Michael Sager on Shared Wine Experiences
Michael Sager’s restaurants and bars are among London’s most soulful and instinctively curated. But what sets him apart isn’t just taste – it’s the way he talks about learning.
“I knew nothing about wine,” he says, reflecting on opening his first place. “And I still know nothing.” He means it – not out of false modesty, but because wine is an ongoing conversation. “Sharing that journey is really important to me. It’s not about being public, it’s about being open.”
Michael believes that the experience of drinking great wine should never live in a vacuum. “Going from one great restaurant to the next, tasting all these incredible bottles – and then not sharing that? That’s selfish. What I love about Noble Rot is they’re so open about discovery. That’s the real joy.”
This isn’t the language of gatekeeping. It’s the mindset of someone who builds places for other people – not just for himself.
THIRSTY FOR MORE?
Watch the next in our Michael Sager series, where he unpacks what it means to build taste through instinct, not textbook.
TL;DR
Michael Sager reflects on learning wine from scratch and why sharing discovery creates deeper joy.
Art Direction by David Tokley
Filming by Max Sizeland
Location: Sager + Wilde, Hackney Road London