In Milan recently, surrounded by the plush décor of the Marriott International Hotel, glasses were raised in salute to Jonathan Lecca.
The Guildford restaurateur was announced a winner at the Milan Wine Week 2025, bringing home to Guildford the award for the Best Italian Wine List Outside Italy – a coveted distinction.
Lecca and his sister Cinzia (pictured below) are the driving forces behind Blue Sardinia (pictured above), a discreet corner of Guildford that has become a destination for lovers of authentic Italian cooking and wines chosen with care and expertise.
Jonathan Lecca’s approach to a wine list is meticulous and personal: each bottle is there for a reason, its story bound to a region, a landscape and often to a family’s history of winemaking.
A member of the Court of Master Sommeliers, Lecca has built a reputation as a thoughtful judge and patient advocate for wines with character – including some English whites, which he ranks among the finest he has encountered.
When asked what makes a good wine stand apart from others, his reply was: “Probably the people and the occasion”, adding: “It’s also about balance and authenticity.
“When the fruit, the structure and the craft are in harmony, the wine doesn’t just taste good – it tells a story you can trust.”
Both Jonathan and Cinzia Lecca originally trained in Hospitality at the University of Sardinia and found Guildford by accident, but loved it and have remained for more than 30 years.
What started as a happy accident has become a lasting partnership between Sardinian roots and Surrey’s soil.
Location: Guildford
Dining and Cooking