Time to put the sommeliers in the spotlight: Andy De Brouwer

September 27, 2016September 30, 2016 / dolcevitaspinelli / 1 Comment

It is time to put another sommelier in the spotlight! This time we’ll get to know more about Belgian Top sommelier Andy De Brouwer owner ( 4th generation ) of restaurant/hotel Les Eleveurs in Halle (just outside of Brussels). After years working on a Michelin star level in 2015 Andy thought it was time for something different… basically he wanted to get rid of the ‘stiff’ way of working and the white table cloths . They traded it in to now go for Bistronomie, classical dishes with a twist . Next to that he has published a few books and writes a wine column for the weekend edition from De Morgen newspaper … to name a few things that is 🙂

When I think of Andy the words (next to wine) Rock ‘n roll and vintage are the first ones that pop into my head :-). He easily could be a rock star (maybe it just came when seeing the below picture?)… the vintage part is mostly because of his love for old Vespa’s

Once you start talking to Andy something you just cannot deny is his passion for wine… The way he talks about it can only come out of passion… he tells it with so much sparkle in his eyes… I love it!!! That’s why I’ve already learned so many things from him as there’s no better person to learn from than a passionate man

What many of you might not know is that Andy is also part of the technical comity of the Belgian Sommelier Guild… this basically means that he is one of the people that year after year searches for new/challenging questions for the contestants of both the “senior” as the “junior” sommelier Trophy .

I’m sure you guys are already on the edge of you seat to find out more about Andy… so feast your eyes on his answers on my 10 questions:

What is your favorite wine region to work with?

Jerez is without any doubt my favorite wine regions. The region inspired me that much that I even started making my own beer using ‘Zenne y Frontera Lambiek’ old sherry barrels (still with a bit of sherry in them)

What does it take to be a good sommelier according to you?

Understand your client to guide him to the right choice by respecting the signals in terms of budget and figure out what are the main tasting lines he wants to see reflected in his glass. Advising him a few alternatives & sharing your knowledge.

Is the job of a sommelier underestimated/valued?

Drinks can represent almost half of the income of a restaurant. Reasons enough to put this part of the business in hands of a professional.

When and how did you get the passion for wine?

I played all my youth in a enormous wine cellar, thousands of liquid stories captured by a cork, difficult not to be appealed too…

Who is your big example in the wine/sommelier world?

Josep Can Roca (El Celler de can Roca) who is also a Jerez lover 🙂

What is your approach for pairing wines(or other beverages) with dishes?

It doesn’t always have to match; sometimes contrasting can be funny too.

Which wine region would you recommend everybody to visit and why?
There is no wine region more impressive than the Douro Valley, take the train for a total experience !

For which wine would you make a big sacrifice to be able to taste?
Romanée Conti, was able to sell a few bottles in my life but never had the opportunity to taste a sip.

What is your most wonderful memory of hotel management school?
Taking care of the dining room service with some other students at the Miss Belgium competition, playing monkey tricks on the catwalk and eating caviar in the lodges of the famous. 🙂 🙂

A culinary or wine experience everybody should have had besides have a meal at your restaurant, shop, winery, etc..?

Lunch at Michel Bras by clear sky in the Aubrac and enjoy the total experience.

Time to put the finalists for Best sommelier of Belgium in the spotlight: Stéphane Dardenne

September 21, 2016September 23, 2016 / dolcevitaspinelli / Leave a comment

Last but not least we have look into the world of the 3rd finalist for the title of Best Sommelier Of Belgium 2016 Stephane Dardenne. Stephane is sommelier of the Michelin starred restaurant La table de Maxime where I was already fortunate enough to have passed a wonderful evening!! Unfortunately back then Stéphane was not yet working there, but if he was I’m sure my meal would have been even more mythical!!

Just like Gianluca for Stephane it is the first time in the finals of Best Sommelier of Belgium. Not that I want to discourage them, but until now not too many people or non for as far as I remember have won Best Sommelier of Belgium at their first participation… so maybe it is up to Stephane or Gianluca to write history 🙂

Stephane is, although he has done 2 years of hotel management school in Namur, a man of the practice. He has learned by doing… so autodidact in a way. Before starting to work for the Michelin starred restaurant La table de Maxime he has gained lots of experience and knowledge at the Michelin starred restaurant Zur Post in the little town of Saint – Vith.

Just like with all the other sommeliers here are the answers to the 10 questions I asked him:

What is your favorite wine region to work with?

I always prefer saying that I give preference working with a particular wine estate rather than with a region. Every region has its artists that try every day to transcend their terroir. Estates that take all measures needed to make a wonderful end product, that prefer focusing on quality instead of quantity, who experiment in terms of winemaking and participate in the variety of wine. A great wine is in my opinion nothing without the hand of man.

What does it take to be a good sommelier according to you?

It is a job that is very complete. It requires both an incredible amount of knowledge but also a lot of physical and organizational skills. The sommelier is somehow an extension of the culinary art in the restaurant and is always first in line to learn about the feelings/comments of customers towards their meal. He must also show a lot of psychology while remaining discrete and humble. He must constantly put in question his own knowledge and to learn and be informed about changes, evolutions in the world of wines.

Is the job of a sommelier underestimated/valued?

I think a bit of both. In the kind of restaurant I work at, a sommelier is sometimes overestimated by customers that forget that the pleasure and experience of a restaurant is the work of a whole team not only 1 individual. On the other hand he is underestimated by chefs on their ‘”intellectual” and artistic approach. Only very few customers dare to trust them fully and be carried away in the ‘adventure’ that is offered to them

When and how did you get the passion for wine?

