Uncorked: Alasdair MacLeod
Tell us about the moment you first became interested in wine
In 2008, when I had just started at One Devonshire Gardens in Glasgow, I was working at a wine lunch for the Australian producer d’Arenberg. The head sommelier, Ian Cobham, let me taste the wines and talked through them and I was sold. They are still a favourite producer of mine to this day.
Describe your wine list at Banca di Roma
We have an Italian wine list which currently has 143 different wines on it with prices ranging from £25 to £650 a bottle. I wanted to showcase the different regions and the indigenous grape varieties which Italy has many of and arranged the list by region to highlight this. I have tried to strike a balance between familiar grape varieties and wines with some more unusual ones plus the big names. I very much see the wine list as a living, breathing organism that will constantly evolve and probably grow to about 170 wines.
Over the course of your career, have you had any wine-related disasters?
Early on in my career I did make the mistake of serving a table a bottle of Chablis Grand Cu rather than the Chablis they had ordered. In my defence they were both by the same producer. Luckily I wasn’t made to pay for my mistake and the table got a bottle of Grand Cru Chablis for the price of Chablis.
Name your top three restaurant wine lists
Core By Clare Smyth and Noble Rot in London and Northcote in Lancashire.
Who do you most respect in the wine world?
I was fortunate to work for Hotel du Vin when Ronan Sayburn was director of wines and spirits and receive some wine training from him in my role as head bartender. More recently it would be Marshall Bass Dip who was head sommelier when I started at the Ubiquitous Chip.
What’s the most interesting wine you’ve come across recently?
I recently tried an Alpine white wine made from Nebbiolo, Alpi Retiche from Nino Negri which will be going on the list soon.
What are the three most overused tasting notes?
Mineral, zesty and sharp.
What’s the best value wine on your list at the moment?
For me it is the Palazzo della Torre from Allegrini (a well-known Veneto-based producer). This modern take on the traditional ripasso technique produces a wine that for me shows how great Allegrini is as a producer.
What is your ultimate food and drink match?
It has to be oysters and Champagne. Although here at Banca di Roma I am enjoying serving our tiramisu with a glass of sweet Marsala.
Old World or New World?
Rather than Old or New World I’m a fan of the ancient world, for example Georgia, Armenia and Greece.
What is your pet hate when it comes to wine service in other restaurants?
A lack of confidence from staff when opening bottles.
Who is your favourite producer right now?
Bellavista (in Lombardy). With having an all Italian list and highlighting how great Franciacorta is, it is so good to be able to list wines with such high quality.
As a sommelier, what question do you most get asked by customers?
“Is this wine any good?”
Which wine producing region or country is underrated at the moment?
For me there are two – Portugal and Eastern Europe. Both offer unusual varieties and a high quality-to-price ratio.
It’s your last meal and you can have a bottle of any wine in the world. What is it and why?
An Amarone, no particular producer. It was one of the first ‘nicer’ wines I tried and is something I always go to when looking for something special.
