluricaun Skin Contact from Quinta do Montalto. It’s a delicious Portuguese orange wine. Generally, Portuguese wine is a source of great value, and this one comes in a box which means even more bang for your buck.
What is your ultimate food and drink match?
An orange wine, preferably one with a bit of age for those oxidative honey notes, paired with an aged, salty, nutty hard cheese.
Old World or New World?
Old, because it’s nearer. Why ship something halfway around the world when France is across the Channel?
What is your pet hate when it comes to wine service in other restaurants?
Pouring the man, the taster. Is it 1950? Pour it for whoever ordered it.
Who is your favourite producer right now?
We are just about to import some exciting wines into the UK, and it’s always exciting to bring something into the country that no one else has tried. I am particularly excited about Vignobles du Paradis. They are brilliant winemakers from Chinon, one of my favourite regions.
As a sommelier, what question do you most get asked by customers?
“Is it nice?”
Which wine-producing region or country is underrated at the moment?
England. The public has accepted that we can make a half-decent traditional-method sparkling wine, but they still need convincing when it comes to still wines. This is an incredibly exciting time for English wine. It’s collaborative and creative, and there are no rules or expectations.
It’s your last meal and you can have a bottle of any wine in the world. What is it and why?
When I was first getting into wine, I went to Jamaica Street Stores in Bristol with my sister. We sat at the kitchen bar, thinking we were really grown up. I don’t specifically remember what we ate – lots of delicious Mediterranean small plates, probably – but I remember the wine. It was probably one of the first times someone handed the menu over to me and said, with total trust: “You choose, you know about wine.” We shared a bottle that, for us, was very expensive: Mar de Frades Albariño. It is an undeniably delicious wine, and I was very into my Albariños. Several years and hundreds of wines later, I still have a soft spot for an Albariño (as does my sister), so that would be my final wine. We’d drink loads of it and then probably dance drunkenly around the kitchen.