Uncorked: Devon Lochhead

• Devon Lochhead was born in South Africa and cut his teeth at Wickerwoods Fine Dining restaurant in Port Elizabeth under the tutelage of the late Joel Malkinson. He moved to Hong Kong in 2014 and pursued a sales career with Kedington before becoming the sommelier at Carbone, Blacksheep Restaurant’s high-end New York-Italian restaurant. Currently studying for WSET Level 4, he speaks to dbHK about his first bottle of fine South African wine and his dream to one day make his own.

What vintage are you?

1989. It’s particularly good for Bordeaux. Certainly not the best but not bad at all. The wine and people from that year seem to have turned out pretty decent.

What bottle sparked your love of wine?

A bottle of Raats Family Wines Cabernet Franc 2007 from Stellenbosch. The texture, aromas and sensations were all things I’d never experienced before.

What would you be as a wine?

Taurasi. It’s rustic yet genuine, generous and pleasantly unassuming and also full of passion!

Where are you happiest?

Work is a great place to be but I love to be anywhere in nature with family and friends.

What’s your greatest vice?

Amarone and cigars.

What is the best advice you have ever received?

Do your best and forget about the rest.

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

A sentimental bottle of Hermanuspietersfontein Kleinboet 2009 which was given to me by my better half. If I could manage it, I’d also try and rescue my magnum of Mouton Rothschild 1975. It’s not the best vintage but it was the first bottle I bought with my paycheck in Hong Kong.

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

In Hong Kong you are exposed to so many different wines from all over the world so you can always broaden your skills. The worst is that there is a hell of a lot of competition. There are so many wine suppliers that you can’t say yes to all of them and I’ve been on that side of the fence so I understand how tough it can be.

What’s on your wine bucket list?

I would love to make my own wine one day back in South Africa.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?

My late boss at Wickerwoods, Joel Malkinson. He really took me under his wing and introduced me to the world of wine. He passed away in 2015 when I was in Hong Kong and I’d just love to be able to show him how far I’ve come.

Personal satisfaction (Parker points – out of 100)?

I’m pretty hard on myself and think I still have a lot to learn, so I’d say around 75.

Which wine would you like served at your funeral?

My own. As long as it didn’t cause my death!