Sommelier Grayum Vickers (Photo by Jay Paul)
As wine director for Scott’s Addition’s Lost Letter and Lillian, Grayum Vickers is responsible for curating wine programs that complement two different types of cuisine: cozy, seasonally inspired Italian classics and snacky, shareable, oyster-adjacent dishes presented in a counter-style setting. The 36-year-old sommelier shares how he manages both wine programs, along with his sweet spots for Virginia wine and spicy fall reds.
Richmond magazine: Tell me about yourself and how you got into this line of work.
Grayum Vickers: I got into wine in New York City, when I luckily got an entry-level position at the NoMad Hotel restaurant. R.I.P. It’s formerly the same company as Eleven Madison Park. A sommelier there invited me to join a tasting group, and I was enraptured by the mystique and the vast possibilities of the world of wine. The team there were incredibly generous with their knowledge. Over the next several years, I trained and went through the Court of Master Sommeliers and was promoted to sommelier there at the NoMad.
RM: If you weren’t working as a somm, what do you think you’d be doing?
Vickers: I received a master’s degree in meteorology from Florida State University once upon a time ... so I’d probably be living in Oklahoma or Alabama chasing tornadoes and forecasting the weather. I still love to geek out about storms and stay in touch with my old colleagues who are in that field.
RM: Since it’s Virginia Wine Month, I’m curious to know some Virginia wines that excite you.
Vickers: I love Virginia wines! Right now, I especially love Nascent by Barboursville, all the wines from RdV and the white wines from Early Mountain. Upper Shirley’s sparkling is one of my absolute favorites as well.
RM: What’s the secret to creating a wine list that embodies the vision of a restaurant?
Vickers: I believe the secret is to establish trust with our guests, and that means only offering wines that I have personally tasted and believe to be excellent. If they trust my palate and curation, they will be willing to follow me to unconventional wines and step out of their comfort zones. It also means sharing knowledge, offering education and, of course, presenting the wines at a fair and consistent price.
RM: What do you hope guests understand or appreciate about the wine programs at Lost Letter and Lillian?
Vickers: It is my hope that the guests appreciate not just the wines they know and expect, but also the more esoteric and surprising wines on the list. For example, every wine lover knows the big Champagne houses like Moet & Chandon, Krug, etc. But I want to highlight the vast and varied assortment of smaller-grower Champagnes that are still largely unknown to many.
RM: Do you have a particular wine or varietal that you love for fall?
Vickers: In fall, I love warming, spicy reds like Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, Ruché and Northern Rhone syrah. I like wines that can be enjoyed by themselves around a campfire or late at night with a cigar.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
