WineChap: What was your wine epiphany?
Marc-Andrea: A long and serious education with my grandfather who had a great cellar, and since 12 years old I've started to drink first growth Bordeaux and other great wines which have shaped my palate to a great sensibility to wines.
WineChap: What is the best value wine on your list at present?
Marc-Andrea: 2005 VDP de l'Herault, "Le Pradel", Domaine La Terrasse d'Elise
WineChap: What are your credit-busting alternatives to Puligny and Pomerol?
Marc-Andrea: 2007 Collio Bianco, Borgo del Tiglio @ £65
2005 VDP d'Oc "Trelans" Alain Chabanon @ £70
2004 Vin de Pays d Oc, "Le merle aux Alouettes", Alain Chabanon @ £78
WineChap: What is your favourite wine list, other than your own?
Marc-Andrea: Ledbury and La Trouvaille
WineChap: What digestive would recommend after a heavy meal?
Marc-Andrea: Paul Giraud "Tres Rare" 1959 Cognac
WineChap: What is the largest drinks bill you have seen?
Marc-Andrea: £20000
WineChap: Which celebrities who frequent your establishment have good wine knowledge?
Marc-Andrea: Peter Kenyon and Clive Owen
WineChap: What are you keeping hidden in your cellar for a special occasion?
Marc-Andrea: Old Vintages of Alain Chabanon, Domaine de la Marele and Peyre Rose.
WineChap: What is your favourite wine region to visit?
Marc-Andrea: Languedoc
WineChap: What wine would you to take to a dinner party when you don’t know what food is being served?
Marc-Andrea: 2005 Baux de Provence Domaine Milan
WineChap: What would you say has been the most irritating or bizarre customer request/complaint you’ve received?
Marc-Andrea: To have Montrachet Glasses for a glass of house white.
WineChap Interviews
WineChap Interview Archive
Get the lowdown on what the world’s leading sommeliers and other luminaries in the industry think makes a good or bad list; their top tips, recommendations and anecdotes from the frontline.
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Marc-Andrea Levy, from Murano
- Marc-Andrea Levy
- credit-busting wines
- Murano
Posted: March 17, 2010
Head sommelier at Murano, (Gordon Ramsay's Italian accented Green Park outpost) Marc-Andrea Levy talks to WineChap.See Full Interview -
Arnaud Goubet from Le Manoir Aux Quat'Saisons
- Arnaud Goubet
- One of Arnaud's favourites: Chateau La Tour '59
- Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons
Posted: August 18, 2009
WineChap visits Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons - Raymond Blanc's multi-award winning Restaurant and Hotel and speaks with Head Sommelier, Arnaud Goubet.Arnaud, originally from Normandy, has worked a number of appointments both in the UK and in France has now been in the UK for 10 years. He moved to Le Manoir from his position as Head Sommelier at one Michelin-starred Cliveden House Hotel, Berkshire two years ago.See Full Interview
WineChap: What was your wine epiphany?
Arnaud: Calon Segur (appropriate as a first love, given the heart emblazoned on the label) but my preferences now lean more towards Burgundy and the Rhone
WineChap: What makes a great wine list?
Arnaud: Value for money, rare wines not seen elsewhere and offerings from lesser known regions. A reflection of modern trends – biodynamism for example.
WineChap: What is your favourite wine list, other than your own?
Arnaud: The Sharrow Bay (Michelin-starred hotel in the Lake District) – very reasonably-priced and the sommelier has been able to build the list he wants over the years. All aspects of fine wine require patience – just as it takes time for wine to improve with age so it takes time to build a good cellar. We are working on it here at Le Manoir
WineChap: What would be your top tip when choosing wine in a restaurant?
Arnaud: Be adventurous, always try something new..
WineChap: What is the greatest wine you have tried, to date?
Arnaud: Latour ’59 tried at Pierre Gagnaire – I actually prefer it to the ‘61
WineChap: What would be your desert island wine?
Arnaud: Salon ’95 – I have not actually tried it buts it’s a great Chardonnay vintage for Champagne and I like the idea of looking forward to something new to try on the island!
WineChap: In current wine trends – what’s hot? / What’s not?
Arnaud: Bio-dynamic wines are becoming very voguish and sales of Prosecco are on the rise in preference to Champagne
WineChap: Has there been a noticeable downturn in sales – are people spending less?
Arnaud: Customers are being more cautious, especially at lunch, but they are still happy to spend money in the evenings.
WineChap: What are your credit-busting alternatives to Puligny and Pomerol?