I’ve always been looking for the good and the beautiful.The wine somehow presented itself as it always should have been there… I remember when I was a child, a friend of mine’s dad had a very beautiful cellar where I always loved to go to admire the bottles 🙂 .

Who is your big example in the wine/sommelier world?

In terms of wine, I am self-taught. I always considered things with my own sensibility. However, I appreciate the humility of Serge Dubs and approach to wine-food pairings Alain Senderens.

What is your approach for pairing wines(or other beverages) with dishes?

This is without any doubt the most difficult question! First I mostly take into account the preparation rather than the product as such. Only after having understood its preparation I try to associate it with wine. I try to give the least possible importance to the ideas and ‘obligations’ proposed in textbooks but rather respecting as much as possible the customer’s taste. That’s always why I take the trend of « nature » wines in consideration from the distance. A detail I love to work with is the visual aspect ! Its importance of the visual aspect of a wine or the label are often diminished.

Which wine region would you recommend everybody to visit and why?

I’m of the opinion that every wine region has its treasures, heritage and is worth visiting. One that I’m thinking of in particular is Wachau. It is a small Austian valle somewhere along the Danube and is a UNESCO world heritage site. In this region they produce some of the best white wines in the world and the region is rich in heritage and architecture. At the summer solstice, all residents light up the hills with thousands of torches and ride on boats to party while each village takes fireworks. Magical!!

For which wine would you make a big sacrifice to be able to taste?
In that case I’ll have to make lots of sacrifices:-) 🙂 At this moment I’d love to taste old vintages both red and white from Clos Rougeard.

What is your most wonderful memory of hotel management school or viticulture studies?

I only did 2 years of hotel management school in Namur … so I don’t have too many souvenirs. I did appreciate the courses on cigars that I had with a few friends, we all always used to chip in to be able to taste the « big models » on evenings at boarding school.

A culinary or wine experience everybody should have had besides have a meal at your restaurant, shop, winery, etc..?

The current offer is so big that it is impossible for me to remember a particular experience. This is probably what makes the richness of the wine and gastronomy. I just want to say that I’m open for new experiences, knowledge and diversity. Also always keep a cool head and avoid following “fashion” to much.

Time to put the finalists for Best Sommelier of Belgium 2016 in the spotlight: Gianluca Di Taranto

September 19, 2016September 19, 2016 / dolcevitaspinelli / Leave a comment

Now we know who the finalists for the title of Best Sommelier of Belgium are it is time to get to know them better and have a sneak peak in their life as sommelier. The second semi finalist I want to put in the spotlight is my dear friend Gianluca Di Taranto. I met Gianluca a few years (I think about 5 years) ago during Apéro Vintage Leuven an event from Bordeaux wines and we’ve had lots of meals together ever since 🙂 :-).

At that time Gianluca still worked at his dad’s restaurant. Which I think that was one of the reasons (next to our love for good food and wine and the fact that we’re both Italian 😉 ) why it connected between us…my dad also used to have a restaurant where I worked every weekend. After having gotten a good base at his dad’s restaurant (Spiga d’oro aka one of my preferred Italian restaurants in Belgium) for a few years it was time for a new challenge . This new challenge brought Gianluca to the 2 Michelin starred ‘t Zilte where under the leading hand of Sepideh Sedaghatnia that knowledge he gained at his dad’s restaurant was taken up to the next level. I personally think that ‘t Zilte brought lots of great opportunities to Gianluca (visits to great wineries, new styles of food, etc…)

Nowadays Gianluca is the head-sommelier of Sergio Herman’s Antwerp 2Michelin starred restaurant The Jane. Something I admire about Gianluca is motivation and dedication of wanting to achieve the maximum by giving the maximum. While other people go on holiday, Gianluca has done internships at top restaurants like Piazza Duomo ***, Osteria Francescana *** or visit vineyards or give wine courses at his dad’s restaurant… basically everything is related to his work with maybe sometimes 1 or 2 days to rest…. then again if you do something with passion I’m sure it doesn’t always feel like work.

I wish Gianluca (just like all other 2 contestants) the best of luck on 16/10/2016 during the finals.

Let’s see what Gianluca answered at the 10 questions:

What is your favorite wine region to work with?

Immediately a difficult question! The answer really depends on my “mood” and on the season. My favorite region could very well be Piedmont (for both emotional and qualitative reasons) but I find it really, really harsh to not mention the incredible versatility of the Loire (my fav. region of the moment), the thirst-quenching whites of the Mosel, the fragrant reds of Beaujolais or the complexity of Burgundy..

What does it take to be a good sommelier according to you?

A combination of passion, knowledge and understanding the guest you’re serving. The way you communicate and “feel” your guests is nothing to be underestimated, especially today. On the other hand, the financial side of our job and managing the stock in a successful way is no less important.

Is the job of a sommelier underestimated/valued?

Perhaps it used to be but I think times have changed, or at least they are changing. The sommelier-scene in the USA is on fire (thanks to Somm the movie) and sommeliers are becoming as important as chefs and rock stars over there. We’re still some way from that here in Europe but I clearly feel sommeliers are being appreciated more and more since a few years.

When and how did you get the passion for wine?

My father is a sommelier and he’s the one who took me to several wine regions and winery visits since I was little. He’s the one who pushed me to the studies of sommelier when I was 19, albeit involuntary back then.

Who is your big example in the wine/sommelier world?

