Unfiltered: Enzo Russomanno

The head sommelier of Luca, which is the sister restaurant to Clove Club, talks to Douglas Blyde about his fondness for the wines of Giuseppe Quintarelli, serving Bono, and his dream to be able to reverse cork taint…

What is your vintage?

I was born in Naples in 1982 from which I have had tasted Bartolo Mascarello Barolo and Château Beychevelle.

What is your motto?

“In medio stat virtus” – virtue stands in the middle.

Where did you work before Luca?

Locanda Locatelli and The Savoy Grill.

What bottle sparked your love of wine?

As a fledgling sommelier, the 2001 Montevertine Le Pergole Torte which inspired me to further pursue my career.

Describe your list?

It is rooted in the most iconic producers as well as lesser-known winemakers, showcasing a broad range of styles from more traditional methods to low intervention. Our sparkling list takes in Franciacorta, grower Champagnes and Grand Marques. We take pride in serving some of Italy’s greatest wines such as Valentini and Soldera, and we have a fantastic selection of different communes of Barolo, such as Serralunga d’Alba. We love collecting multiple vintages from the same producer; it really offers something special to our guests when they can return and try a new vintage from a winemaker like Giuseppe Mascarello or Giacomo Conterno.

How do you keep prices keen?

Whether a guest is buying a simple village wine from Sicily or Super Tuscan, Sassicaia, it’s important to us to be able to offer value for money. We work hard to negotiate great deals with our suppliers and to make small savings which can then be passed on to our guests. One of the fantastic things about having an Italian-focused list is that it gives us the chance to showcase the diversity of Italy: we can really dig into lesser-known regions and producers and find real gems with an affordable price tag. Over time, those winemakers become more well-known – and even iconic – which allows us to serve sought after wines we love, at a price many others can’t.

Do you buy en-primeur in conjunction with brother restaurant, Clove Club?

Luca has been trading for five years, and throughout those years we’ve been buying en-primeur, sometimes in conjunction with Clove Club, including great vintages like Sassicaia ‘16. We’ve built great relationships and friendships with growers and suppliers which means we can now secure the best allocations, improving the breadth and quality of the wines we list. We’ve always been inspired by the way fellow restaurateur, Nigel Platts-Martin builds his collections and lists, buying wines on release, ageing them then offering them at keen prices. Bravo!

What is your most exciting pour via Coravin?

Quintarelli Valpolicella. You can taste the mastery of the craft in the wine. In my opinion, maker, Giuseppe took the lead in making Valpolicella what it is today. The wine is powerful and rugged yet elegant. You have notes of plums and cherries, and the tannins have great complexity so as to make the mouth feel velvety and silky. Like any great wine, everything comes together in the finish, in perfect harmony.

What has been a perfect match with a dish by head chef, Robert Chambers?

One of our most popular dishes is Orkney scallops with Jerusalem artichoke and nduja. The spice from the Nduja is tough to find a match with, but we have found it! The pairing is a skin contact Catarratto from the northwest coast of Sicily (Aldo Viola, Krimiso). The tannins from the skin contact work well with the heat of the nduja, and the sweetness from the wine and the brown butter is a marriage of love.

Describe the playlist?

I know lots of great wine producers who like to play music to their vines. I really like the soundtrack at the restaurant – there is always a buzzy atmosphere. Daniel, one of the Luca owners, and his brother, Sam curate it as part of their Double Dutch music consultancy and it’s always on point! If you’re dining on a Thursday lunch then maybe you’ll hear Dean Martin or Michael Kiwanuka; on Friday night it might be Marvin Gaye or Madlib. It’s an eclectic mix.

What grape or style don’t you get along with?

Oh, that’s a tough one! That’s like asking what’s your favourite song – it’s hard to say!? I love them all (ha!) I think it’s easy to say “Oh, I don’t like Pinot Grigio” for example, as it has a lot of negative associations, but it’s a beautiful grape that is almost pink, if you let it rest on the skins, it can be amazing. Take Dario Princic for example, he is making some beautiful, perfumed Pinot Grigio. If I had to say a style of wine I hate, then I really dislike the term “orange wine”.  It’s one of the oldest ways of making wine and not a new trend (although it is trendy!) In Italy we call it “vino macerato”; it’s white wine that’s a little more complex and that’s the way we should think and talk about it.

What would be your dream superpower?

Being able to reverse cork taint.

Who devises the cocktails at Luca Bar?

Matt Ottley who has really elevated the cocktails – and I’m proud to work with him. My first job in London was at Locanda Locatelli and my boss, the head sommelier, used to say to me, “this is London, people want cocktails as much as they do wine”, which was a new thing for me and really helped me engage with the craft of making drinks. I really enjoy working with Matt and together we’ve expanded the back bar. When we first started our focus was to have a fantastic list of grappas, but now we have some amazing Cognacs and whiskies, which is also important for me, as Scotland is so close!

Which is the best table in the dining room?

Of the many things I love about the design at Luca is the way the tables are arranged – there really isn’t a duff seat in the house. When I’m dining, I love to sit on a corner banquette in the conservatory next to The Pasta Room; it’s luxurious and comfortable and I can see nearly all of the restaurant, and onto the terrace, and importantly I can see both sommelier stations.

What is your favourite film?

“Cinema Paradiso”. Set in a small Sicilian town, it tells the story of a friendship between a young boy and an ageing projectionist who works at the local movie theatre, I love it! I’m old-school and I  like the classics; Marvel superhero films don’t really do it for me!

Tell us something surprising about yourself?

Since I was a teenager, I had a great love for food and cooked a lot for myself while at university. Initially, I wanted to be a chef. Time in the kitchen gave me an insight and understanding of the love and care that goes into making beautiful food. I have the greatest respect for chefs and their art, I think it gives me a unique perspective when I’m selecting and pairing wines for guests.

Where do you dine when not at work?

Ideally in my hometown, Naples. As soon as I land at the airport, I meet my brother, and we head off to hit our favourite spots for some fantastic seafood and pizza. The street food is the best and I feel like a kid in a sweetie shop! In London, I really love small, intimate restaurants which cook simple but delicious food and serve great wines, such as Noble Rot. I also love to host friends at home and give them some good old Italian hospitality.

Who is the most famous person you’ve ever looked after?

As a junior sommelier at Locanda Locatelli, I looked after a super-mega-919 (industry code for VIP) table, wait for it… Bono and the Edge from U2  with Chris Martin, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jay Z and Beyoncé! Now that was a table! Surprisingly, Bono didn’t know how to eat spaghetti (I thought he’d have that down). I was going to give him a few tips but didn’t want to embarrass him in front of his friends.

Do you prefer sunrise or sunset?

I love both. In my little town very close to Avelino, which has a little valley with the mountains in front, we’d often climb up for both sunrise and sunset.

Walk, run, ride an e-scooter, bike, take the bus or drive a car?

I love to walk. It’s meditative and restorative, both in the morning and late at night. I love to be in nature, walking in the mountains or by the sea, especially along the cliffs at Seven Sisters. London is brilliant, but I need to balance it with the countryside and the coast.

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

Even as a junior sommelier I had a real fire in my belly about working with wine – I look for that same passion when I’m hiring, regardless of the position. A spark in their face, an enthusiasm to join the team and a desire to learn. Through conversation about restaurants and hospitality, I look for pointers that indicate an intrinsic wish to look after people – qualities fundamental to the service and atmosphere of Luca. At the end of an evening service, I’ll often open a nice bottle with the person who’s training, as tasting the wine brings us together.

Luca – 88 St John Street, London, EC1M 4EH; 020 3859 3000; luca.restaurant; reservations@luca.restaurant