Tell us about the moment you first became interested in wine.
I grew up in the Rhône Valley in France, in Ardèche, and from a very young age I used to follow my parents to wine fairs around the region. I was lucky enough to discover places such as Tain-l’Hermitage, Cornas and Saint-Joseph, and to meet winemakers and learn about their wines.
Describe your wine list at Claridge’s
At Claridge’s, the wine list is incredibly extensive, with more than 17,000 bottles across the hotel, covering almost every corner of the wine world. The wines are carefully selected, with a strong focus on producers who respect their terroir, traditions and heritage. Ultimately, the list is built around our guests. The incredible variety allows us to find wines for different tastes, dishes and occasions.
Over the course of your career, have you had any wine-related disasters?
During my internship in Hong Kong, a regular guest brought a bottle of grower Champagne and asked me to open it. It was a producer I had been looking forward to tasting, but the bottle slipped from my hand and started spinning on the floor, spilling almost all the Champagne. Luckily, the guest had brought a second bottle, which I opened much more carefully! Since then, I always make sure I have a firm grip when opening sparkling wine.
Name your top three restaurant wine lists
The Ledbury, Hélène Darroze at The Connaught and Noble Rot (all in London).
Who do you most respect in the wine world?
Winemakers take what Mother Nature gives us and transform it into something incredible, while sommeliers know how to highlight that work and share it with guests. But if I had to highlight one person, it would be my wine director, Emma Denney, at Claridge’s. I first met Emma years ago when we worked together at Davies and Brook. Since then, she has become a mentor to me and someone who really inspires me to continue growing as a sommelier and as a wine lover.
What’s the most interesting wine you’ve come across recently?
A red wine from Crete made by Domaine Paterianakis, a blend of 80% Kotsifali and 20% Mandilari. It had an expressive and complex bouquet, a rich palate with very elegant tannins, and lovely flavours of tobacco and spices. It was a great reminder of how exciting lesser-known wine regions can be.
What are the three most overused tasting notes?
Crisp, juicy and feminine.
What’s the best-value wine on your list at the moment, and why?
For me, it would be the Château Béla Riesling 2024 at £95. It is an exceptional wine from the legendary Slovak winemaker Miroslav Petrech, together with German winemaker Egon Müller. It is dry, with vibrant citrus acidity balanced by a touch of fruit sweetness and a beautiful saline minerality.
What is your ultimate food and drink match?
Fresh to medium-mature goat’s cheese with a Champagne made using the solera method, or an aged Viognier from Condrieu or Château-Grillet. I love the combination of the structure and complexity of the wine with the creamy, savoury character of the cheese.
Old World or New World?
I am French and from the Rhône Valley, so I am definitely biased: Old World!
What is your pet hate when it comes to wine service in other restaurants?
My biggest pet hate is seeing drops of red wine on a white tablecloth. It immediately takes away some of the elegance of the service. I always recommend that my team have a small napkin or service cloth ready when pouring wine, particularly red wine, to catch any drops and avoid staining the tablecloth. It is part of our service standard.
Who is your favourite producer right now, and why?
Fabrice Pouillon in Champagne. When I was a wine student, I spent a week in Champagne visiting different vineyards and producers. Fabrice Pouillon was the first winemaker to take me into his vineyard and explain the different soil types and the topography of the valley before even talking about vinification or tasting his wines. I cannot emphasise enough how important it is for a sommelier to visit vineyards and wineries.
As a sommelier, what question do you get asked most by customers?
“What is your favourite wine?” I always find it quite difficult to answer because I believe wine is so connected to sharing moments with people we like and appreciate.
Which wine-producing region or country is underrated at the moment?
I believe Chinese wine deserves much more attention, particularly the wines coming from Ningxia. At Claridge’s, we have a 2022 Riesling from Kanaan Winery in Helan Mountain East. When I first discovered it, I was genuinely surprised by the style. It is bone-dry and incredibly refreshing, with beautiful aromas of green apple, lime zest, grapefruit and lime blossom. It really challenged some of my preconceptions about Chinese wine and reminded me that exciting wines are being made in places we might not always expect.
It’s your last meal and you can have a bottle of any wine in the world. What is it and why?
Cuvée Cathelin from Domaine Jean-Louis Chave, 1995. It represents the ultimate expression of wine from my beloved Rhône Valley, while also being from my birth year. I have never had the chance to taste it, so there is also something very special about choosing a wine that remains a dream. Hopefully, one day I will get the opportunity to open a bottle.