The Somm Series Edition 7: Georgie Davidson-Brown

We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect morning. The sun was shining, the kitchen garden just beyond the French windows was bursting with vibrant greens, edible flowers, and fragrant herbs, and the talented Chiswick team were already in quiet motion, preparing for another bustling mid-week lunch service. And Georgie was there to greet us with her signature warm and smile!

Founded by celebrated Australian chef Matt Moran, Chiswick brings his ‘paddock to plate’ philosophy to life—connecting diners to the source of their food through seasonal menus inspired by what’s flourishing in the on-site kitchen garden. With a focus on honest produce, refined yet approachable cooking, and a warm, inviting atmosphere, Chiswick is a true reflection of thoughtful, garden-driven dining and a favourite amongst Woollahra locals as well as interstate and international visitors.

Georgie joined Chiswick and the Solotel Group as Head Sommelier in September 2022. Prior to this, she built her palate at some of Australia’s most respected restaurants, including Melbourne’s Lûmé, Adelaide’s Orana, and Sydney’s Wyno x Bodega and Woodcut. With her infectious enthusiasm, sharp palate and knoelwdge, Georgie has quickly earned a respected voice in Australia’s Sommelier community. At Chiswick, her wine list is an evolving reflection of stories of producers from around the world alongside fun, exciting and a-typical wines that work with the seasonal menu and encourage guests to discover something new.

Read on to learn more about Georgie, her wine pairing philosophy, her experiences in the industry as well as exciting upcoming projects!

Discover our full interview with Georgie Davidson-Brown.

Tell us about your journey – how did you end up becoming a Somm and how long have you been working with Chiswick/Solotel Group?

I started with Chiswick/Solotel Group September 2022. Hospitality was an accident in 2013, wine and sommelier were enthusiastically encouraged by the somm in my first restaurant, but not in my plan (I moved from Queensland to Melbourne to pursue acting). I very much did not understand wine, but persistent tastings for about six months lead me to taste fruit and spice flavours in wine and get excited. Then my heart took over, I started studying and I’ve never looked back. I understand how corny that sounds, but wine is truly magic.

In your experience, what is the best part about composing a wine list?

The opportunity to share different stories of amazing producers from around the world. Gaining the trust of guests and encouraging them to take a different route. Finding the balance of wines that I want to share and work with, the tastes of our guests and what fun, exciting and often a-typical wines can work with the food offering. Chiswick prides itself on being a restaurant with a lot of regulars who are local to the area, so keeping the list updated for their excitement is always fun, and has taken me down paths I otherwise may not have explored.

Is there a mentor or experience that comes to mind, that shaped your philosophy as a sommelier?

I’d say it’s a bit of a mix, both positive and negative. I’m a patchwork quilt of the people I’ve worked with over the past twelve years. Certainly, some of the people I didn’t agree with shaped me the most, as I decided from a young age that I didn’t want to be stale, grumpy or abusive as they were!

Sally Humble was an incredibly positive person in my early years, who showed me just how fun the world of wine could be with the right attitude, and I have very much held onto her enthusiasm over my career. Jacqueline Turner introduced me to some of the world’s best female wine makers and really ignited my passion to work predominantly with female-made wines. Annette Lacey MW, the Solotel Beverage Director has shown the power of organisation, and I have grown the most professionally in my time with Solotel thanks to her.

I started my beverage career and my Melbourne life with more interest in cocktails, perching at bars and talking to the staff. I learnt from a lot of the now icons and legends in the bar and spirits world, and Nick Tesar was, and still is, a massive influence in my career and life. He constantly challenges, excites and pushes boundaries, while holding some awesome morals and values.

How do you see the role of Sommelier evolving in the next 5 years?

This is a great question and one I ask myself often. Sommeliers are already a commodity and I fear the continued growth of AI and peer-reviewed websites are spreading mis-information and it’s becoming increasingly difficult. Not to mention the cost-of-living crisis and more guests moving to casual dining, which often doesn’t have the budget for niche staffing. I can only put my faith in everyone’s desires for stories and connection, because AI will never, ever, replace that in the restaurant settings.

You were recently awarded the Tranche scholarship – huge congratulations! Can you tell us a little bit about the program and what you plan to do?

