Uncorked: Matthew Deller
Tell us about the moment you first became interested in wine
Well, before moving to London and whilst at uni Blossom Hill was all I was interested in. It was cheap. Working at The Glasshouse and specifically with the fabulous Sara Bachiorri – now at importer WoodWinters – opened my eyes to the incredibly daunting world of wine.
Describe your wine list at Caravel
Small and concise. Space is limited on a barge, after all. Our bottles come from small or independent producers and is as varied as possible given the space. We have tried to go for natural wines or those with low intervention, but we also have some classics. The attempt was to be able to please everyone, which isn’t always possible. The food is authentic and non-fussy and that is what I like to see our wine list as.
Over the course of your career, have you had any wine-related disasters?
One such case was spilling some red wine on a lady dining at The Palomar. She was a visiting dignitary from Japan and due to attend a special event at the Japanese embassy later that night. It just so happened she was wearing a very old and very priceless kimono. The customer was very polite about the incident. Her guest was not. Again, red wine related – this is probably why I drink white – spilling a glass of red down our HR manager after he recently started working for the company. He wasn’t wearing dark trousers.
Name your top three restaurant wine lists
The Mulwray, The 10 Cases and The Greenhouse (all in London).
Who do you most respect in the wine world?
In terms of suppliers, Uncharted Wines for sure. Down to earth and fantastic customer service. In terms of people – Honey Spencer at Paskin (the hospitality consultancy business from Layo and Zoë Paskin and Sarah Wright at The Mulwray. Their passion for the wine world and knowledge is unmatched.
What’s the most interesting wine you’ve come across recently?
The English Field Blend by Matt Gregory aka The English Winemaker. A very dark rose, low ABV and no intervention. Loads of summer fruits and a little musty. I always enjoy getting customers to try it and most of the time they do. Most.
What are the three most overused tasting notes?
Elegant, food friendly and funky. Water is technically food friendly. I use funky a lot and it’s so subjective to the point my friends take the mick out of me for saying ‘funky’ when referring to bottles. Our group chat is called ‘funkier than I like my orange’.
What’s the best value wine on your list at the moment?
Probably the three wines we offer via keg - a Muscadet, a Ortega and a Sangiovese which we offer by the glass, by 500ml and by the litre. They are all fantastic and not only good value for our customers, but also for us. I mention it because wine on tap and from kegs is still looked down upon by some people sadly, but offers us great value and zero wastage.
What is your ultimate food and drink match?
Chez Bruce used to do a chicken liver and foie gras parfait with Sauternes jelly. It was so naughty. That with a glass of Chardonnay. Preferably Chassagne Montrachet.
Old World or New World?
Old World Burgundy or the Mosel. New World, California or Washington State.
What is your pet hate when it comes to wine service in other restaurants?
The pomp that still comes with wine service. The old way of ladies first and oldest to youngest is long gone and so very irrelevant today. My team at Caravel serves wine in the manner that is easiest for them. And sniffing corks. What are you sniffing? Unless you are a pro you don’t know what you are smelling. Just because the cork smells off, it doesn’t mean the wine is off and vice-versa.
Who is your favourite producer right now?
The aforementioned Matt Gregory. Love his wines and what he is doing, but he is also just a downright lovely character.
As a restaurant manager, what question do you most get asked by customers?
‘Where is the toilet’ and ‘does the boat move?’ But seriously, ‘what would you recommend?’ this question drives me mad because wine is so subjective – give me more information like your usual go-to-wine or your price bracket. You can spend 10 minutes talking about every wine on the list, for them to order a cocktail (which are great, by the way). I am a manager, not a sommelier. I don’t have time for that when my section is going down.
Which wine producing region or country is underrated at the moment?
The Middle East. In particular Lebanon, Palestine, and Israel. We had many wines from producers from these countries on our list at The Palomar. Despite their quality, they are often overlooked due to price, political, and moral reasons. Wine should be celebrated, regardless of where they are from.
It’s your last meal and you can have a bottle of any wine in the world. What is it and why?
Eben Sadie Palladius from Swartland (2019 preferably) – decanted, but left out at room temp. It is gorgeous and one of my all-time favourites. Whether or not it’ll match with a large Big Mac Meal and Mozzarella Dippers is another question entirely.
