"Drinks That Tell a Story": A conversation with Beverage Director Joe Stark, Wild Shropshire
- James Massoud
- Sep 26
- 4 min read
At Wild Shropshire, the boundary-pushing tasting menu is just one half of the story. The other comes in a glass, thanks to Beverage Director Joe Stark, whose creative drinks pairings – both alcoholic and non-alcoholic – are as deeply seasonal, sustainable and locally rooted as the food itself. From fermenting hedgerow fruits to crafting bespoke tomato consommé drinks, Joe's beverage programme doesn’t just complement the menu, it adds a whole new narrative layer to it. In part two of our Wild Shropshire interview, following part one's conversation with Chef-Owner James Sherwin, we sat down with Joe to talk about why fruit wines are the future, why Instagram wines are a distraction, and why the best pairings surprise you twice.
Your approach at Wild Shropshire feels deeply rooted in terroir and narrative, how do you ensure the drinks you serve echo the same ethos as the food on the plate?
Everything we serve – whether alcoholic or non-alcoholic – follows the same logic as the kitchen. We try to source or create everything as locally as possible. Right now, we offer our own in-house alcohol-free pairings using local fruit, herbs, teas, and ferments. And we’ve just received HMRC approval to start making all our own alcoholic drinks too, including beer and fruit wine. By next year, almost everything on the drinks menu – beer, cider, fruit wine – will be made in-house, and all with a zero-waste mindset.
What does a successful drinks pairing mean to you? Is it about harmony, contrast, or something more elusive?
For me, a good pairing tells its own story. It shouldn't just echo the dish, it should take the guest on a journey. Our regulars sometimes visit 15 times a year and never have the same five wines twice. I’m always changing the flights, mixing producers and styles, and creating something people haven’t tried before. That surprise is the magic.
Can you talk us through how seasonality influences your wine and drinks list just as much as it does the kitchen?
It’s just as important as it is in the kitchen. During autumn, I blend and freeze fruits to preserve them for winter use. I use everything, from pickles and ferments to clarified tomato consommé drinks made from heritage varieties across summer. As the season progresses, the tomato drink subtly shifts in flavour, almost like a wine vintage.
Wild Shropshire has a reputation for thoughtful, low-intervention food. Does that philosophy extend to your drinks list? How do you go about sourcing your wines, beers, or ferments?
Definitely. But I also take a balanced view. Not everything has to be certified organic or skin-contact natural to be considered low-intervention. I prioritise regenerative viticulture, minimal spraying, and a mindful approach to land. English and Welsh producers are key to our list, not just for sustainability, but because they simply travel fewer miles to our doorstep.
Are there any unexpected producers, regions, or styles you’re particularly excited about introducing to your guests right now?
Island wines are a personal favourite: Sicily, the Canaries, Sardinia. The volcanic soils bring this reductive, smoky character that’s brilliant for food pairing. I’m also on a mission to bring back overlooked classics like dry sherries and demi-sec champagnes. They’ve fallen out of fashion, but they're brilliant and deserve a second life.
You work with a largely set menu, how much flexibility do you allow within the drinks offering, and how often does it evolve?
The menu is a blind tasting experience, so I build drinks pairings to match its rhythm; five drinks over 14–15 dishes. Some drinks span multiple courses. It’s about narrative and structure, not just one-to-one pairing. The drinks should flow as naturally as the food does.
How closely do you work with the kitchen when crafting pairings? Does it start with the dish, the wine, or somewhere in between?
It’s very collaborative. Sometimes I’ll plan a wine flight that includes, say, a chilled red halfway through, and we’ll adjust the menu to match. Other times, we’ll change a dish mid-service and I’ll tweak the pairing. We’re tweaking constantly, it keeps the whole experience dynamic and fresh.
Can you share a time when a particular pairing surprised even you? Something that shouldn’t have worked on paper, but just did?
One that sticks with me is using wines with a bit of residual sugar early in the menu like a demi-sec champagne paired with a sweet-umami dish. Most people expect sweet wines at the end, but flipping that idea on its head can be brilliant. It disarms the guest in the best way.
There’s a growing focus on non-alcoholic pairings, is that something you actively explore at Wild Shropshire, and if so, what makes a standout alcohol-free option?
We’ve been working on non-alcoholic pairings for nearly three years. We won the Innovation Award in the Top 100 Sommeliers largely because of it. I’m even working on a short course to help other beverage professionals understand the foundations: juices, teas, ferments, and flavour layering. These drinks aren’t replacements; they’re unique experiences in their own right.
What’s been the guest response?
Honestly, phenomenal. We now have groups where one person will volunteer to be the designated driver just so they can try the non-alcoholic pairing. It’s become a highlight. People are realising these drinks can be complex, satisfying, and genuinely exciting.
In a world increasingly driven by trends and ‘Instagram wines’, how do you stay true to what you want the Wild Shropshire drinks programme to stand for?
I try everything myself and rely on my own palate. Yes, some Instagram wines are cool and cost-effective for operators, but a cool label doesn’t mean it’s a great wine. I focus on what actually tastes good and supports quality, sustainability, and integrity. That’s the backbone of our list.
If someone left Wild Shropshire remembering one glass, one sip, one sensation, what would you hope it was, and why?
Ideally, something we’ve made ourselves, something they’ve never tasted before. I want it to spark a moment of reflection, or even reawaken their love for food and drink. The whole experience is about creating conversation, discovery, and connection. If the drink does that, then I’ve done my job.