Obviously a very special mention goes to my father. Without him I wouldn’t be where I am right now. Nationally I have a whole lot of respect for Steven Wullaert, one of the most talented people in our scenery here in Belgium. Internationally I’ve been following Arvid Rosengren both on Twitter and on his blog since 2012 now, even before he became the Best Sommelier of Europe in 2013. His talent is unparalleled and even while he’s on top of the world, he’s still very humble. I’d love to see him at work on the floor one day!

What is your approach for pairing wines(or other beverages) with dishes?

I don’t like making things too complicated. Usually the most traditional combo’s are unbeatable. When people have been serving a certain wine with a certain product in a certain region for decades, there must be a certain logic behind that.. But besides that I try to work without blinders and to be open to everything. Going wild and contrasting can be fun at times but I still prefer the old-school way of harmonizing wine and food. Or food and wine!

Which wine region would you recommend everybody to visit and why?

Piedmont, in autumn. A myriad of colors, vineyards and hills combined with countless aromas which prickle your senses. You have to experience at least once. Unforgettable.

For which wine would you make a big sacrifice to be able to taste?

The 1982 Monfortino from Giacomo Conterno. The Barolo which put Barolo on the world wine map.

What is your most wonderful memory of hotel management school?

Hotel management school? Which hotel management school? 🙂

A culinary or wine experience everybody should have had besides have a meal at your restaurant, shop, winery, etc..?

The Etna. It’s a mysterious and dramatic place with a landscape which resembles to the moon. Even though it used to be a very important wine region in the 19th century it is now reinventing itself. We are witnessing a rebirth. Think of a cross à la Piedmont x Burgundy with a dash of the New California! The viticulturists/oenologist are only now starting to discover the huge potential all the different Contrada have to offer. Tons of vineyards which are more than 120 years old combined with uncountable different soil compositions and structures. It’s a region buzzing with life. Visit it now while it’s still “underground” and practically undiscovered. 20 years from now you’ll tell your friends that you knew that exciting DOC long before them..

Time to put the finalists for Best Sommelier of Belgium 2016 in the spotlight: Joery De Lille

September 15, 2016October 5, 2016 / dolcevitaspinelli / Leave a comment

Now we know who the finalists for the title of Best Sommelier of Belgium are it is time to get to know them better and have a sneak peak in their life as sommelier. The first semi-finalist I’m putting in the spotlight is Joery De Lille. Joery is sommelier of the Michelin starred restaurant Horseele that is located in the football stadium of AA GENT aka Ghelamco Arena .

This is not the first time Joery will be competing for the title as last year he was also in the finals. I wish him the best of luck for this year’s competition!!

I’ve asked Joery the same questions as all the other top sommeliers I’ve interviewed. Also because Joery and the other contestants are the next generation of top sommeliers…

Feast your eyes on Joery’s answers:

What is your favorite wine region to work with?

Personally I find the Languedoc a very intriguing and fascinating region. Every type of wine can be found here (bubbly, sweet, white and red). You have a huge variety of terroir, different grapes, partly maritime climate on the coast and then towards Limoux and Cotes de Malpère it becomes continental. Furthermore the winemakers work as unique here as in Burgundy and can thus in the same village the are very diverse styles and qualities. Nature in Languedoc is still untouched and thanks to modern winemaking techniques wines become more elegant year by year.

What does it take to be a good sommelier according to you?

Passion for the job. Without any doubt the most important!! Everybody can become a sommelier when had the proper education, lots of willpower and of course never give up and keep up to date with all changes in the wine world by reading about or tasting them.I do appreciate it when somebody in a restaurant explains me why he chose to serve a particular wine that by having a sip I can see myself walking through the vineyards of that particular wine. Basically feel like I’m almost touching the soil, that I can smell the sea or feel the sun burning…

Is the job of a sommelier underestimated/valued?

The job as sommelier becomes more complete by the day. Today a sommelier is so much more than only a wine connoisseur . Next to wine we also “need” to gain knowledge about cocktails, beers, coffee, cheese, etc… We just want to know as much about cheese as our colleague to be able to find the perfect match with it. It is true that our job demands a lot, I mean it requires working long hours… then again there are lots of unique tastings, wine trips, etc… that make the job unique and special.

When and how did you get the passion for wine?

Actually, it is something that grows gradually and you only realize it when you already are in the middle of it :-). Just like lots of Belgian fellow sommeliers I’m classically trained at the Ter Groene poorte school and during your weekend s you were always allowed to give more explanations/lectures about wine. On my 18th birthday I was given the chance to taste a 1987 bottle of Vega-Sicilia Unico (my year of birth). In that 1 glass there were so many smells, tastes, complexity and finesse… I was perplexed. How was it possible that in this one glass there are more flavors then in other wines? From then on I never stopped learning, discovering and searching for wines that can thrill me.

Who is your big example in the wine/sommelier world?

I have an eternal respect for the people who brought me where I am today like amongst other my teachers (Lieuwe Ribbens and José Lemahieu), my mentors during my traineeships/career (Luk Derooze, Kees Dobbelaer, Steven Wullaert). Furthermore, anyone can achieve the title of Master of Wine

What is your approach for pairing wines(or other beverages) with dishes?

I am too young to already have have prejudices about countries, regions or grapes. So all wines that I serve in the restaurant have been blind tasted. I’m more a fan of wines that are very easy to digest and elegant. Wood may be present, but rather of a supporting character, alcohol may be high but must be supported by acidity and fruit,…

Which wine region would you recommend everybody to visit and why?

