ENDORSEMENTS
Evangelos Gerovassiliou – Owner and Winemaker of Ktima Gerovassiliou, Greece
Such a great partner! Sergio Persi as part of the Hallgarten & Novum Wines team played an essential role to the success of the Gerovassiliou wines in London restaurant listings all these years. Driven by his thirst for knowledge, he visited Greece many times to meet in person the Greek wine producers and learn the “story behind the label”, as winemakers like to say. His Italian temperament and charming personality brought him close to sommeliers and buyers in various accounts that trusted him and supported Hallgarten & Novum Wines. He will be a valuable asset to everyone!
Alex Pastrav – Head Sommelier at Sky Garden & Rhubarb Group Buyer, London
I have known Sergio for 12 years when he worked at Hallgarten as my account manager. He is an amazing and genuine person, always going the extra mile to make sure the wine service he delivered was the best in London. His knowledge of Italian and Balkan wines is incredible, and he probably has one of the best palates in the wine trade. He was always available to help and worked with us on different elements of our wine programme such as training and education, wine trips and staff incentives. He is a true professional and I cannot recommend him enough.
Dirceu Vianna Junior MW - Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Vianna Wines
Passion, determination and hard work are word that comes to mind to describe Sergio.These are the main attributes I witnessed when working with him from 2005 to 2008. He was always ready to go the extra mile when organising tastings, training sessions and supporting the sales team. Having gained experience in different aspects of the industry he is well placed to help and add value to any company willing to explore his services.
Franco Kozlović - Owner and Winemaker of Kozlović Winery, Croatia
For me a point of reference in London, together with the Hallgarten team he helped me a lot to understand the “nuances” on the wine scene in the UK and to position Kozlovic wines. He has a clear knowledge of the wine market and tasting abilities that allow him to move with authority and ease among producers, traders and sommeliers. A mix of great passion, experience and professionalism united by an unmistakable Mediterranean charm. On the field of wine sales “a war machine”.
Jose Maria Fraile - Owner of Bodega Tandem, Navarra
I have known well Sergio since about 2007 and I have worked side by side with him in London very often until 2019. We have visited innumerable customers from medium to the highest profile, we have tasted our wines together and I have seen the way buyers get along with Sergio. This is something that I value a lot in the commercial character of people, the ability to empathise with the customer. Well, Sergio is top top. Customers love him! I never had to worry about anything, Sergio would conduct the tasting with super high skill and we were so often really successful with the wines getting new listings and orders. Sergio’s palate is amazing and in my opinion when he believes in the product he can be a rocket. He managed to offer the right wine to the right customer and things worked so well. He opened so many accounts for Tandem that I will always be so grateful for. Everyone in the London trade knows him so doors were always open to us. And even more important, when a new prospect showed, he had everything under control to approach the customer at the right time with the right strategy. Finally, when the time after work arrived he always had the time for dinner with the customer and I, building the perfect atmosphere to have fun and gain the account forever. I would recommend Sergio to anyone searching for a passionate and knowledgeable wine professional.
Francesca Sartori - Owner of Roccolo Grassi, Valpolicella
I first met Sergio as a salesman and then as an enthusiast. Over the years his enthusiasm has grown and he has brought our wines to the best restaurants in London. His knowledge has given credibility and constancy, establishing solid business relationships and friendships. He has always conveyed our message and interests to the customer superbly and has always been available with great professionalism. I’m sure he will be successful in his next chapter.
Thomas Mairhofer - Sales Director, Cantina Tramin
Reliable, trustworthy and passionate about wine are the words that come to my mind when I think of Sergio, whom I first met in 2012. At the same time, he is witty and a pleasure to work with. Being an Italian himself, Sergio truly is an expert in Italian wines and over the years he has acquired an immeasurable knowledge of everything wine related. Having lived in the UK for so long, he has a deep understanding of the local hospitality industry, which makes him the man to work with if you want to place your wines successfully in the UK market.