Tammikuun 2025 sommelier on Lika Mamukashvili
What’s your name and where do you work?
My name is Lika Mamukashvili and I am the owner of the first Georgian wine restaurant in Helsinki – WINEST.
How did you first become interested in wine, and how did that interest evolve into a career?
I was interested in wines already since childhood, especially when my grandfather was alive. He made excellent natural wine, and his wine was well-known in our city, Tbilisi. We never sold the wine – it wasn’t part of our business – but in my family, having good wine was always essential. It was a tradition and something we deeply valued.
What dish on your menu would you recommend at the moment? And the wine pairing for it?
Chakondrili da Tashmijabi (beef stew in red wine and thyme with mashed potato and Sulguni cheese) is the best dish what I have in my new menu. It’s the best with Budeshuri Saleravi wine.
Tell us a memorable customer experience from your career!
When WINEST first opened, a family came to have dinner with their teenage child. They ordered Prosecco. When I took the bottle out of the fridge, it had a large cork made of both metal and plastic. As I was opening the cork, it suddenly shot up to the ceiling and fell onto the table with such force that it broke a plate. It narrowly missed the child sitting at the table, so thankfully, no one was hurt.
Naturally, I was very shaken and apologized profusely. If anything had happened, I would never have forgiven myself.
However, if it weren’t for this incident, I wouldn’t have met one of my very good friends, Alex — whose Georgian name is Lekso, and I call him Lekso — and his wonderful wife. They often visit me and have become some of my most loyal customers.
What are your personal favourite food and wine pairings?
My favorite food and wine pairing is Pad Thai with Ojaleshi or Aleksandrouli. It’s perfect pairing: spicy wine and sweet chili, sweet and sour dish.
Another one is Lobio: traditional Georgian bean and walnut stew with Cabernet Sauvignon. Both are full bodied – wine and dish, and perfect combination with some fermented vegetables or lemon juice.
And also Chakondrili with Budeshuri Saperavi.
What is your favourite cocktail and why?
To be honest I don’t like cocktails, I prefer interesting wines.