Uncorked: Matt Emmerson
Tell us about the moment you first became interested in wine
I’ve worked in hospitality for many years now and it wasn’t until we opened Perilla (which launched in 2016) that my interest in wine really began to flourish.
Describe your wine list at Perilla
The wine list at Perilla is very much small producers focused, low intervention wines and an always changing list. We have a black book and it’s a personal wine list full of our favourite wines.
Over the course of your career, have you had any wine-related disasters?
The worst for me has always been with bottles brought in for corkage. Some of them are really old and haven’t been stored properly. Had a disaster with a disintegrating cork on a bottle of 1970’s Bordeaux, I think it was Chateau Margaux (not my kind of wine), for a table of industry people.
Name your top three restaurant wine lists
Noble Rot Mayfair, Cadet and Quality Wines (all in London).
Who do you most respect in the wine world?
Hard to look past Jancis Robinson in this industry.
What’s the most interesting wine you’ve come across recently?
Cosmic Constellation (an orange wine from Catalonia).
What are the three most overused tasting notes?
Dry and crisp. Everyone wants a fucking dry white.
What’s the best value wine on your list at the moment?
Our Pagesos Cosmic bag-in-box.
What is your ultimate food and drink match?
Off dry Riesling with Sichuan food.
Old World or New World?
Old World for me. My knowledge of New World is shockingly bad.
What is your pet hate when it comes to wine service in other restaurants?
Taking the bottle from the table and topping up for me. I can do this myself.
Who is your favourite producer right now?
Staftler Hoff. I love his fun range from Modal wines.
As a restaurateur, what question do you most get asked by customers?
I get asked for funky orange wines a lot.
Which wine producing region or country is underrated at the moment?
Nouassa in northern Greece.
It’s your last meal and you can have a bottle of any wine in the world. What is it and why?
I know it’s basic but it would have to be some old Barolo made by Giuseppe Rinaldi.
