Wine Expert Interview: Pasquale Moschettieri, Founder of P&K Golden Wines

by Kelvin Teo | Last Updated: November 19, 2020

Tell Us About Yourself.

I am an Italian Sommelier based in London. I have been living in the UK for 10 years now. When I first came to the UK, I would never have imagined myself where I am right now — as the decision to move here was made through a bet with my friends. I also hated working in restaurants. But after a few months here, I changed my mind. I grew up in Sicily and it was customary for families to gather around the table every Sunday, so could say that the passion for food and wine was in my DNA already.

How Did You Venture Into The World of Wines?

My first step into the wine industry began in 2014 when I moved to London to work as a bartender. Even though I’ve always had a thing for wine, it was in London where I got properly involved in the industry. It was a great experience for me but it was only on one particular day that I discovered that my passion was greater than I thought.

You see, it was on that particular day that our sommelier resigned and I had to replace him as the sales rep for my manager for awhile — this meant that I had to know my stuff well in order to sell them. It was after a few months that we both realized that I did well in the matching and describing of wines. It took me awhile but I eventually decided step out of being a bartender to go for my WSET level 2 and become a sommelier. The rest is history.

We Understand That P&K Golden Wines Aims to Bring The Best Selection of Italian Fine Wines That Are Not Marketed Here in The UK. Can You Tell Us More About it?

As a wine lover, I find it hard to get a bottle that is not only good but value for money sometimes. Even though there are many websites, there are few options for such a range. Because of this, I thought it was a good time to bring in a fresh wave of Italian Fine Wines that are not marketed here in the UK to give people more options.

P&K Golden Wines is still developing as it grows but I think people will see the actual value of the wine we produce.

What is Your Favorite Wine? And Why?

When it comes to my favorite wines, I have a couple to name, such as the Brunello di Montalcino and Amarone della Valpolicella. They are not just great wines — they have a rich history too.

I do, however, prefer reds rather than whites. My mood and the social context also do play a huge role in my wine choices at any point in time.

What’s Your Advice For Someone Who Wants to Seriously Start Learning The Basics of Wine Tasting?

Nowadays there are many online learning courses, but I would suggest attending wine tasting sessions, along with the first WSET level certification. Appreciating wine goes beyond just drinking it but also understanding the culture and story behind each bottle.

Start with trying wine at home, to understand what suits you best. It is only in enjoying the wine will you be able to easily classify and scan the quality of a wine.

Do You Agree That Proper Wine Storage is Essential To Keep Wines in Their Best Condition? And Why is That So?

As wine ages, it undergoes chemical changes, developing flavors and nuances that are not seen in a young bottle. I definitely agree with the fact that storing wine in the right environment will enable the bottles to age and develop new flavors and aromas, offering a completely different drinking experience.

There are mainly four factors which affect the development of wine: temperature, humidity, light and movement.

I believe the temperature is the most important factor in storing the wine. It should be between 10 and 15 degrees celsius; if too low, it will cause the shrinking of the cork, allowing the oxygen to enter the bottle, and the wine becoming too oxidised. If the temperature is too high, the wine will develop an unpleasant “cooked taste”.

What’s Next For P&K Golden Wines?

We want to continue growing and improve on the standard of the service we promised to our customers. We hope to reach ten wineries in our portfolio for the first year, and to expand it beyond just Italian but French and Spanish Wines as well.

Another important milestone would be to open a physical store. However, it is probably too early to talk about this, but we certainly want to reach this goal too.

Kelvin Teo founded Filled With Wine™ because one summer night, he noticed that his glass of wine tasted funny. It was only after he discovered that he stored his bottle wrongly that he realised the importance of proper wine storage. Since then, he has taken the art of wine drinking seriously and is now on a quest to help fellow wine lovers achieve the best drinking experience possible.