TALKING HEADS

Stuart Rankine

Rankine Fine Wines, London

It's our round - what are you having?

How about you help me acquire a much larger wine collection

How do you seek your thrills?

Lots of things - good wine I guess is obvious. Trackdays. Skiing is usually pretty thrilling because I'm rubbish.

How do you deal with irritating customers?

I would estimate their annual spend and make a decision on them - there's plenty of other wine merchants out there.

Tell us something about yourself that would surprise your friends?

Jack

& Sarah is one of my favourite films.

If you could choose someone to be prime minister, who would it be?

Jeremy Clarkson for less draconian car and driving laws.

Does money motivate you

Of course - show me someone

who isn't motivated by money.

If you could have three wishes to improve your working day what would they be?

More effortless orders, better local lunch options and a 24-hour chauffeur.

What

are the most underrated and overrated wines in the UK market?

Good kabinett is underrated and wines chasing Parker Points not quality are overrated.

What one thing would you change about the drinks industry

Make the consumer realise that buying by-the-case makes sense .

Spelling error of the week

In a departure from

traditional blind wine tastings, OLN

has been invited to take part in a bland tasting. No, it's not the sort of event most feared by WSET students, where you have to find seven differences between a couple of cheap, mass-produced Chardonnays. It's a tasting of Rieslings and Pinot Noirs with Wines of Germany. Well, we certainly wouldn't describe those wines as bland. Spicy - yes, savoury, red fruity, honey and lemon, hints of kerosene

- but certainly not bland.

Have you been tickled by a typo

oln.editorial@william-reed.co.uk