Uncorked: Emma Denney
Tell us about the moment you first became interested in wine...
I happened to get a job when I was 19 at a wine bar that was a part of one of New Zealand’s largest wine importer/distributors. They put me through their own in house wine course and from my very first sip of Pol Roger, I was hooked. My UK Cv includes LPM, Davies and Brook and The Clove Club.
Tell us about your wine list at Restaurant St Barts
We are focusing on wines that are organic and biodynamic. Essentially, I want to showcase wines from all over the world that are made really well, by people who really care. The other restaurants in our group concentrate on ‘natural wine’ and I don’t want to stray too far from that, while keeping the tastes of the wine clean and classic.
Over the course of your career, have you had any wine-related disasters?
Nothing too terrible, thankfully! However, going back to work after getting Covid in 2020, I had still lost most of my sense of smell and taste, and I ended up sending out a corked bottle of Gevrey Chambertin. The guest noticed it right away and I wanted to sink into the ground.
Name your top three restaurant wine lists
KOL, Nomad and Hélène Darroze at The Connaught (all in London).
Who do you most respect in the wine world?
So many people, but I really respect Melania Battiston at Medlar restaurant. We trained together for the UK Sommelier of the Year competition this year and she is such a hard worker, so talented, but most importantly, so kind.
What’s the most interesting wine you’ve ever come across?
Furmint from Hawkes Bay in New Zealand. I’m not allowed to name the winery, but a very well-respected winery had once planted Furmint grapes and made a dry style before ripping up all the vines and replanting with more common varietals. It was one of the last bottles I shared with my colleagues in New Zealand before leaving for London. A special label got made just for us as the bottles were blank and were never destined for sale.
What are the three most overused tasting notes?
Bold, feminine and masculine.
What’s the best value wine on your list at the moment (and why)…
2015 Blank Canvas Gruner Veltliner from Marlborough, New Zealand at £50. Gruner is not a grape variety that you would expect to see in New Zealand, but this one from Blank Canvas over delivers. It has some barrel-aging on it helping the wine to round the wine out with really ripe fruit and what feels like a touch of residual sugar on the finish.
What is your ultimate food and drink match?
Any grower Champagne with fried food. The ultimate combination of high/low. It’s a classic pairing, but it works for a reason.
Old World or New World?
I should be batting for the New World as I come from New Zealand, but I’m Old World all the way. Classic French and Austrian wines are my kryptonite.
What is your pet hate when it comes to wine service in other restaurants?
Seeing sommeliers or waiters open bottles with no care for the labels or foil. It’s such a tiny detail, but something that was drummed into me at all the restaurants I have worked at, and now I can’t look past it. How you cut the foil shows how much you care.
Who is your favourite producer at the moment and why?
Domaine Zusslin from Alsace. I list a few of their wines at Restaurant St Barts, with their Chasselas by the glass and their Ophyrus (a blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris) on my current pairing. All of the wines I have tried from them have a depth and complexity that I wouldn’t expect. And I love that it’s a family-run biodynamic winery.
As head of wine, what question do you most get asked by customers?
‘How do you select the pairings?’ For me, it comes down to understanding the structure of the wine and of the dish it’s paired with and an understanding of how flavours and textures play off one another. I think this only really comes from experience - so eat and drink all the things!
Which wine producing region/country is currently underrated at the moment and why?
Croatia. I’ve been put onto a few delicious Croatian wines recently from Newcomer Wines and some of them have ended up on my list at Restaurant St Barts, and even on my wine pairing. Although it’s a country with an incredibly long history of wine making, it still isn’t that popular here in the UK. My guess is the native grapes aren’t always so easy to pronounce and that tends to put consumers off. I’ve been so pleasantly surprised with all the Croatian wine I’ve tried recently and the Negotians Vinarius ‘Posip’ that is on my wine pairing, often ends up being that favourite wine of many guests.
It’s your last meal and you can have a bottle of any wine in the world. What is it and why?
1998 JL Chave Cuvee Cathelin (from Hermitage). It’s a bottle that sat on our Chave wall in our cellar at Davies and Brook, and something I dreamed of opening and getting to try. Unfortunately, nobody ended up selling it during our time there. I love Rhone wines and I can only imagine that this would be incredible.
