Vanessa Stolz: 'Looking Back, Forging Ahead'

By Harpers Editorial team

Published: 05 August, 2024

Restaurant Pine's head sommelier Vanessa Stolz opens our summer Q&A series with a taste of life on Newcastle's buzzing restaurant scene.

How has business been for you in the first half of 2024, and how do things compare to where you were last year?

This year, business has been unpredictable. Last year, January was one of our busiest months, but this year, everything has quieted down again. However, week after week, it comes in peaks and troughs. Sometimes, Wednesdays are busier than Fridays. You just have to take it as it comes. Last year was more consistent.

How has the cost-of-living crisis played out across the year and what – if anything – have you been able to do to mitigate that?

We still suffer from it, but we better understand how to moderate the consequences. We have to put the prices up again… Let’s hope for a better future soon so we can survive these crazy times.

Read more: Unite launches campaign for fair pay and tips in hospitality sector

What of staffing?

Staffing is like finding a needle in a haystack, especially for the front-of-house team. Luckily, most of our full-timers have worked with us for two years out of the three years Pine is open. However, finding somebody interested in a sommelier and bartender job took us several months.

What are you most proud of achieving this year? Have you managed to achieve any specific goals?

Sian, co-owner of Pine, has created a new event this year, ‘Bite Back against Cancer’. With the team, we all volunteered and, with 15 chefs and a silent auction, raised £82.000. I couldn’t be more proud of Sian for organising such a successful event.

This year, though, I am focusing mainly on my future exams. I am thrilled to be ranked in the top 20 in the Harper's Top 50 Sommeliers 2024 award and listed as one of the 45+ Sommeliers to Watch in the Sommelier Edit Top 100 Sommelier. Wonderful recognitions!

With the Pine team, we have been nominated for the Most Sustainable Restaurant in the Good Food Guide, ranked 12th Best Restaurant in the Estrella National Restaurant Award, and ranked number 1 in Square Meal.

And what is the biggest cause for concern?

It is the cost of everything and having such a strange booking dynamic.

Specifically, what will be the likely impact on your business of the planned end of the temporary easement on wine duty on 1 February 2025?

I don’t think it will impact us that much. Because the wine list promotes British wines, most don't exceed 12.5% alcohol. And the rest of the wine list is packed with low-alcohol wines. Maybe in the winter, I might have more demand for richer styles of wines, but it’s only for one season.

What are the biggest drinking trends at the moment and how do you expect that to change going into the autumn?

So far, the trend is not a specific style of wine, but the amount of alcohol consumed. Although our best-sellers are the wine pairings, the soft pairing/drinks and wines by the glass make it to the top three.

Any other predictions for the second half of the year?

We have picked up more bookings for the last two weeks, and we are fully booked until the end of August. Afterwards, it comes back to an unpredictable pace. The second half-year is always the quietest after all the awards; we are back to focusing on how to get better and refining our workplace.

Quick fire questions…

France, Italy or Spain? France

English fizz or Champagne? English bubbles

‘Normal’ or ‘natural’ wine? In between

Brown or white spirits? White spirit

Mixologist or mix it at home? Mix it at home

Sharing plates or structured meal? Sharing is caring

Post-prandial preference? Quince liqueur

Desert island treat? Liquorice and mint tea

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