Uncorked: Kimberley Drake

Kimberley Drake is head of wine for Hong Kong at Sarment, a membership-based premium wine merchants which operates in China, Macau, Singapore and very recently, Kuala Lumpur.

Drake grew up in southern California and moved to New York City where she worked as a sommelier at Jean Georges before coming to Hong Kong and opening Café Gray Deluxe at the Upper House Hotel as chief sommelier. She speaks to db about avoiding snobbery in the wine industry and rescuing a bottle of 2004 Clape Cornas.

What bottle sparked your love of wine?

Actually, it was a bottle of 1994 Quintessa. When I moved to NYC I got a job waiting tables (NY isn’t cheap!), and while I was working, the wine director of the restaurant walked me through a tasting of this wine.  It was a real awakening for me, I knew that I liked wine… but having someone show me how to taste was like suddenly being able to taste art.

What would you be as a wine?

A Barbaresco.

Where are you happiest?

At the beach or near the water.

What’s your greatest vice?

The virtue of enjoying the beauty of wine to excess.

Best advice you ever got?

Never compare yourself to others. There will always be someone better than you at ‘whatever’, just be yourself and do your best. 

Most overused word?

Accessible.

Your cellar’s underwater, which bottle would you dive in and save?

My bottle of 2004 Clape Cornas.

What’s the best & worst thing about the wine business?

The best thing is all of the different and delicious wines and walks of life you deal with, the worst part is the tendency toward snobbishness.

What’s on your wine bucket list?

1990 Jacques Selosse “N”.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?

Betty Ford (circa 1975 ideally), Tina Fey, Albert Einstein, Rasputin, Nina Simone and CS Lewis.

Personal satisfaction (Parker points – out of 100)

92.

Which wine would you like served at your funeral?

It would depend on the season, but I would want something for everyone there, and I would want it to be a fun, somewhat scandalous and memorable occasion… Provided it all came together in the right way: 2002 Vilmart Brut Rosé Grand Cellier Rubis, 2010 Ghislaine Barthod Chambolle-Musigny “Les Fuées” (but the vintage choices might change, all things considered).  And, I would add some Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year Reserve to the mix for some of the other guests.