Introducing Jon - Saffron Grange Vineyard

Introducing Jon Pott…

Jon joins the Saffron Grange team as our new Front of House General Manager. As a foodie through and through, Jon brings a wealth of experience to the role and we are delighted to welcome him onboard. Read on to learn more about him…,

Tell us more about your background…

After university, I worked in the City as a currency broker. Like many finance people, after a while I found it to be soulless and unfulfilling, and started to yearn for a change. As an aspiring amateur cook, I enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu, the renowned culinary school, and completed the Grande Diplome in both Cuisine and Patisserie over nine months. From there, I packed in the City job and went to work for Marcus Wareing for two years, followed by a brief stint in Sweden working in the world famous Frantzen, which holds three Michelin stars.

Like many people, Covid got in the way of my plans! I decided to return to the UK, and began working in Cambridge at Midsummer House.

When did you decide a career in wine was for you?

At Midsummer House, the Champagne house pour was Krug, and I was fortunate to join a Krug masterclass tasting. It soon dawned on me that I much prefer wine to cooking! Almost immediately after tasting Krug for the first time, I decided to study for the WSET level 2 and 3. I completed the two qualifications back-to-back, and soon after started work at Cambridge Wine Merchants. After a short time, I took over managing the Private Client arm of the business, which focused on rare and selected allocation wines.

What wine makes you go ‘Ahhhh’… ?

Krug NV 2003 vintage, one sip of this and you’ll be lost to the wine world for life!

What attracted you to Saffron Grange?

I was lucky to help bring in the Saffron Grange 2022 vintage (the Seyval Blanc grapes) as a volunteer grape picker and have enjoyed the vineyard’s delicious wines many times since. When working for Cambridge Wine Merchants, I brought Saffron Grange into the retail stores, where it proved a big hit with customers, so I knew I was onto a good thing!

What’s your favourite Saffron Grange wine?

Somewhat surprisingly for a lover of Krug, my favourite wine at Saffron Grange is our Seyval Blanc Reserve. It is a grape variety not very widely grown, yet it produces delicate elderflower, citrus, and gooseberry notes. Without a doubt it is the best wine I have ever tasted when it comes to pairing with fish dishes.

What does the future hold for you at Saffron Grange?

I’m excited to start expanding our events schedule, including private and corporate bookings, as well bringing some new ideas to our bar offerings. We have something exciting in the works for a Saffron Grange membership later this year, so I’ll be busy working on that to bring our customers something really special!