It is always a pleasure to be in the company of someone who thoroughly enjoys what they do and to be able to find out more of what makes them tick. So it was exciting to spend nearly 2 hours in the company of one of London’s leading ‘somms’, Matteo Ramazzina of The Dorchester Collection’s CUT at 45 Park Lane by Wolfgang Puck. Some of Beverley Hills most sought after steak restaurants in the heart of London’s Park Lane.
It is ironic that Matteo started out in a non-wine growing town of Italy, Vigevano, just outside Milan as the child of a Doctor and Lawyer. Although, he does say that his Grandfather taught him how to open a bottle of red before riding a bicycle, which is how he found himself working as a cellar boy in his Grandfather’s restaurant at age of 13.
His Grandfather placed him with some friends in Paris where he was a cellar boy in a top Parisian restaurant. After service one evening, whilst the Chef des Sommeliers was chewing over a great classic Bordeaux with the other seniors of the restaurant, Matteo was left with the remains of a bottle of the Australian Penfolds Grange 1986. Yes, the fabled vintage – one of the all time greats. So, ironically, it was in Paris that this Italian’s seed of appreciation of so-called New World wines was sown.
After 9 months he returned to Italy, finished high school and then left to go to Switzerland for 2 years and by the tender age of 17 was in London focussed on his career with his Grandfather’s advice ringing in his ear – work hard whilst you are young, enjoy things more when you are older.
A stint at Coq d’Argent the city staple, where Olivier Marie introduced him to the sommeliers ‘frame’ – what wine is and perceived to be. However it was his 3 and half year stint at Mortons Club that he feels that frame of the wine world was filled in. A place that took 2.5 days to do a stock take with 3,000 references and where he was promoted to Head Sommelier.
Matteo’s simple guidance for wine pairings begun to form from this experience.
The legendary Auguste Escoffier typically was Champagne (then white wine) with fish and red wine with meat is not a bad frame, but too rigid for the contemporary Matteo.
His guests most asked question ‘is it a good match’. The CUT at 45 Park Lane’s many famous politicians, sports people and Fortune 500 customers expect a very high level of quality. Matteo and his staff need excellent pairings for Wine and for that matter many other drinks tea, beer, drinks in general. Matteo’s contemporary views mean that the pairings are infinite, and being discovered all the time. If the customer wants to drink Chateau Petrus with vegetable broth, then that is as valuable as Escoffier’s matches. Beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder.
And so it was that two of CUT at 45 Park Lane’s most popular entrees arrived to be partnered by a delicious glass of Champagne Lanson’s Extra Age Brut NV.
Matteo extols the virtues and versatility of Champagne Lanson Extra Age’s Brut NV. It is a tri-vintage blend of Chardonnay & Pinot Noir taken from Grand & Premier Cru vineyards – multilayered and led by the delicious biscuit on the nose, which implores you to drink. It pairs well with a palate of white meat dishes, most canapés, poultry and Maine lobster.
The first entree, a crispy spring roll, but this is no ordinary spring roll. Packed full of juicy prawns wrapped in delicate filo pastry and deep-fried to just the right level of crunch. Sumptuousness dipped in a light soy ginger sauce with just a hint of sweetness. Partnered with the Extra Age is a delight, a nod to Escoffier’s classic match, but with its own contemporary turn.
The second is more controversial – for some – Australian Wagyu/Black Angus Beef Burger, Ogleshield Cheddar, Shallot Jalapeno Marmalade, Garlic Aioli. I think that you would agree a wonderfully crafted and detailed piece of culinary work. Matteo proposes this to partner with the superbly biscuity depth and length of the Champagne Lanson’s Extra Age. Indeed Matteo goes further and professes that the burger Champagne pairing is more natural that we may think. The underlying richness of the Champagne partnered with buttery notes of charred red beef , the juicyness of the burger is ideal to weigh the poignant acidity of Champagne Lanson’s on-trade distributed Cuvee.
One of Matteo’s intriguing suggestions is an Australian Wagyu Ribeye to be partnered with the unique Clos Lanson – a single vineyard wine, which has long and careful making and ageing. His personal favourite match though is the Champagne Lanson Extra Age Blancs de Blancs with Chargrilled Maine Lobster served with truffle butter. The perfect balance.
Whilst I didn’t try the latter, the burger and the Extra Age Brut was excellent – a delicious balance of subtley and delicately flavoured Wagyu beef with the extended long finishing Champagne Lanson.
It is this minute and carefully honed detail that sets Matteo apart from the pack.
Matteo spent a few years at Murano and with MS Ronan Sayburn, which helped shape his views of what a sommelier is and does. It is expressed through a straightforward identity for his team at CUT at 45 Park Lane. Discipline is to backbone of hospitality. Sommeliers are not winemakers or oenologists, no, they are simply there to make wine accessible to their guests. As a sommelier you are the wine ambassador and your role, when required by guests, is to pair dishes according to individuals likes. This takes a close eye for detail. As soon as the customer is walking into the restaurant the professional sommeliers are trying to understand who they are and what their wine choice might be, withholding any judgement until the customer has spoken and described what they might want. It is a delicate art and an experiential one.
In a twist Matteo declares that had he not been a Sommelier, then he would have been a ballroom dancer. He spent 12 years as an Amateur Latin American and Ballroom dancer. Strictly Come Dancing meets wine – the attention to detail and entertainment has closer parallels with wine than first apparent.
Matteo espouses the view that we are in the entertainment business, which is very much aligned to the Beverley Hills star spangled background of CUT at 45 Park Lane. Matteo sees it as his and his team’s duty to bring as much of it as possible and appropriately to CUT at 45 Park Lane’s high-level clientele. His is a straightforward approach laced with a level of detail that is difficult to emulate.
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Alistair Morrell
Hospitality & Catering News, Wine & Drinks Editor