Thank you! It’s super exciting and I am honoured to have been chosen. My application was titled ‘Sustainability done Sustainably’ and it comes off the back of working in restaurants that don’t think enough about the planet. We see so many people and venues with the best of intentions, but so few venues can keep the momentum. I’ll be staging at a few restaurants around the UK, and visiting others across Europe who have a focus on circular sustainability, no or low waste, food miles or lack thereof etc and have successfully executed them for years while being profitable.

I think a lot of people think about sustainability as just sorting your rubbish and recycling, or paper straws and a compost bin, but it’s so much more than that, which can also overwhelm and can stop people before they even start. Rubbish, recycling and straws are of course super important and usually the easiest to execute, but it’s also thinking about ingredients and produce, food miles, no single use plastic, wine producers using light weight glass or alternative containers, ethical farming (caviar and foie gras for example, pretty shocking…), financial stability, staff happiness/balance, the list goes on.

Solotel has been incredibly receptive to my ideas and travel plans, and I hope to implement my findings into the group’s venues, starting with Chiswick. We do pretty well, but can always improve. I feel grateful to work for a group that despite its size, always looks to their own staff for ideas to improve and be ahead of the curve.

Sustainability is a growing focus in the industry—what are some positive changes you’re seeing in restaurant wine programs?

A lot of somms seem to be more conscious about who they work with, with a focus on Australian wine and/or producers who are organic/biodynamic/using light-weight glass, plus there seems to be an uprising in alternative varieties better suited to our climate, which is great to see! I’d love to see a further connection between winemakers and wine buyers/sellers, I think we can be of so much use to each other to ensure the safety and future of our industry.

What’s one guiding principle you always follow when pairing food and wine?

It has to taste good and it has to be fun. There is crazy good value and unique flavour explosions if you look past the classics and experiment. Old Madeira with dry aged duck and pickled cherries still stands as one of my top five favourite food and wine pairings.

Can you describe the dishes you have chosen to pair with the Premier Brut and why?

The Premier Brut fits so beautifully into both aperitif style sparkling, but also with enough richness and texture to hold its own against so many flavours across entrees and main dishes. Ocean Trout is one of my favourite fish, so the tartare, with the pops of freshness from the cucumber and radish, the lemon and the sweet/acid/umami of the slightly roasted cherry tomatoes is so beautiful with the Premier Brut’s vibrant acidity and creamy leesy notes. The charred calamari with roasted capsicum and chives takes the wine in a totally different direction, as the meat is slightly smoky.

Idée Fixe is dedicated exclusively to méthode traditionnelle sparkling wine. What excites you most about Australian sparkling wine right now?

I think the talent and breadth of our winemakers has become absolutely world-class and wider spread. With the huge price of Champagne, Australian Traditional Method is still affordable and thanks to our lack of regulations, we’re seeing some super exciting and left-of-centre styles and grape bases coming out.

If you were cracking open a bottle at home, what would be your go-to pairing with a glass of Idée Fixe?

Sunny (and humid) Sydney always calls for refreshment and seafood. I love walking over to the Fish Markets, grabbing some tuna sashimi, dressing that in some roasted sesame dressing, yuzu kosho, cucumber and a sprinkle of either bonito flakes or furikake. Sooo good with Idée Fixe, Rosé or Premier Brut.

Sparkling wine is often associated with celebrations, but how do you see it fitting into everyday occasions?

There is such a vast array of styles and flavours of sparkling wine. Getting out of your comfort zone and exploring some different bubbles can open a delicious world of exploration and pairings. A richer, pinot noir base or late disgorged style is delicious with heavy foods and even some grilled meats. Rosé fizz is massively overlooked and is super exciting. It’s worth seeking out producers who treat their sparkling wines as wines, before thinking of effervescence, and allowing that extra hang time on the vine to achieve ripeness. That, or be excited by everything, then it’s always time for celebration!

What is your guilty pleasure when it comes to a food and wine pairing?

A big glass of Amontillado sherry, laying in a hammock with anchovies on sourdough that has been cooked in the anchovy oil, except I have no guilt in this. Or a BA/TBA level German Riesling with a Cyclone ice block – crazy good together.

CHISWICK is located at 65 Ocean Street, Woollahra, NSW 2025. For bookings and more, visit chiswick.com.au or @chiswick