Ben Usiskin

What is your most memorable wine experience?

I have two, the first is from when I was working in the events industry and was asked to work at Kensington Palace for a private event and we served Dom Perignon 1990 and 1996. Tasting those two wines in that setting before we served them was a unique experience.
However the experiences that stand out more recently is being at a Chateau Pontet Canet 2000-2009 vertical given by Alfred Tesseron and being able to taste the wines develop over the decade and definitely enjoy the 2005 and 2009.

If you could choose any wine from the CV Top 100, what would it be and why?

Ive just started getting more into Amarone and have been buying some bottles for myself having tasted some older vintages and as a result I’d love to try a Quintarelli Amarone from 1995 and the 80’s, maybe 83 and 88 to see how they age.

You’re throwing a dinner party and can invite anyone, dead or alive. Who do you invite and what would be your signature food and wine pairing?

My guests would be Freddie Mercury, Michael Jordan and Al Pacino, three greats of music, sport and film and it would be amazing to hear some of the stories they could tell. As for the food and wine, we’d be having some Dom Perignon 90 to start before a slow cooked lamb shoulder with with Chateau Margaux 83 and then a Tarte Tatin with a 96 d’Yquem.