Born and raised in the Tatarstan region of the Russian Federation, Rustem Mingaleev had little experience with wine before he moved to Madeira in 2000. There he worked for Vinhos Justino Henriques for seven years, before moving into the hospitality industry, first as a wine waiter in five-star hotels and then as a sommelier. In 2013, Rustem moved to the UK and has worked at top establishments including Gidleigh Park in Devon. He is currently head sommelier at five-star hotel Cliveden House.