Last year I was fortunate enough to take a trip through the North of Spain and I was really blown away by the potential of Ribeira Sacra. Steep hills like in the Douro, Fresh climate and a truly green environment. Bottom structures with many alluvial pieces that give freshness to the wine. Everything needs to be handpicked as it’s not possible by machine. Without any doubt THE discovery of last year and I’ll definitely go back if only to try a few of the top restaurants in the neighborhood!

For which wine would you make a big sacrifice to be able to taste?

The complete story of the ‘The Judgement of Paris’ how California got the big and powerful (in the wine world their vision back then) France to its knees was one of the wine stories that excites me greatly. So basically for the old Screaming Eagle Cabernet from the 1970’s I would maybe sacrifice a piece of my toe 🙂

What is your most wonderful memory of hotel management school or viticulture studies?

Doubtless our study tour to South Africa. A whole year together with friends and colleagues to Stellenbosch. . Getting received as king with generous buffets, safari’s and incredible visits Kanonkop and Vriesenhof. Memorable!! Especially since we were always invited in the cellars and thus wine country has no more secrets for us now .

A culinary or wine experience everybody should have had besides have a meal at your restaurant, shop, winery, etc..?

Just go and discover for yourself the world of wines. Walk into the estate of a local wine farmer and even buy one of his bottles. Sit down on his doorstep,on the mountain walk on, or sit on a bench in the local village or even take them to the beach nearby. Look around you and taste the region. That’s what life is all about and what makes wine and gastronomy so special and unique and something everybody can understand!!

Time to put the sommeliers in the spotlight: Gerard Basset

September 8, 2016September 8, 2016 / dolcevitaspinelli / 4 Comments

Gerard Basset is from all the sommeliers I’ve interviewed, without any doubt the most admired sommelier from within as from outside the ‘world of sommeliers’. Most top sommeliers I’ve interviewed so far gave his name as THE person they admire the most… Which made me wonder who Gerard himself admires ….

To make a long story short, Gerard Basset is the only sommelier in the world who has won every International sommelier competition there is to win :-). In case you were doubting which titles: Master of Wine, Master Sommelier, Wine MBA and World’s Best Sommelier and the list goes on and on . He’s also been appointed as Officer of the Order of the British Empire So he’s practically royalty 😉

Although Gerard has been living and working in the UK since the 1980’s, his roots lay in France. It is in the UK on the other hand that he’s started his career as a sommelier in various top UK restaurants. Later in the 90’s he was even co-hotel owner of six hotels until they were taken over by another group. Now Gerard’s main focus goes to the hotel his wife and himself opened near Southampton that goes by the name Terravina. I say main focus, but I do also think most of his time still goes to wine and traveling the world to be a wine ambassador.

Just like with all the other sommeliers I’ve asked Gerard to answer questions that give you a sneak peak into his world. Feast your eyes on what the Master himself has to say:

What is your favorite wine region to work with?

I love the Island of Madeira, Jerez and the Douro Valley as I love fortified wines. However, there are so many other exciting regions, to name just a few: Burgundy, Champagne, The Napa Valley, The Colchagua Valley, Mendoza, Piedmont and many more, including England too.

What does it take to be a good sommelier according to you?

To be able to do several things well, like being a great taster of food and wine, having wide knowledge of wine but also food, being an excellent waiter, being capable to organize a team and train/motivate the other Sommeliers, being good at finance and being an excellent buyer and salesman (in the noble sense of the term), being a great ambassador for wine producers and above all being extremely welcoming and making customers happy.

Is the job of a sommelier underestimated/valued?

Perhaps before but I don’t think it is the case now at least in countries where the Sommelier profession is well established.

When and how did you get the passion for wine?

When I came to England (in the 1980’s) I was quickly put to serve wine as I was French and I really enjoyed it so it soon became a passion.

Who is your big example in the wine/sommelier world?

In the wine world Jancis Robinson as she is so exact and thorough. However, the world of wine is full of heroes and unsung heroes I have so many producers I admire and many Sommelier friends who have inspired me.

What is your approach for pairing wines (or other beverages) with dishes?

I like following different routes. Sometimes I match the texture of the food with the body of the wines, sometimes I match saviours and aromas, sometimes I match regionality of food and wine, I can match slow cooked food with mature wines or grilled food with young fresh wines, or other principles. To recap I am not rigid and at the end we must have fun and not take that too seriously.

Which wine region would you recommend everybody to visit and why?

I think Chablis is unique and magical but I also like the island of Madeira for all sorts of reasons and the Napa Valley for its superb food.

For which wine would you make a big sacrifice to be able to taste it?

I would make a big sacrifice to taste Château Haut-Brion 1989 again. It was simply phenomenal when I had it last time (2 years ago).

What is your most wonderful memory of hotel management school or viticulture studies?

Learning how to write essays when I was studying for the Master of Wine. It was tough for me but I am glad I persevered.

A culinary or wine experience everybody should have had besides have a meal at your restaurant, shop, winery, etc..?

Spending holidays in wine regions, I cannot think of anything better

Time to put the sommeliers in the spotlight: Pedro Ballesteros

August 30, 2016August 30, 2016 / dolcevitaspinelli / Leave a comment

Pedro Ballesteros also know as a human encyclopedia when it comes to Spanish wines 🙂 (even for all other wines I must admit). Yes indeed, we pulled out the big guns again… And yet I can confirm that Pedro is a very humble and modest man!! I already had the pleasure to dine together with Pedro as we sat next to each other during a dinner from the Spanish Cava association at Chalet de la Forêt.

