Unfiltered: Douglas Wregg

The eminent sales and marketing director of natural wine importer, Les Caves de Pyrène and restaurateur of Soif, Battersea, talks to Douglas Blyde about “necking” Château Talbot under the stars, what to drink with homemade pork and pistachio terrine, and the pleasing simplicity of Soif’s “bistro-unchic” décor…

What is your vintage?

I was born in the city of New York in 1961. I have flirted with wines around that vintage – a Château Lagrange from 1959 and Château Gruaud-Larose from 1962 were memorable. As a sommelier in a former existence, I do remember pouring, sniffing and sipping a Château Bel-Air something-or-other. 34 years after its birth, it was in decent nick.

Have you always worked in wine?

A bit of English teaching and then restaurants as a manager with responsibility for an award-winning wine list before a period as a somm. Steep learning curve – I had to teach myself about the ins and outs of wine pretty darn quickly.

What bottle sparked your oenophilia?

Château Talbot 1978, necked from the bottle in the Outer Hebrides, by the sea, under a star-spangled midnight sky with the Perseids going full-blast. The odds on an epiphany were ridiculously high.

When and why did you join Les Caves de Pyrène?

Eric Narioo founded Les Caves in 1988 to showcase the wines of his native SW France. I joined in 1996 because I was excited by these mysterious “wines of terroir.” We were wonderfully innocent in the early days. Over the course of time, we embraced organic/biodynamic and eventually natural wines, grew the company organically, opened sister companies in other countries and developed the business in a variety of ways.

What happened to the original Terroirs Wine Bar?

Terroirs opened in 2008. We closed it with a heavy heart in 2021. It was impossible to have a reasonable negotiation with the landlord to defray rent rises and we had lost a whole team over the Covid lockdown period.

Do you own Soif?

Yes.

What was it before?

A Giraffe “world kitchen”.

Are all wines at Soif sourced from Les Caves de Pyrène?

The majority are from Les Caves, but they can also buy gems from other wine merchants.

How are you involved day-to-day with Soif?

I do weekly wine training and oversee the great list which pivots around 350 bins, most of which can be sold to take away. I am in regular contact with Riccardo Parvoli who now looks after the list on a daily basis and has taken charge of the wine culture.

Describe your approach to the wine list?

Wines are sourced from artisan growers who work sustainably, organically or biodynamically in the vineyard and with minimal interventions in the winery. Much of the farming is labour-intensive, often done with horses rather than tractors and all the picking and selection is by hand. Yields, usually from old vines, are low. Fermentations are invariably ambient and with wild yeasts and many of the wines are made without the addition of sulphur dioxide and are unfiltered and unfined. In style, the wines tend to be light-to-medium bodied, fresh (even refreshing), savoury and delicious to drink – but even more delicious with food. Our objective is to present wines that most sympathetically reflect the place from which they originate, the nature of the vintage itself and the personality of the grower – in short, those wines that encapsulate the notion of terroir. Our other objective is to de-mystify wine by having reasonable/cash mark-ups for the more expensive wines on the list and making them accessible to all.

Have “planet-friendly” wines become mainstream? 

The scene has transformed in the last few years. For example, our partners/friends in Ireland have done a great job popularising low-intervention wines. When we do the Real Wine Fair promo (pouring organic, biodynamic and natural wines by the glass) they bring around 60 accounts to the party. We held our first mini trade tastings outside of London this year in Manchester, Bristol and Newcastle and the calibre of customers was terrific. It was very heartening! And much credit should go to the many wholesalers, retailers and natural wine bars in the UK that have decided to focus on natural wines in their many guises. There has never been a better time to be a drinker.

What are some of your favourite producers on the list?

The list is stunning, of course, and visits all parts of the world without fear or favour, although France and Italy are allowed epic sections. There is a big focus on orange wines with a special (extensive) section devoted to them, a wide selection of pét-nats, a lot of natural rosés and plenty of magnum action. One page is devoted to a theme – the wines of a particular, a focus on a region; grape variety or wine style.  The 25-wines by-the-glass offering constantly changes with four natural wines on tap and three under Coravin, while bottles are often opened in the spirit of copinage, with regular specials and “treats” according to the day. Most of the wines by the glass are also available in 500-ml carafe format. There are always two amber wines by the glass, three sparkling and a couple of “oxidative/sous voile” choices. There is also a “cellar list” on request, featuring rare gems and highly allocated wines. And over 50 different magnums to choose from! Producers we love: La Stoppa, Recaredo, Comando G, Sepp Muster, Andreas Tscheppe, Jean-Pierre Frick, Marto Wein, Emidio Pepe, Vino di Anna, Kelley Fox, Evan Lewandowski, Testalonga, Burja Estate, Jean-François Ganevat, Clos des Vignes du Maynes and the eaux-de-vies of Laurent Cazottes and Capreolus microdistillery. Look out too for the lesser-spotted Emmanuel Houillon, Renaud Bruyère, Domaine des Miroirs, Yvon Metras, Alice and Olivier De Moor, Edoardo Valentini, Massa Vecchia and La Garagista (Vermont). We also usually have Château-Chalon or similar oxidative aged wine by the glass, a perfect accompaniment to the cheese selection.

