Uncorked: Herve Pennequin

The exuberant bon vivant, Herve Pennequin has just joined Omtis Fine Wines as head of private clients after acting as chief sommelier of the prestigious Hong Kong Jockey Club. A native of Lille, (a Ch’ti), Pennequin has decades of experience in two and three Michelin starred restaurants in Paris as well as restaurant consulting in America. He speaks to dbHK about tasting his first glass of 1974 Haut Brion and having a fondness for mature Cognac and cigars.

What vintage are you? 

I am from a controversial vintage because it veers between being good and very good! 1966 happens to be a great vintage for Port and very good for Bordeaux, Barolo and some Brunello di Montalcino such as Biondi Santi. I still remember a 1966 Chateau Palmer that was still full of youth – the same as me!

What bottle sparked your love of wine?

Interestingly enough, it was a glass of 1974 Chateau Haut Brion given to me by the chef/owner of the kitchen where I worked after school and at weekends. I was young but fascinated by the layers of flavours and the silky textures. I switched then from thinking of being a chef to exploring the front of the house as a sommelier.

What would you be as a wine?  

I would be a wine that makes people satisfied and relaxed. I would present myself as distinguished and elegant, with dominant characters of a strong personality but easygoing with round and soft corners (i.e. tannins). Voluptuous and racy with a long finish that caresses all taste buds of the palate.

Where are you happiest?

I feel very happy when I can relax on a nice long chair facing an ocean or a lake with a smooth and delicate cigar in one hand and a glass of mature Cognac or Armagnac in the other!

What’s your greatest vice?

My greatest vice is I cannot stop tasting the greatest wines of the world and if I could, I would travel all year long to visit as many wineries and taste more of the wines, made by these vignerons who I believe are exceptional to do what they do, being so dependent from mother nature. One year of hard work that could be destroyed in one hail storm… That is my vice, to taste more out of respect and recognition of these guys.

Best advice you ever received?

The best advice I ever received was to listen and analyze before making a judgment and saying something you may regret. It applies when you’re tasting wine but mostly to people who surround you.

Most overused word?

The most overused word I have is “delicious”. I love life, I love food and wine matching and when I am at a table, I aim for this magic moment when after the first bite, your senses transport you in another world. Naturally your mouth expresses that feeling and just says “delicious” in such a way the world could collapse around you but you would still be transported to a parallel dimension.

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

The ‘Thiers’ corkscrew created by Herve

If only one bottle I would save, first it would have to be a large format so that not only I can enjoy it longer but also share with my friends. And the wine would be red so that I can enjoy with a good steak to celebrate the saving from the underwater dive…

However I cannot decide exactly which bottle because each one I have reminds me of a trip I have done or a region I have spent time in where I met the winemaker… but one thing I would definitely rescue is the wine opener I created in 1996 – Thiers by Herve Pennequin, otherwise, there is no way I could open that fantastic last bottle!

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

I believe that a bad experience brings good things as long as you are able to accept and learn from yours or others’ mistakes that could damage a business – and it takes many different people and objectives to create a sane atmosphere in the wine business! The worst is probably for me to deal with people who think they know everything and brag about it. The best is after time passes, these same people recognize they are actually like you and I – a person for whom humility is the key to learn and progress in the wine business.

What’s on your wine bucket list?

Having a house facing the ocean in a wine region is certainly on my bucket list! I would be able to enjoy my cigars and invite the winemakers of the region to a nice barbecue with their wines or all the wines I have accumulated throughout the years.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?

I would invite all my friends who have had an impact in my life at the various stages of it. It would be a mega party, trust me!

Personal satisfaction (Parker points – out of 100)

I am not going to use Parker to rate my personal satisfaction but only the face of my parents when they see me, they know right away if I am happy and trust me, they know I am happy to do what I do. Their smile is almost reaching their eyes. This is the best rating factor of mankind.

Which wine would you like served at your funeral?

All the wines from my cellar that I did not have time to enjoy while alive. There will be plenty of good ones to be served!