In 2000, I moved to England to perfect my English. My passion for wine allowed me to become Assistant then Head Sommelier at Hanbury Manor 4* (Hertfordshire) for 3 years, then Head Sommelier at Pennyhill Park 5* (Surrey) from 2003 to 2007 where I obtained qualifications with the Wine and Spirit Education Trust. Since my return to France in 2008, to a region close to my heart, Burgundy, I have been Head Sommelier at Abbaye de la Bussière.
"A sommelier must also be a good psychologist." Paolo Basso (Best Sommelier in the World 2013) Paolo has perfectly defined what a sommelier must be, in few words. Listening, analysing and recommending based on the client's expectations are the sommelier's priority.
The Saint-Aubin appellation is a wine that fascinates me through itsterroir, its location and the beauty of its village. For example, Didier Larue is a wine producer to be admired for his work methods both on the vine and in the wine cellar, by respecting nature and authenticity. Vosne-Romanée is one of the most renowned appellations of Burgundy where Michel Gros, established in the town for 6 generations, produces the "Clos des Réas" monopoly.
Asparagus is paired with Riesling from Alsace such as the "Frédéric Emile" cuvée, an aromatic wine. Veal sweetbreads blend harmoniously with the weight and minerality of a Meursault 1ercru "Perrières" by Michelot-Mestre. Epoisses is an ancestral cheese from Burgundy that combines power with the structure and elegance of a Gevrey-Chambertin 1ercru "Petite Chapelle", Bernard Dugat-Py Estate