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wine
Which wines do sommeliers really love? Laurent Chaniac of
The Cinnamon Club talks spice, stones and sardines WORDS LUCY BRITNER
Laurent Chaniac
THE RESTAURANT INSIDER
What do you drink on your night o� ?
I like to drink wines that are o
the
beaten track - more natural styles
or higher-end wines that I collect.
So if money was no object, which
two wines would you drink?
I'd drink Burgundy. For the red, I'd pick
a mature Vosne-Romanée from a good
year such as 1985, 1990, 1999, 2002,
or 2003, and a renowned producer -
Vosne-Romanée is Cros Parantoux Henri
Jayer 1999. For white I'd pick a mature
white from Corton, such as CortonCharlemagne
Coche-Dury 2000.
Whereabouts in France are you
from and do you have a favourite
wine from your region?
I was raised in Normandy but born in
the Ardèche. My favourite wine region
is the northern Rhône. I love to drink
Hermitage from M Chapoutier.
In the UK, there is a big tradition
of drinking lager with spicy food.
How do you convince diners in your
restaurant to go for wine?
We have tasting menus that are suited
to wines; the dishes are speci cally
designed for the wines.
How do you go about matching
wines with spicy food?
I assess the spices in the dish rather
than the protein, and see if there is a
harmonious angle or a contrast that
would be suitable.
What's your favourite wine
and food match ever?
I would say grilled sardines with a
mature Alvarinho.
Which is your go-to grape
variety and why?
Syrah. The panel of avours it can
deliver on various soils and in various
climates makes it a stunning variety.
From leaner fruit to spicy to big and
bold: it can do it all.
If you weren't a sommelier, what
other career would you choose?
I'd be a property developer. I like
stones, old homes and antiquities.
What makes London such a
special place for restaurants?
It's all here - wines and foods from
all over the world.
And which particular
restaurants do you rate?
The Square, which is a two-Michelinstarred
restaurant in Mayfair.
Laurent Chaniac devises the wine
lists for The Cinnamon Club, Cinnamon
Kitchen and Cinnamon Soho.
Clockwise from top:
Laurent Chaniac;
Hermitage from
M Chapoutier;
simple grilled
sardines meet
Alvarinho; the
spice route;
vineyards
in Burgundy
The Square, which is a two-MichelinAlvarinho;
the
spice route;
vineyards
in Burgundy
The Square, which is a two-Michelinlists
for The Cinnamon Club, Cinnamon
Clockwise from top:
Laurent Chaniac;
Hermitage from
The Square, which is a two-Michelin-