The least you can say is that for the past 25 years Pedro has been a very busy bee 🙂 He has studied all over the world (Spain, France, Belgium, US, Austria and Germany) with as some accomplishments his WSET Diploma, Weinakademiker and became Master of Wine (1 of 3 in Belgium) and I’m not even mentioning all his master degrees. Professionally he is very dedicated to the environment and energy (which is his reason for living in Belgium as he works for the EU). He‘s also a columnist for Spanish and Belgian magazines… Pedro also is consultant for the Institute of Masters of Wine, the governing board of the Spanish Taster Union, and the wine expert committee of the Basque Culinary Centre… and the list goes on and on 🙂 AND he has found time to answer my 10 questions!!

What is your favorite wine region to work with?

For reasons of nationality I work a lot, with enjoyment, with the main Spanish regions. But I am also very fond of classic German regions. And of Burgundy. And Champagne. And Bordeaux. And Tuscany, Campania and Piemonte. And Georgia. And Chili….
Honestly, one of the reasons why I enjoy wine is the diversity. My favorite exercise is to go from one region to another.

What does it take to be a good sommelier according to you?

I admire sommeliers because they have decided to develop their professional lives in a most demanding environment: extremely competitive, with much intrusism, requiring long hours and continuous updating, dependent on the success of the chef, quite exigent in terms of physical fitness…..

It takes much to be a good sommelier. I would highlight three things for good sommeliers: curiosity, courage to innovate and humbleness to put all your knowledge at the service of people for whom wine is secondary: the restaurant owner and most clients. I would add one more for the best: empathy with people.

Is the job of a sommelier underestimated/valued?

Yes. Very few sommeliers own a restaurant. This is a major reason for underestimating sommeliers. Then, wine is presented as a company to food, rarely the other way around. Wine is then ancillary in most clients minds. Finally, most people are still very conservative with beverages. They are not yet ready to embrace the levels of innovation that they enjoy with food. Sommelier’s stellarship will come when innovation in beverage is welcome. Soon, I hope.

When and how did you get the passion for wine?

When I was studying Agrofood Engineering I got to learn about fermentations, and got hooked to the magic of those processes (I am yet hooked). Then I learned viticulture and got in love with the vines. And only later, when I had already decided to dedicate much of my life to wine, did I begin to enjoy tasting and drinking wine.

Who is your big example in the wine/sommelier world?

I mention three. Pitu Roca as the perfect sommelier in the restaurant (El Celler de Can Roca). Eric Boschman as a wonderful example of a communicator reuniting deep knowledge and great empathy. Gérard Basset as the model for supuration.

What is your approach for pairing wines(or other beverages) with dishes?

Depends on the place. At restaurant, the high cuisine scene now is quite innovative and challenging. People go to restaurants to experience, they look for innovation. Wine cannot be foreign to that. I think that the role of wine is less to be paired and more to be part of the experience. This is very interesting for sommeliers, who find more room for creation. With the best sommeliers, I love being served the wine blind.

At home I am quite relaxed. We tend to eat simple things, lots of pasta and so on. Then, if I want to open a particular bottle I open it, that’s all.

Which wine region would you recommend everybody to visit and why?

I would recommend to dedicate a life to visit wine regions….I would not pick a single region.

For which wine would you make a big sacrifice to be able to taste?

I would like to get to know well very old Rieslings. Also to understand well the differences between the grand cru wines at Vosne-Romanée.

But in general I think that wine is so great that no sacrifice must be made for it.

What is your most wonderful memory of hotel management school?

I did not study there.

A culinary or wine experience everybody should have had besides have a meal at your restaurant, shop, winery, etc..?

Those rare times when wine is the vehicle for sharing feelings and more, in two.

Time to put the sommeliers in the spotlight: Arvid Rosengren

August 23, 2016 / dolcevitaspinelli / Leave a comment

There are a lot of sommeliers that I had on my list that I wanted to ‘interview’ and one that absolutely had to be on the list was this year’s winner of the title ‘Best Sommelier of the world’ Arvid Rosengren. I have never witnessed the World Championship, but if I already see the difficulty level on country level (in Belgium)… I can only imagine how difficult it must be on the international level.

What surprises me even more is that Arvid is only 31 years old!!! An impressive age to already be working on this level… Arvid currently works (already some years) in the trendy NYC restaurant Chalie Bird (a neighborhood restaurant that combines great food and a fun and in my eyes has something Scandinavian over it) as wine director. What is funny about this is that the reason for Arvid to move to NYC and to work there is just because some friends of his said he had to do it 🙂

If you would want to know Arvid’s whole carreer I would suggest reading his biography 🙂

I very glad that just like with all the other sommeliers Arvid found the time to answer 10 questions to find out more about the life as sommelier.

What is your favorite wine region to work with?

To be a great sommelier, you have to be an omnivore, and love all kinds of wine. I do have particular strong feelings for Piemonte, Jerez, Mosel, Northern Rhône, Galicia and the Loire valley among others. However, the most fun, infuriating, difficult yet rewarding region to work with is Burgundy. The level of complexity is just unparalleled.

What does it take to be a good sommelier according to you?

An almost impossible combination of varied and sometimes opposing skillsets. Passion, empathy and humility are the most important. But to be great you of course need knowledge too, as well as organizational skills and fundamental understanding of economy.

Is the job of a sommelier underestimated/valued?

I think it’s depending on where you are. In some markets it is undervalued and underdeveloped. In others the sommeliers are approaching the level of rock star chefs.

When and how did you get the passion for wine?

I was always intrigued by flavor and aromas, so I tasted wine from a young age (but not great wine for sure). I really got serious when I was 20 and started working with wine. I never went back.

Who is your big example in the wine/sommelier world?

