ON THE LIST | Roberto Duran
17 May 2024
Roberto Duran was studying economics when he realised that wine was more his thing. After stints at Michelin-starred Miramar and Mirror, Roberto came third in the Best Sommelier in Spain competition. Moving to London in 2015, he joined the 67 Pall Mall opening team where the knowledge he gained prompted him to reattempt the Best Sommelier in Spain – which he duly won. In 2017, he moved to Singapore and, after time with Joël Robuchon, joined the Singapore Club as Head Sommelier. He is currently in the final stage of his Master Sommelier qualification.
‘Being from Spain, it’s only natural that I’m a huge Sherry lover. But it’s not just out of patriotism. Sherry is the most underrated wine in the world – not hugely expensive but delivering so much flavour. I especially love a vintage Sherry, which is made with an older, slowly-disappearing technique, known as the Añada method. Whereas the solera system sees casks constantly topped up and replaced, Añada casks are filled and then just sit there. In fact they’re sealed with wax to ensure no one touches them, often for 25 years or more. It’s a rare style – only around 3% of all Sherry is vintage – as it is hard to keep the consistency, but it produces more colour, more depth, and richer notes from that long oxidation process.
‘On the list in Singapore we have an example from a bodega close to my heart – 1987 Palo Cortado, Selección de Añada by Gonzalez Byass. Most people think sherry is a sweet wine, but this is more like an oaky, peaty, slightly smoky whisky. I get a fair amount of musk and spice on it, with notes of sandalwood, cardamom and coriander. It has been great for the recent residency of Carlos Montobbio, the chef-owner behind the contemporary restaurant Esquina in Singapore.
‘The most important thing with Sherry is where it’s aged. Gonzalez Byass has one of the biggest solera cask collections and is a bodega you really need to add to your bucket list. I seldom drink enough to get drunk, but this is one of the few times where I let myself go a little – testament, I like to think, to its beauty and charm.
‘If you’re looking for another under-the-radar Sherry on our list, try the Manzanilla, Saca 17, Sacristía AB, Sanlucar de Barrameda. Perfect to complement some local dishes with a strong umami flavour and lots of fiery spice — like a sambal stingray or oyster omelette.’
TWO
MINUTES
WITH
Federico Radi, Biondi-Santi