STAFF FOCUS: Michael Smith
Common House Richmond’s Wine Manager
Before you see Michael Smith, you will likely hear him whistling about his true love: wine. Common House Richmond’s new Wine Manager, Michael is a man of many talents. He is a legendary restaurateur, a wine wizard, a killer whistler, and a beam of light. He and his co-captain, Somm Scala, are the brains behind the House’s wine list, which focuses on producers of sustainably-made wine, and producers who are traditionally underrepresented in the wine world.
“The organic and biodynamic wine movement is really taking off,” Michael states, “it’s daunting, however, how few minority-owned wineries there are, which speaks to a larger systemic issue. Our goal is to make at least half of the wines on Common House’s wine list be from underrepresented makers.”
Intentionality is key to Michael’s food and beverage philosophy that has guided him throughout his 20-year career. He began working in hospitality when he was just 15 years-old. By the time Michael was 23, he received the opportunity to help open the VMFA’s Amuse. His work ethic, charisma, and thoughtfulness caught the eye of local purveyors and restaurateurs. In 2014, he began working at Kendra Feather’s acclaimed restaurant, The Roosevelt, where he served as the GM.
Michael notes, “Kendra is a badass restaurateur who’s been my mentor for six years. When Kendra opened Laura Lee’s in 2016, I jumped onboard with that project, which is where I’ve been until COVID hit. Like many people in the industry, it was like the rug was pulled out from underneath my feet.” He recalls how his identity was shaken when restaurants had to close nationwide.
Slowly, as places began to offer carryout and modified dine-in options, Michael saw a listing posted for Common House’s Assistant General Manager. Although applications were past the deadline, he reached out to GM Chauncey Jenkins to learn more, took a tour with him, and knew that he wanted to be involved.
“I got the call. Chauncey offered me the job as the Wine Guy, which tapped into everything I’ve been working on in the last four years...my approach to wine is meeting people where they are in terms of their familiarity. I’m very fond of pushing folks outside their comfort zones when it comes to trying varieties that maybe they’re unfamiliar with or drinking from regions that are lesser known.”
Michael has an affinity toward funkier wines as well as varieties that come from France’s Loire Valley. No matter the type of wine though, he and the team are looking to support smaller producers who farm using organic and biodynamic methods. They favor wines with minimal interventions during processing. As Michael mentions, “The farm-to-table movement is late in the wine world. There have been organic producers for years but people haven’t gravitated toward them as much until recently. Now folks very much care about where their wine is coming from and how it’s made.”
While the wine world is making strides in how grapes are grown, there is still a severe lack of diversity in who is growing them. “When you look at all the wineries in Virginia, there is only one winery in Delaplane that is Black-owned,” Michael points out. The Beverage Team is driven to showcase underrepresented makers. On the wine list, the Chardonnay is made at biodynamic and woman-owned Chateau Beru, by Athénaïs de Béru. A house favorite is Chris Christensen's 'Where's Linus?' Sauvignon Blanc, a Black-made and certified-sustainable wine from California. And the red blend from Delaplane is a local icon.
As wine programming grows, they are eager to offer more on their list. In looking toward the future, Michael states, “One of the things that I love about wine is that there’s a learning moment around every corner. I’m itching to start our wine club and have weekly tastings with wine nerds who really just want to geek out. I’ll be the first to admit that I am just scratching the surface with what I know and understand in terms of the wine world. I’m really looking forward to learning and growing alongside the members here at Common House.”