There are so many role models. Gerard Basset, Andreas Larsson, Bobby Stuckey and Richard Betts are all people I admire and look up to, for different reasons.

What is your approach for pairing wines(or other beverages) with dishes?

Easy does it. I used to taste through hundreds of bottles to find the right 5 to serve in a wine menu. What I figured out is that even though we put crazy effort into it, people’s taste is still subjective. So pairing for me is foremost about good wine and good food, and avoiding the most common pitfalls and disasters.

Which wine region would you recommend everybody to visit and why?

So many choices! Jerez probably. It is such a special place, and so hard to understand just from reading about it.

For which wine would you make a big sacrifice to be able to taste?

Haha, I’ve been pretty fortunate in being able to taste most of my dream wines. There are of course bucket list wines that are, like 1945 Romanée Conti that I would love to get a chance to try

What is your most wonderful memory of hotel management school?

Not hotel management, but Culinary school! We were a small group that got hired by a local hunting farm to organize small dinners for their clients. We went totally overboard with everything… crazy decorations using half of the forest, stuffed animals etc, different every day.

A culinary or wine experience everybody should have had besides have a meal at your restaurant, shop, winery, etc..?

I often get asked what is the best wine I’ve ever tasted and usually it’s impossible to say, I’ve tasted a lot, forgotten a lot too. But I think I can answer that since last year, when I tasted with Gérard and Jean-Louis Chave in their cellars in Mauves after a brutally hot day of walking the vineyards. The bottle of 1978 Hermitage that Gérard opened for us will always hold a special place in my heart and memory.

Hidden treasures: Wines from Valtellina

August 22, 2016August 22, 2016 / dolcevitaspinelli / Leave a comment

I like wines from all over the world, I’m not a wine snob nor am I too chauvinistic but most of my preferred wines come from Italy 🙂 . That I’m a big fan of Valpolicella wines you already found out when I spoke to you about my wine trip through the Valpolicella wine region. The wine region that is on top of my list (and I have to admit also lays closest to my heart) is Valtellina! It is not only my preferred region because my family roots are here (most of my family lives in Valtellina), but also because this region produces the most wonderful wines!!

For many people it is still an unknown region and lots of times a forgotten region, unfairly if you ask me. I’m also not sure why this region isn’t more well known? Valtellina is a small region in the moutains in the North of Lombardy somewhere inbetween the Como lake and the Swiss border. Valtellina is mostly known amongst ski lovers as Valtellina has some of the most renowned ski areas in the world with towns like Bormio and Livigno (also known as it is taxfree) as the most famous. Every time I visit this region I fall in love with it over and over again.

The wines in the Valtellina region are mostly made with the Chiavennasca grape that is better known as Nebbiolo… YES indeed the grapes used to make that other Italian beauty called Barolo 🙂 . In this region however the wines go with names like Sassella, Inferno, Valgella and Sforzato which are bascially the names of area’s between Villapunta and Tirano with exception for Sforzato. The Sforzato wine is the Valtellina version of Valpolicella’s Amarone. Sforzato gets made in the same way by using partially ‘dried’ grapes aka the appassimento method (The drying process concentrates sugars and results in higher alcohol wines).

The wine estate that has put the Valtellina wines on the map on an International level (and I think everybody agrees on this) is Nino Negri. I’ve known Nino Negri my whole life as my dad also used to sell their wines in his restaurant… mainly because back then you didn’t find any other producers from the region in Belgium, but also that to my opinion they were and still are one of the best producers in the area. I wouldn’t be able to name a favorite from their gamma as I like all, but if you are a wine lover do try their Le Tense, Mazer, Sfurzat and if the budget allows it the 5 stelle which is an indescribable beautiful wine. It does warm up my heart that more and more wines from other wine producers from Valtellina found their way to Belgium or even to other countries all over the world. All or most Valtellina winemakers have joined forces and created a consortium that represents the whole wine region. I see this as a positive thing as together they are stronger then separately.

Nino Negri

When I am in the region I do always try to taste as many “new” producers (or maybe just ones that I didn’t know about). A few weeks ago (as you might have see on my FB or Instagram) I was in Valtellina for a family visit with my dad. Normally my babygirl was coming along, but unfortunately she became ill the night before leaving… so she stayed at home with my wife. I was sad she couldn’t come, but at the other hand this way we had the liberty of visiting some wine estates 🙂 🙂 If it were up to me I would have visited many more, but our main purpose for travelling to Valtellina was to visit family and the vineyard visits had to happen in between the family visits.

Initially I planned to visit 3 vineyards: Rivetti & Lauro, Balgera and Menegola. However we sadly didn’t manage to visit the last (Menegola) due to time issues, but I’m really sad about it because I was really looking forward to it… next time without any doubt!!!

The diffrences between the Rivetti & Lauro estate and Balgera couldn’t have been bigger. Rivetti is only producing wines for 3 years, whereas Balgera was one of the first estates to make wine in the region and it now already the 5^th generation of winemakers. Balgera is rather a classical style wine maker who respects the traditions, Rivetti on the other hand is a more modern estate that experiments with new methods and grapes…. I wouldn’t say that I prefer one over the other. They both have a different style of wine and depending on the circumstances I’ll prefer drinking one over the other 🙂 but I guess that’s the case with every wine

To be continued….

