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