by Treve Ring | Committed champion of sustainable, site-specific and authentic wines, Matthew Sherlock has changed the conversation of wine in this province without saying a word. He doesn’t need to – he lets the wine do the talking. And if one picture is worth a thousand words, one sip of one of the naturalist, idiosyncratic, biodynamic and independent producers in his Sedimentary Wine Imports portfolio is worth at least a million.

It’s not that the humble and intelligent Sherlock doesn’t want to talk about the singular wines his company imports into Canada, or about the wines he makes at Naramata’s Nichol Vineyards or Lock & Worth Winery (the latter he co-owns with Nichol’s Ross Hackworth). He’s a passionate and personable speaker, clocking the kilometers to lead staff training and to trade seminars educating keen folks on orange/natural/biodynamic wines.

His UBC undergrad days working in restaurants and wine retail led him to vintages in Marlbourough, Sonoma, and the Okanagan after graduation. In 2011 and after completion of the WSET Diploma, he made the move to the Okanagan and wine country, which remains one of his home bases along with Vancouver (and his suitcase).

He builds and guides the wine program at Burdock & Co. in Mt. Pleasant, and it’s one of the most exciting, well edited and precise programs in town. A love letter to natural wines and sustainable producers, the list skips from near (2011 Matello ’Cuvee Lazarus’, Willamette Valley, ‘bright and floral – dark cherries, soil – savoury and fresh’) to far (2005 Radikon Jakot, Friuli ‘orange wine – creamsicle, pear skin, yellow flowers – tannin and grip – unruly yet intriguing’) with ease and intrigue.

I talked to Sherlock about what he has LISTED…

How many wines on your list? 22 with a handful of off list options. 13 are available by the glass with the rest available by the glass if the customer commits to two glasses.

How is your list organized? Bubble. Red. Rose. White. Within each category by the glass then by the bottle.

What one wine are you most excited about right now on your list? Movia Lunar Chardonnay 2008 Brda Slovenia. Beautiful chardonnay expression from a wonderful but off the beaten path region from arguably Slovenia’s top producer. The wine is bottled on full lees and needs to be decanted table side. It is a bit of a mind bender but undeniably delicious.

What’s the top selling wine on your list? It honestly depends what the staff are pumped about on any given week and what the weather is like. Everything moves with fairly equal regularity and the list changes so often we don’t have long term trends on given wines. That said, Pepiere Muscadet will always be a staple and is a house go to/favourite when available.

What’s the newest arrival to your list?

Bernard Baudry Les Croisse Boisse Chinon Loire France 2011
Movia Lunar Chardonnay Brda Slovenia 2008
Cornellissen Contadino Sicily Italy 2010
Collestefano Rosado de Matelica Italy 2013
Maupertuis ‘Pink Bulles’ Auvergne France NV

…are all new additions last week.

The one product you will never list? Wine that sucks.

Money/availability is no option. What one wine would you list? Jean-Francois Bourdy Chateau Chalon 1911. Yes, there is still some in existence and it is in terrific shape. Chateau Chalon is also a fantastic wine with much of Andrea’s food.

Your fave food/beverage pairing currently in your restaurant? Sunchoke Waffle, Fromage Frais, Prosciutto, Meyer Lemon Marmalade with Binner Riesling Alsace France 2011. Just go sit at the bar and have them together.

Your insider top food/wine pairing tip? Ask someone who has made it their life’s work. However, if you are on your own, try to avoid disasters (tannin and shellfish, light white and port demi etc) but don’t sweat the small stuff. Look at the food and the wine big picture and eventually something will blow your mind and something will click. Plus you’ll have a heckuva time experimenting.

Favourite wine list in Vancouver, other than your own? Wildebeest’s. There are wines on this list to satisfy any palate while having lots of gems, too. Well done.

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