Match made in heaven for Matt Young
Q&A session for sommelier Matt Young, of 10 William Street, Sydney
Is food and wine matching overrated?
Not at all. The right match can elevate a dish to new heights. I'm seeing more chefs interested in working closely with sommeliers to leave dishes slightly unbalanced so the beverage match balances the dish. In essence, the chef will create a dish around the wine.
What's your preferred drink at home?
Sake. I hear it's so hot right now. Also, I always have plenty of sake at home because I co-own a sake import and education business, Black Market Sake.
What's the most expensive bottle of wine you've sold?
To be honest I don't remember, I'm not that attached to price tags.
What do you do when a customer tells you a bottle is corked?
I thank them for bringing it to my attention and then I will take the bottle away and assess whether I believe it is or not. What happens next depends on each individual situation. If the wine is corked then I will offer a replacement bottle. If, however, I believe the wine is in good condition I will discuss this with the customer to understand their expectations about the wine.
How do you keep your restaurant's opened wines fresh?
We have a fairly high turnover of stock by the glass, so there is little chance of any oxidisation. At the end of the day we use Winesave gas canisters to help preserve anything left open.
What's the biggest-selling variety on your wine list right now?
Sangiovese, followed closely by nebbiolo, mainly because we have such a strong selection of these varieties from some of Italy's most underrated producers. Plus, we are seeing some great examples of these varieties from Australia that are going from strength to strength.
What's the best question a customer has asked you about wine?
"What would you drink right now?"
What's the stupidest question a customer has asked you about wine?
I've never experienced a "stupid" question. That's what I'm there for, to assist customers with their wine selection should they need it. All questions are welcome.
What are you pouring right now that you're excited about?
The wines from Silvio Grasso, who have been making wine since 1927. Frederico Grasso is the third generation and this is the first time they have been available in Australia. We carry a selection of barolo, barbera and dolcetto and feel very lucky to offer a selection of his wines by the glass.
What corkscrew do you use?
A blue one.
What wine glass do you use at home?
Spiegelau, Riedel, Zalto (in no particular order).
How do you justify your restaurant's markups?
At 10 William St, we offer a beverage list that is filled with what I believe is great value. I'm more likely to have to explain the lower margins to the owners than the high markups to a customer! The only thing I'd love to see is a change in the high taxation of wine in Australia: when the government adds 41.9 per cent tax before a wine reaches a restaurant, there is something seriously wrong. Unfortunately Australia is way out of step with many countries.
Source: The Australian, 17 September 2013
