With over a decade of experience in hospitality, Yordan has built a career defined by a deep passion for wine and excellent drinks.
Having progressed through the sommelier team at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, he developed extensive expertise in wine curation, pairing and team leadership within a Michelin-starred environment. He brings hands-on vineyard experience, knowledge of a broad range of producers, and a thoughtful, guest-focused approach to every cellar and table. Yordan hosts The Wild Rabbit Wine Club, a unique experience in which guests are invited to explore the wines of Provence in an intimate tasting.
It’s a never-ending world of knowledge. Wine, spirits and food push you to understand so many different disciplines – history, biology, chemistry, geography and more. Beyond that, it’s the people.
You constantly meet incredible individuals and get to listen to their life stories. It feels like a continuous series of podcasts or interviews and you always walk away inspired. And of course, we can’t forget the great food and wine you have to taste along the way – strictly for educational purposes only.
I’m inspired by wines that brings emotion when you taste it. I also value wines from producers who practise organic or biodynamic viticulture, respecting nature and their terroir.
The Wild Rabbit’s wine list is a constantly evolving adventure, ranging from the classic French regions, including some of the finest Bordeaux and Burgundy producers, to lesser-known gems from Central and Eastern Europe. This year, I’m especially excited to shine a spotlight on the incredible winemakers and vineyards of the UK – there’s so much talent to explore right on our doorstep.
English sparkling wines are becoming increasingly popular with our guests. I’m also noticing that people are becoming more open-minded and excited to try wines from lesser-known grapes and regions (like our Blaufränkisch, Gritschenberg 2021 by Markus Altenburger from the beautiful village of Jois in Burgenland, Austria).
The White Rabbit Wine Cellar tasting is dedicated to our sister estate, Château Léoube in Provence, with a special focus on their Collector Series wines. Guests can enjoy these wines alongside our own Daylesford cheeses, fresh bread, Château Léoube olive oil and a selection of locally made charcuterie. During the tasting, we’ll talk about the wines and olive oil, how they’re grown, and the philosophy behind their production. No prior knowledge of wine is needed – good company and positive energy are all you need to enjoy the experience!
A well–aged sparkling rosé with steak, or any other red meat, is one of my all-time favourite wine pairings.
Phew — that’s not an easy question! Some of the most unusual wines on our current list are definitely from Eastern Europe, especially a few recent additions. One standout is the Red Misket from Georgiev/Milkov. It’s a wonderful indigenous Bulgarian grape that, despite its name, produces a 100% white wine. Red Misket is actually a natural mutation: when ripe, the skins turn pinkish, but they give no colour to the wine at all. Another rare gem is Karapapas from Ktima Apostolidi in Greece. It’s an indigenous red grape that’s produced by only a handful of wineries. What makes both of these wines truly unusual is their scarcity – they’re extremely rare to find on wine lists anywhere in the world, including in the countries where they originate. That sense of discovery is exactly what makes them so special on our list.
I would visit wineries that share the same philosophy as mine: to live as much as possible in symbiosis with nature, and not to poison the land that we eat (or drink) from. This philosophy is already widespread, so wherever I go, I’m sure I can find plenty of like‑minded winemakers and viticulturists.
If I had to drink only one wine, I would rather not drink any. I can’t imagine not being able to explore new and exciting grapes, styles, regions, and producers – that’s one of the most exciting parts of the job.
After sparkling rosé and red meat, I love chilled light red wine with bluefin tuna tacos.
Few ingredients capture the essence of spring more distinctly than Jersey Royal potatoes – a fleeting harvest that arrives as the season begins to hit its stride and the warmer days have set in.
