Uncorked: Tim Brewer

Tim Brewer is the head sommelier at Ryunique, a French-Japanese hybrid fine dining restaurant in Seoul’s trendy Gangnam district, owned by chef, Tae Hwan Ryu. Born in Australia, Brewer has been a sommelier for seven years and is currently studying for his advanced level CMS and speaks to dbHK about his first bottle of Vosne-Romanée and dining with Noam Chomsky.

What vintage are you?

I am a 1984 vintage, a widely panned vintage globally. Oddly enough, Chateau Margaux Pavillon Blanc had an exceptional year which speaks to me. A perfect example of a stereotype being broken – a white wine thriving amongst its red wine counterparts.

What bottle sparked your love of wine?

Meo Camuzet’s Vosne-Romanée Aux Brulées at a Burgundy tasting at Rockpool restaurant in Sydney.  I remember the tastes and flavours distinctly, though the exact vintage escapes me but I think it was mid 90s.

What would you be as a wine?

Something slightly off-dry with marked acidity to match my perceived wit and dry humour. It would need a bit of age behind it too, just so it’s realistic.

Where are you happiest?

Anywhere that wine is flowing with great family and friends. If there is any knowledge to be gained it is with my peers within that environment.

What’s your greatest vice?

My family. My children.

Best advice you ever got?

Taste is more important than knowledge. Taste connects all the theoretical knowledge you have gained with a unique understanding that is entirely your own – from Carlos Simeos Santos, Master Sommelier to be.

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

Any of the Champagne…to make the despair of losing the rest of the bottles seem somewhat bearable.

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

The hours away from family are difficult, but the stories/wines I share with them in our downtime is well worth it.

What’s on your wine bucket list?

A tasting of all the Grosses Gewachs Rieslings. One after another, after another, after another.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?

Noam Chomsky, Cornell West and Frederic Panaiotis. I feel like we would all learn something from the experience.

Which wine would you like served at your funeral?

Champagne….Gosset, Agrapart, Egly Ouriet and Jacquesson. All of the above. All of their cuvées and multiple bottles of them!

An in-depth feature on Seoul’s wine market will be out in the February/March issue of the drinks business HK