Jan Konetzki has one of the best jobs in London as Director of Wine at Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square. He oversees the wine program for Chef Anne-Sophie Pic’s debut London venture La Dame de Pic London, as well as Asian restaurant Mei Ume, the Rotunda Bar, and the Ten Trinity Square Private Club. As part of his role for the Ten Trinity Square Private Club, Jan also acts as an ambassador for Château Latour and Artemis Domains and is occasionally seen curating wines on the Four Seasons Private Jet.
Frequently recognised by critics as one of Europe’s most talented sommeliers, Jan has achieved a number of accolades including Moët UK Sommelier of the Year, Harpers Best Sommelier and most recently, Sommelier of the Year by Wine List Confidential.
We spoke to Jan to find out all about the world of wine.
How did it all start?
I started in the late 90s in my family’s bakery kneading dough at 2 in the morning. The solitude and aroma in that bakery have a special spot in my heart. Somehow Pet Shop Boys’ song ‘New York City boy’ and a keen interest for the finer things in life got me where I am now, maybe few drops of resilience and hard work, too. Mykonos, New York and London were only a few stops from small town baker to bartender, fine dining waiter, sommelier and wine director at Ten Trinity Square.
What makes the vinous experience at Ten Trinity Square so special?
I think it is the people, the different settings and wine selections. We have individual wine lists in each of the outlets of Ten Trinity Square which have won many awards over the years. Also La Dame de Pic, Mei Ume and the private club have a dedicated sommelier team. I feel the individuals serving wine have great passion and sensitivity to tune in with each guest to find the best wine choice for them.
You are regarded as one of the best sommeliers in the UK. What are your top three tips in choosing a wine at a restaurant?
If you don’t have an engaged staff member or a sommelier to quiz about the wine offering, here my top three tips:
- If you like to find best value, stay away from well know regions brand names for example Rioja or famed champagne houses. Those are usually marked up higher because they are easier sales. Go for alternatives from same grape or neighbouring regions instead.
- Choose wine with long names, that are hard to pronounce. Why?! Because someone must have seen something special in the odd choices in order to list them. And they are likely to be great value because of extra age as they move slowly.
- Follow your gut and don’t be shy to say what you like. If you don’t feel the vibe about the wine suggested, kindly decline and give extra pointers like the price you are looking for, your favourite wines as examples and what wines you like to avoid. It will make it easier to give you better suggestions
Jan Konetzki
What makes your wine collection at Ten Trinity Square different to other London establishments?
We have started to build a strong connection with Château Latour and Artemis Domaines years before Ten Trinity opened its doors. That resulted in the unique collection in the Club. Also, the owner’s idea of creating a Hotel, restaurant and Club with a strong focus point on wine allowed us to think outside the box and give themes to each list on the Hotel.
What are your favourite wines outside France?
I drink a lot of French wines! Nevertheless I have other favourites like Syrah from Washington and California. I love a big Iberian Rosè like Vina Tondonia Rosado and Niepoort’s Voyeur. And I probably would drink my body weight in En Rama Fino Sherry if I could.
What is your favourite wine and food pairing?
Saffron risotto with Crayfish and Château Grillet. A one-of-a-kind Viognier from the Northern Rhône. The exotic sappyness of the saffron perfectly complements the wine and makes it shine. And when you have it the second time add white truffle from Alba for a boost!
Wine is great but what other drinks pairings work with particular food dishes?
An Australian sommelier friend called Kavita Faiella suggested chips with gin and tonic which works so well. Also ice-cold Polish vodka goes so well with smoked fish. If you like refined matches we serve Capreolus distillery’s ‘1000 trees’ heirloom apple eau de vie with a Red Leicester cheese course at La Dame de Pic. A great match that the team came up with.
If you were to award a Michelin star for wine, who would it be to and why?
Compared to the Michelin Guide, I would be much more generous! I would give a Michelin star to every sommelier there is in the UK. It sounds like a dream job but one needs a lot of dedication. I am saying that because sommeliers work long hours sometimes till late and many spend their private time and own money on their education, travels to wine regions and going to tastings. All for their passion. So let’s give them a star.
What is next for you and the wine journey at Ten Trinity Square?
They make me already serve wine in the sky at the Four Seasons Private Jet, so it never gets boring. At Ten Trinity Square itself we are due to revamp the wine selection at Mei Ume, our Japanese and Chinese restaurant. We are adding some rare wines and sake as well changing the layout of the list itself to help navigating it and highlighting seasonal hero-wines and sake.
To discover more about Four Seasons Ten Trinity London, visit: fourseasons.com/tentrinity
To read more about Jan Konetzki, visit: konetzki.co.uk
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All Imagery Courtesy of Jan Konetzki / Four Seasons.