Top Sommeliers 2019
Melanie Brown
If you are looking to have your eyes opened to the wonders of New Zealand wine, then Melanie Brown is the woman to call.
David Nichter
Growing up in Hungary, David Nichter got into hospitality in his 20s, driven by a passion for food and drink, and quickly decamped from his native country for London, keen to make his mark.
Fabrizio de Fenzo
Fabrizio de Fenzo, head sommelier at Restaurant Frescobaldi, was born in Naples, and knew from a very young age that he wanted to work in hospitality.
Honey Spencer
Despite seeing the world of wine as a mammoth subject, this up-and-coming sommelier has thrown herself into the global dining scene in the past decade.
Albert Blaize
Head of wine at The Mandrake hotel, home of French restaurant Serge et le Phoque, Albert Blaize is a rare breed. The English-born oenophile and award-winning taster is a self-described sommelier of the people, keen to break down the barriers between diner and somm.
Charlie Young & Brett Woonton
Brett Woonton and Charlie Young burst onto London’s dining scene as a double act in 2005 when they launched Vinoteca, the first of a five-strong group of wine bars, in Farringdon.
Neleen Strauss
South African-born Neleen Strauss, co-owner of Thameside restaurant High Timber, takes a no-nonsense approach to the fine art of food-and-wine pairing.
Jean-Baptiste Lemoine
Gunning for the best name in London’s fine-dining scene, Jean-Baptiste Lemoine works closely with Chef Shay Cooper to select the best wines from The Goring’s wine cellar to perfectly complement each and every dish.
Daniel Manetti
There’s a reason Hélène Darroze’s restaurant at The Connaught has such a strong reputation for stocking crowd-pleasing wines with a good pedigree, and that reason is Daniel Manetti, the hotel’s ardent head sommelier in charge of a 111-page drinks card.
Clement Robert MS
Former beverage director of Texture Restaurant Group — which includes wine-bar chain 28°-50°, as well as the eponymous Michelin-starred restaurant in its portfolio – Clement Robert MS only recently took on the role of wine buyer and group head sommelier at Caprice Holdings & The Birley Clubs.