Uncorked: Mike Watt

Former wine director, Mike Watt used to write 16 wine lists for Tab Corp, an Australian gaming company before moving to Ezard in Melbourne and Manly Pavilion in Sydney as head sommelier. He currently holds the WSET diploma and advanced CMS certificate and has been the general manager of Hong Kong’s Fish School for just over a year. He speaks to dbHK about not waxing lyrical about wine while on a date and his loathing of the word, ‘foodie’.

What vintage are you?

1980. A pretty woeful wine vintage by most accounts, so at least my birth year wines are affordable.  Bonus!

What bottle sparked your love of wine? 

Chronologically speaking, I guess you’d have to go back the bottle of cheap Port my brothers and I would drink before trying to sneak in to the local disco.  I don’t recall who the producer was, but it’s probably safe to assume that it wasn’t Quinta do Noval.

 What would you be as a wine?   

I’d like to think I’d be something complex and interesting, such as Burgundy.  Though I’d guess my friends would say I’m more like cheap Trebbiano.

Where are you happiest?

Anytime I’m in a restaurant with my friends.  Like the wines of my birth year, I too, am somewhat over the hill so I tend to avoid the discos nowadays and have fun in restaurants instead.

What’s your greatest vice?

Goodness.  So many to choose from! Pass.

Best advice you ever got?

Do not under any circumstances start waxing lyrical about wine when you’re on a date.  It’s a guaranteed yawn-inducer for anyone who’s not a wine geek. Just order the second cheapest bottle and put the wine list away. You can thank me later.

Most overused word?

Any of those modern abbreviations the young folks are using nowadays.  We totes need to stop this ridic habit.  Oh, and ‘noms’ in all its variations including, but not limited to, ‘nom’, ‘nom nom’, ‘nom nom nom’ and ‘nomming’.  Also ‘foodie’ (unless in a derogatory manner).

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

Clearly the best thing about the wine business is the social lubrication that it provides.  Few other industries could claim to bring such an immense amount of joy to people’s lives.  It’s not necessary to put wine on a pedestal to appreciate its social value. It’s merely an alcoholic beverage made from grapes – and that’s great.  Personally, I dread to think of the state of my romantic endeavours without it.

The worst thing?  I dunno.  Gewürztraminer?

What’s on your wine bucket list?

Not Gewürztraminer.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party? (and which wines would you serve)?

Ricky Gervais, Jon Stewart, Douglas Adams, P.G Wodehouse, Terry Pratchett, David Sedaris, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and The Rock. I’d serve Bass Phillip Pinot Noir from eastern Victoria (I worked there for a few years, so hopefully that will impress present company).  Though I understand The Rock mostly sticks to neat, aged tequila. So baller!

Anyone that’s given me useful advice throughout my life so I can thank them.

My mum.  Turns out she was right about most things.  Thanks mum!

Which wine would you like served at your funeral?

Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.  It’s all my mother and sisters will drink.