Uncorked: Tom Lakin
Tell us about the moment you first became interested in wine
My earliest and strongest memories from childhood were always food; I think wine fit into that passion naturally and I gravitated towards anything orbiting the world of food. When I went to university I was lucky to fall in with some people who knew their stuff and this really allowed the passion to grow, and I fertilised it subsequently living in the Loire and Grenoble before I took my first wine job.
Tell us about your wine list at Paco Tapas
We focus on Spain at Paco. Tapas should be accessible and unfussy. We like this feeling to come through on the wines too. That doesn’t mean it can’t be exciting or progressive, but that ethos guides us towards an easy and fun style of service, with an eclectic spread of classics and new kids on the block.
Over the course of your career, have you had any wine-related disasters?
I’m pretty careful. I did open a freezer once to find that someone had stored four bottles of Ruinart Blanc de Blancs and forgot about them. That was a mess to clean up.
Name your top three restaurant wine lists
I had a great time at Brat with their relaxed and informal approach that really fit the style of food, and some real gems being offered. I always think St John have the right idea about what they’re doing, the right mix of classic and bold for their menu. I am incredibly keen to see what Isa Bal has created at Trivet; the concept and the contents are really exciting, but I am yet to experience it in situ.
Who do you most respect in the wine world?
I really enjoyed tasting with Raj Parr, whose wines and books I had long admired. You might say his approach to tasting was magical if you didn’t know that it was based on an enormous technical ability and seemingly endless experience.
What’s the most interesting wine you’ve ever come across?
I really found discovering the wines from Táganan in Tenerife eye-opening. They always transport me back to the place when I smell them.
What are the three most overused tasting notes?
I think a lot of descriptors suffer from a vogueishness that robs them of real utility. Minerality springs to mind. ‘Purity of fruit’ is an odd one. It’s not that the words don’t mean anything, it’s that they become a vague slogan and start to mean all things to all people.
What’s the best value wine on your list at the moment?
I’d hope that value can be found in all corners of the list. I’d encourage people to try wines they don’t know from regions they haven’t heard of. Popularity increases prices quicker than it increases quality in my experience.
What is your ultimate food and drink match?
Champagne and pizza? Champagne and fish and chips? Champagne and fried chicken? You get the idea...
Old World or New World?
I like to ‘drink local’ if possible, so mainly Old World.
What is your pet hate when it comes to wine service in other restaurants?
I like opinions. I like people to tell me what they want me to do in their restaurant. So I guess I dislike it when people leave you to drift through the experience when they know the best way to do it.
Who is your favourite producer at the moment and why?
Everything I open from Pax Mahle (based in California) really excites me.
As a Paco Tapas, what question do you most get asked by customers?
I think people are surprised to learn how varied the wines of Spain are, and how the country’s climates can offer such diversity of styles.
Which wine producing region or country is currently underrated at the moment and why?
Portugal is due a moment in the limelight.
It’s your last meal and you can have a bottle of any wine in the world. What is it and why?
What a sad thought. If it mattered that much to me to experience the bottle, I hope I would have enjoyed it on a more felicitous occasion. I don’t believe in saving the best till last or ‘waiting for the right moment’ when it comes to wine.
