La Dolce Vita
Meet Alberto and Augusto Gherardi, junior sommeliers at The Londoner - or as we like to call them, ’the twins’. They share their passion on wine, special bottles, and what it’s like working with one’s twin brother.
Born and raised in Italy, Alberto and Augusto joined The Londoner straight from hospitality school in Switzerland. Having both acquired a taste for wine, they completed their WSET Level 3 qualification and have played a pivotal part in the curation of the wine lists for The Londoner.
Alberto
I first became interested in the world of wine at an age when we started dining out with our family and friends. I remember the unpleasant feeling of scrolling the wine list and feeling lost since I didn’t know how to read it. You could say that it was from this point that my ‘wine journey’ began, inspiring me to learn more about this fascinating world.
It’s interesting that we both fell into the same passion. Some people would perhaps find working with a sibling or family member tiring and impossible, but as far as I am concerned, it’s the best thing ever. Is there an issue with classic sibling rivalry? I don’t think so. We have what I call ‘healthy competition’ between us. We just understand each other without even needing to speak and have always supported each other to accomplish our goals.
As sommeliers, we always approach a bottle of wine in the same humble way, aware of the amazing work that has been put into making it, regardless of price or availability. We always try to remain unbiased and assess the bottle of wine with an open-minded attitude. Saying that, we obviously have different tastes and opinions on favourite grapes and producers. If I had to pick one, the best wine I’ve ever tasted was an Albert Pic Chablis Grand Cru that I shared my siblings. But that’s today. Perhaps I might say something different tomorrow? My motto is: ‘The best wine is yet to come.’
Alberto On Augusto
Augusto is very curious and has an inner talent for spotting wines which are the best value for money. He always keeps himself informed and updated especially because trends change continuously. He even predicted the ‘Orange Revolution’ (the trend of orange wines) way before it started. This ability allows him to make purchases based on current and future trends.
Alberto’s Recommendation
For something elegant and delicious, the Grosset ‘Polish Hill’ Riesling from Southern Australia pairs wonderfully with the beef carpaccio with shaved truffle and Parmesan. The typical characteristics of Riesling are complemented by the fragrant flavours of black truffle and the slight saltiness of the Parmesan. Combined together, they make for a true umami experience.
The twins and a trusted Fiat 500 in their home village Borgo dei Sapori, Umbria.
Augusto
Quite surprisingly, we didn’t use to drink that much wine when we were younger. Especially considering we grew up in a village called Borgo dei Sapori (literally: village of flavours) - it doesn’t get much more ironic than that! Once we began to explore and play around with different wines, we would occasionally enjoy a glass as an aperitif with our friends. As we got older we became more and more interested in knowing what we were actually drinking.
Alberto and I are lucky in that we share the same wine philosophy: ‘Every bottle of wine is a masterpiece and has a story to tell. Respect and appreciate it as it takes an hour to drink, but years to make.’
As twins, the bond we have is something beyond words. Knowing that he works in the same environment and that he loves everything about his job as much as I do makes me feel incredibly happy! Being given the opportunity to work together at The Londoner is a dream come true.
I believe that it’s not always the quality of the bottle itself that qualifies it as a memorable one, but rather the people you are enjoying it with that make a difference. One such memory was a Dom Perignon 2006 that I tasted with my grandmother, who was 96 years old at the time. Although she thought I was mad to spend more than €10 on a bottle of wine, even she had to admit that it was unique. Unfortunately, she isn’t with us anymore, but having had the opportunity to share this delicious Champagne with her for the very first time made it an unforgettable wine for me - and those memories last a lifetime.
Augusto On Alberto
As a wine connoisseur Alberto understands that nowadays, great wines can be made almost anywhere in the world. In his opinion, ‘Old World’ and ‘New World’ wine is now a very old and outdated concept. Hence he never judges wines on their provenance before tasting them.
Augusto’s Recommendation
Apart from considering the obvious importance of food and wine pairing, we also kept two key factors in mind: the concept of The Londoner itself and anticipating guests’ preferences based on current trends. From our in-room dining menu I would recommend the Saint-Amour, Les Grandes Mises, Mommessin, Beaujolais 2017/18. Gamay is such a versatile grape variety and can be paired remarkably well with both fish and meat. On this occasion I would recommend you enjoy it with our herb crust rack of lamb from the grill.