Arnaud: We have a white Vacqueyras (Archimbaud-Vache) which is characterful but elegant and generally reds from Languedoc are worth looking at as well as some Californian Merlots like Schaefer (– not listed)
WineChap: What is the most expensive bottle you have sold?
Arnaud: ’93 DRC (Domaine Romanee Conti) which was £4500 at Cliveden House
WineChap: What would you say has been the most irritating or bizarre customer request/complaint you’ve received?
Arnaud: A Russian guest at a previous establishment phoned from the room to request a bottle of Lynch Bages ’85 to accompany dinner. We decanted it in advance but when he came down to dine he insisted we open a fresh one from the cellar in preference! We also still get the odd request to have Champagne served in the old ‘saucer’ glasses.
WineChap: Who do you particularly admire in the wine world? Eg Critic/Sommelier/Producer?
Arnaud: Andrew Jefford – a very knowledgeable writer and a great speaker and presenter. He also has a good blog which is a nice blend of wine and philosophy.
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Sergio dos Santos, Ocean Restaurant at The Atlantic Hotel
- Sergio dos Santos
- Sergio's desert island wine: Chambertin, Armand Rousseau
- Ocean Restaurant
Posted: May 6, 2009
WineChap speaks with Sergio dos Santos of the Ocean Restaurant at the Atlantic
WineChap: Please introduce yourself…See Full Interview
Sergio: After a succession of two Michelin starred appointments, I worked at Chewton Glen for five years before coming to work at the Atlantic a year ago. Being from Brittany I love being close to the sea and this was a big reason for the move as was the challenge of working with a small, evolving list - a living winelist - ie – we only list three Chambolle Musignys but they are from three very different producers.
WineChap: What was your wine epiphany?
Sergio: Coche Dury - unrivalled for purity - and it has such subtle elegance and perfume.
WineChap: What makes a great wine list?
Sergio: One which is reflects a close working relationship with the chef, kitchen and the menu. As the restaurant is closed in January this gives us time to research new wines so our list is always current as I think it is important to reflect the variety of the wine world.
WineChap: What is your favourite wine list, other than your own?
Sergio: The Square. No explanation is really necessary, I'm sure you'll agree! *The Square is one of WineChap's four Five Glass lists in London*
WineChap: What would be your top tip when choosing wine in a restaurant?
Sergio: You need to consider who you are with and the mood you are in. Choose your wine first and then your food, different wines are right for different occasions.
WineChap: What is the greatest wine you have tried, to date?
Sergio: The ’99 Batard from Roger Belland - its a small winery, which on the palate completely exceeds expectations.
WineChap: What would be your desert island wine?
Sergio: Red Burgundy, specifically Chambertin, Armand Rousseau.
WineChap: In current wine trends – what’s hot? / What’s Not?
Sergio: Unoaked wines (Greek, Italian, Austrian whites). Less big Spanish red wines, although this could be due to our cuisine.
WineChap: What is your current favourite food/wine pairing combination at the restaurant?
Sergio: Foie Gras and The Nectar Riesling, Hollick.
WineChap: Has there been a noticeable downturn in sales – are people spending less?
Sergio: Less so – as we have adapted our wine list to include less expensive wines. We do now have to think twice about putting ’88 Latour on the list though...
WineChap: What are your credit-busting alternatives to Puligny and Pomerol?
Sergio: There’s an Australian Chardonnay, Curly Flat - or a Chilean white, Errazuriz Chardonnay, which has creamy, nutty notes. In lieu of Pomerol I’d suggest the South African Meerlust Merlot.
WineChap: What is the most expensive bottle you have sold?
Sergio: Petrus ’75 - £1285.
WineChap: What would you say has been the most irritating or bizarre customer request/complaint you’ve received?
Sergio: A gentleman and his wife asked me for a white Chateauneuf-du-Pape, I recommended the 1996 – which he liked. Unfortunately his wife decided she didn’t like the wine and so they asked to send it back. I apologised explaining that would not be possible as they both agreed there was nothing wrong with the wine and the gentleman had enjoyed it. They then said “you didn’t tell us you’d have to open the wine for us to taste it.” Previously I had thought that this was so obvious it required no explanation. I now know better…
WineChap: Who do you particularly admire in the wine world? Eg Critic/Sommelier/Producer
Sergio: The incomparable Gerard Bassett, (one of the world’s top sommeliers), winner of five world championships. In spite of his awesome reputation he’s humble and helpful, all sommeliers share the same passion for him.
