Watches, Wine, And Letting Taste Lead: Sommelier Jhonel Faelnar With TanTan Wang At UBS House Of Craft

As part of our UBS House of Craft series, we spent the fall in conversation with a wide range of makers, collectors, and creative thinkers, each offering a distinct perspective on what craft looks like today. For the final session of our series of conversations, we were joined by Jhonel Faelnar, the Filipino-born beverage director whose palette has shaped some of New York City’s most admired wine programs. Faelnar currently oversees the wine and beverage direction for NA:EUN Hospitality—including the two-Michelin-starred Atomix, Atoboy, and Naro—where his thoughtful curation and pairing philosophy have earned him industry recognition such as Wine Enthusiast’s Sommelier/Beverage Director of the Year and placement on Wine Enthusiast’s “40 Under 40” list.

In a chat that moved easily between wine and watches, Jhonel and TanTan explored what it actually means to collect—not as an act of accumulation, but as something far more personal and unfinished. Faelnar spoke about beginnings rather than endpoints, about why one bottle can matter more than a cellar, and how taste is formed not through expertise but through lived experience. It was a fitting close to the series, bringing together disciplines that, while seemingly different, share a deep commitment to patience, nuance, and taste.