Time to put the sommeliers in the spotlight: Fiona Morrison

August 19, 2016August 19, 2016 / dolcevitaspinelli / 1 Comment

You might have noticed that the sommelier or even the wine world is mostly lead by men. The number of lady sommeliers is not as high as we would like it to be… although the tables are turning as more and more ladies are finding their way towards the wine/sommelier industry. The sommelier I want to put in the picture today is the one and only Fiona Morrison!!! A role model to lots of ladies (and men) in the wine industry!! Fiona is one of only three Masters of Wine in Belgium and the only woman. Next to that writer of MANY wine articles and books (for which she received the James Beard Award and the Prix Lanson), she creates wine lists for SN Brussels Airlines, is a wine consultant at Christie’s, gives conferences, is a Trustee of the Institute of Masters of Wine and a newly elected member of the Academie Internationale du Vin, a high powered wine think tank. She also is a regular judge at the Best Sommelier of Belgium contest.

As if all of that was not enough Fiona’s main occupation is helping her husband (the one and only Jacques Thienpont) to make the wine and manage their three estates that I think need no introduction: Le Pin (Pomerol – one of or if not the most renowned/exclusive wine house from Pomerol), L’IF (Saint Emilion) and Chateau Goubau (Côtes de Castillon). And in between all of that she still found some time to answer my 10 questions!!

What always fascinated me about Fiona is the fact that she speaks British English, makes wine in France and lives in Belgium 🙂 🙂 (or at least she commutes between her homes in Bordeaux and Belgium). One day I’ll find out what the story is behind that 😉

What is your favorite wine region to work with?

I obviously spend most of my time working in Bordeaux; making wine, buying wine, visiting producers and selling wine from there – I came of âge with Bordeaux and I know it intimately. However I love working with our fabulous collection of Burgundy estates and my interaction with them gives me so much pleasure.

What does it take to be a good sommelier according to you?

I would rate personality and communication skills above knowledge. If you don’t have the right way of communicating with your clients and transferring your knowledge in a clear way, then all your training and tasting is worthless. As a client, you can tell immediately if the sommelier has the right attitude.

Is the job of a sommelier underestimated/valued?

No. I think today thanks to the World Sommelier competition, the Master Sommelier exam, the film “Somm”, the rôle of the sommelier is better understood and appreciated than ever before. Today, sommeliers are more important than the wine press in spreading the word about new wines, starting new trends, pointing out forgotten treasures.

When and how did you get the passion for wine?

I was lucky to grow up in a household where wine was a part of most meals. Sunday lunches were always a time when my father opened a great bottle of wine. At University there was a Wine Society; I finally came to run it and with a team, won several blind wine tasting competitions against other universities. The rest is history!

Who is your big example in the wine/sommelier world?

I have enormous respect for Gerard Basset – he is ambitious but very humble still and I love his enquiring mind and his attitude to wine. I also believe that sommeliers take themselves to seriously sometimes, my antidote to that is William “Pazzo” Wouters who I love to laugh with – alongside a great bottle of wine of course.

What is your approach for pairing wines(or other beverages) with dishes?

I am so curious that I’m always trying new things. I look much more at the texture of the dish and the type of sauce it is served with rather than whether it is a steak or a sole. I often think of wine as that crucial squeeze of lemon on fresh fish – it brings out the freshness and the flavour of the dish without overwhelming it. Of course, wine should then be able to be tasted for its own merits so I look for “food wines” with good acidity, fresh fruit, balance and elegance – I am not a great fan of oak or extraction and I don’t feel that I have to play by the rules.

Which wine region would you recommend everybody to visit and why?

Here I would have to say Bordeaux. First of all, the city of Bordeaux is drop dead gorgeous now that it has had a make-over and has so many great bars and restaurants and places to visit (check out the new Cité du Vin).

Then there are so many legendary places to visit – a drive up the D2, the route de chateaux to see all those famous names – Margaux, Palmer, the Léovilles, the Pichons, Latour, Lafite, Cos – the list goes on. A visit to the Right Bank is made spectacular by the medieval beauty of St. Emilion and the rolling vineyards and countryside. Entre-deux-Mers has great castles and bike trails and very democratically priced wines. In fact , there are so many different styles of wine at so many price points that there is a wine to suit every budget and taste.

For which wine would you make a big sacrifice to be able to taste?

I was born in a great vintage, so I love it when I have a chance to get my hands on that. I also adore the wines of Egon Muller: his Scharzhofberger vineyard is fabulous and I have had the great chance to taste some historic older vintages. Once you have tasted a great wine, you want to repeat that expérience again so I am often making big sacrifices for the sake of great bottles!!

What is your most wonderful memory of hotel management school or viticulture studies?

It was the camaraderie of studying so hard for the Master of Wine exam and knowing that so few of us would make it that it made our tastings, courses and lectures so intense and wonderful. I am so proud of the Master of Wine institution and the way it can open up the lives of wine professionals to a new way of thinking, tasting and communicating about wine.

A culinary or wine experience everybody should have had besides have a meal at your restaurant, shop, winery, etc..?

Some of my most vivid culinary and wine memories are those that were the most simple, often experienced “alfresco” as a picnic or barbecue. I remember lobster bakes on the beach in Maine with a stash of old Burgundies from the 1960s that I bought as an odd lot at an auction and we drank out of old goblets; I remember end of harvest barbecues with freshly picked cepes served raw with olive oil and salt and young Le Pin. You don’t need too much ceremony or a white tablecloth to have a legendary expérience…..although a dinner with Josep Roca when he paired the best of Spanish wines with his brother’s cuisine came pretty close.