Who is “Nivard” in relation to the cheese selection?

It refers to Geoffrey Nivard, originally from the Loire who used to buy cheese for Androuet UK, a historic Parisian fromagerie. Then he joined legendary Paxton & Whitfield, the cheesemonger of the Royal family where he supplied places such as The Ritz, Claridge’s and various Michelin-starred restaurants. He now has his own company where he curates a weekly cheese selection and does cheese and wine matching events.

What is an interesting pour via Coravin?

There are wines opened on the day, according to mood and inclination. These can be rare and unusual and will be put under Coravin. It’s a moveable feast, the idea being that any wine on the list can be potentially done by the glass.

Do you allow corkage? And what would your team do if the guest brings in a wine which is clearly not sustainably inclined?

Yes, and it would not be a problem if the guest in question brought in a “non-natural” wine. It is more important that local people (and others) regard Soif as a friendly environment in which to drink wine. Of course, we hope that customers feel inclined to explore the list and buy wines to take away.

Why is the mainstream Bulleit Bourbon on the drinks list?

The drinks side of the list (non-wine products) is still evolving. Bulleit is a pretty decent Bourbon, but increasingly we are focusing on examples of organic small-batch spirits and soft drinks.

Is the listed vodka and tonic really a “cocktail”?

Haha – why not?! Probably as close to a cocktail as you will get at Soif.

What is the food like?

Head chef, Simon Barnett balances Terroirs/Soif classics with original touches. For the confirmed carnivore, the charcuterie is a must – the homemade duck rillette is properly buttery and rustic. Otherwise, there is ample choice amongst the range of small flavour-packed plates with plenty of vegetarian options, and no-frills main courses. There is a rotisserie producing whole slow-cooked chicken and duck. But there is also a playful and original side to the cooking with clever spicing, unusual ingredients, and occasional Japanese twists on classic dishes.

What has been a standout wine and food match?

The pork and pistachio terrine with a glass of La Cuvée du Chat from Jean-Claude Chanudet. The earthiness of the meaty terrine is complemented by exuberant fruitiness (and depth) of the Gamay from old vines (from Jules Chauvet’s historic own vineyard).

Describe the décor?

Very simple. Bistro-unchic. French flea market furniture, wine paraphernalia (Michel Tolmer posters, original photos of natural wine heroes, iconic empty natty wine bottles on shelves, an old dresser festooned with wines to take away, wine barrels, and lots of blackboards featuring wine specials, cartoons etc).

What is the soundtrack?

French music radio stations are playing in the background.

What style of wine don’t you get along with?

International-style wines leave me cold. New oaked wines are a big no-no. Anything which is strip-filtered, over-sulphured or fermented with yeasts is unlikely to rock my wine boat.

Do you prefer Welschriesling or Freisa?

Both.

Which is the best table at Soif in your opinion?

They are all equally equal. The outside tables might be fun if we have a summer.

What is your favourite play of all time?

“Measure for Measure” studied for O and A level and a brilliant production at The National.

What do you think of Vivino, NFTs in relation to covetable bottles, and collectors who never intend to drink their investment-grade wine stash?

I am (emotionally) against the idea of perceiving wine as a commodity and something that exists to be traded or squirrelled away to make a profit. Wine is a sociable drink to be shared and enjoyed and not sold at pretentious prices (I wish!)

Tell us something surprising about yourself?

I have self-published three books.

Where do you dine on your days off?

Greenberry Café for breakfast and brunch, Brawn for dinner, but I also really enjoy cooking at home for family and friends.

Walk, run, drive, or ride an e-scooter?

Walk and smell the flowers.

What is your motto?

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

And finally, what do you look for when hiring people?

Passion, a sense of humour and the ability to work as part of a team.

Soif – 27 Battersea Rise, London, SW11 1HG; 020 7223 1112; enquiries@soif.co; soif.co