Essentials: André Hueston Mack

Opting for a life outside the walls of an office, wine educator André Hueston Mack decided to leave his desk job at Citicorp Investment Services to pursue a more passionate career as a sommelier. Landing himself prestigious awards and titles within the wine industry — Best Young Sommelier in America by the highly regarded Chaine des Rotisseurs and The Network Journal’s 40-Under-Forty Achievement Award — Mack climbed up the ladder to Head Sommelier at renown restaurateur Thomas Keller’s Per Se in New York City. Garnering the tricks of the trade and necessary relationships, Mack eventually opened up his own shop under the moniker, Mouton Noir Wines — the brick and mortar for his lifestyle project that not only offers Oregon wines, but also its own T-shirt line. With opportunities to travel the world to work with top-tier wine makers, it comes as no surprise that we find the tools of his trade within Mack’s list of essentials such as the Bosch wine drill opener, as well as bottled ambassadors to his taste: 1966 Domaine De Le Romanée-Conti “Richebourge” and 2010 O.P.P. (Other People’s Pinot) Pinot Noir Willamette Valley. It’s items such as the Nutella jar, Dovo “Black Star” straight razor and Pickle bandages that reflect his other personal quirks.