Time to put the sommeliers in the spotlight: Yanick Dehandschutter

August 8, 2016August 19, 2016 / dolcevitaspinelli / Leave a comment

Yannick Dehandschutter is the next sommelier to answer my 10 questions. Yanick is the sommelier/owner of wine restaurant Sir Kwinten where I personally like to go a lot. I met Yanick when he was competing for the title of “Best Sommelier of Belgium 2013-2014” or better, I was one of the judges grading him 🙂 What I liked about Yanick was his smoothness of doing everything and his strong social skills, he won that year so I guess I wasn’t the only person with that opinion.

When you ever have the chance to eat at his restaurant you’ll see that when he gives you more info on the wine he serves it is like he is reading you a story or poem! He also likes to surprise his guests, he sometimes serves a wine without telling what it is for you to find out what it is… time over time you’ll be surprised about which wine it turns out to be. With me one of the greatest discoveries was a white Belgian wine, I literally bought the vineyard’s last bottles of that wine afterwards 🙂

Next to the title of Best Sommelier of Belgium Yanick has lots of other awards and prices that he can show off with 🙂 Not that he does it, but fi I would have that many awards I think I would 😉 😉 . What I admire in people like Yanick (and all other top sommeliers), is their passion!!! Passion is always the best drive for success!!!

What maybe not every knows yet is that Yanick will also be making his debut on the national cooking channel NJAM! The sky is the limit I’d say.

The questions:

What is your favorite wine region to work with?

I’m of the principle that a good sommelier must be ‘open’ for everything that gets made. That’s why I obligate myself to serve/pair wines from totally different regions with our menus.

As long as the wines were purified with respect for the terroir and local grapes I’m happy :-). I notice that I’m usually more tempted in staying in Europe with y choice of wines and less with wines from outside of Europe. For the moment my favorites to work with for white wines is Austria and for the reds Piemonte.

What does it take to be a good sommelier according to you?

Knowledge of wine regions, grapes and vineyards are the base for a strong/good sommelier. Next to that ‘social skills’ are very import for me.

A sommelier should be able to pass the correct information to the customer in a pleasant understandable way. I think that it is also important to be able to estimate a customer’s ‘wine profile’, is a customer more classic or does he rather prefer something new, does he like a lot of info or non… you should feel it.

Is the job of a sommelier underestimated/valued?

No, not to my opinion. Today people are much more ‘gastronomically educated’ and know that it’s not an easy sector. It demands 200% of passion and dedication. Because our sector gets put in the spotlight more often people do get more respect for the job and the people doing this job.

Especially the young generation seems very interested and shows a lot of respect for all we do. It must also be said that the knowledge about culinary products in general has improved enormously amongst people and they’re able to valuate/appreciate the quality.

When and how did you get the passion for wine?

My Parents are already in the restaurant business for more than 30years, so I basically grew up in it. For my 10th birthday we went to a Michelin starred restaurant and it really rocked my world, from that moment it became my favorite hobby ;-).

During my period I spend in hotel management school I didn’t really had a preference, I like both working in the kitchen as serving people in the restaurant. It was at the age of 14 that I started tasting more wines and that’s when I knew this would become my favorite 🙂 . After my specialization year in hotel management school the passion only grew…

Who is your big example in the wine/sommelier world?

I have lots of respect and admiration for all passionate winemaker on our planet that make it possible for us as sommelier to serve and offer a wonderful product. I also believe more and more in a better cooperation between sommelier and winemaker. We as sommelier can help blending and advice the consumer’s needs , a winemaker from his side can give us much ‘extra’ technical knowledge that in the end makes us a better sommelier.

What is your approach for pairing wines (or other bevrages) with dishes?

Taste and most of all testing. It has occurred lots of times that the things that seem obvious actually don’t work together/match and vice versa. I think that this is the point where a sommelier has the liberty of playing around and should dare to innovate and make unexpected matches. It speaks for itself that before you serve this pairing to your customers you should be 100% behind this decision. This is definitely one of my favorite subjects, but it is obviously something personal and complex.

Which wine region would you recommend everybody to visit and why?

Piëmonte, beautiful region, top gastronomy and the wines obviously!

For which wine would you make a big sacrifice to be able to taste?

It is always a unique experience to be allowed to taste Selosse Champagne after a long aging in the cellar at the right time. To my opinion a remarkable product!

What is you most wonderful memory of hotel management school?

During my specialization year I was allowed to participate in the Côtes du Rhône Challenge in Avignon, together with my teacher José Lemahieu, a man for whom I have an enormous respect (especially for this passion and knowledge about wine! We won 1st place, I was only 17 years old and it is something I will never forget. Truly a wonderful experience!

A culinary or wine experience everybody should have had besides having a meal in your restaurant, shop, winery , etc…?

Skiing is a one of my favorite hobbies, preferably in Austria. I just love it to sit on a sunny terrace after having skied a few hours and open a top bottle of Paul Achs, a Prager or Knoll I recommend to everybody 🙂

Spinelli's Dolce Vita

My passion for life

Time to put the sommeliers in the spotlight: Andy De Brouwer

Time to put the finalists for Best sommelier of Belgium in the spotlight: Stéphane Dardenne

Time to put the finalists for Best Sommelier of Belgium 2016 in the spotlight: Gianluca Di Taranto

Time to put the finalists for Best Sommelier of Belgium 2016 in the spotlight: Joery De Lille

Time to put the sommeliers in the spotlight: Gerard Basset

Time to put the sommeliers in the spotlight: Pedro Ballesteros

Time to put the sommeliers in the spotlight: Arvid Rosengren

Hidden treasures: Wines from Valtellina

Time to put the sommeliers in the spotlight: Fiona Morrison

Time to put the sommeliers in the spotlight: Yanick Dehandschutter