Interview With A Sommelier – Alston Coomarawel

The World of Wine is beautifully showcased by an army of talented Sommeliers, who help the consumer discover their next favourite bottle, understand the different regions and pair a delicious meal with the right Glass of Bubbly.

In this feature, I speak with a man who has helped many people to discover the vast world of Wines and Sparkling Wines, his name is Alston Coomarawel, let’s find out a bit about his life as a Sommelier.

Tell Us About Yourself

“My name is Alston Coomarawel and I come from Sri Lanka where the country is an island. I got interested from a younger age in the hospitality industry and I moved to Dubai at the age of 19 to explore more about the food and beverage industry.”

Do You Remember Your First Experience With Sparkling Wine? When It Was And What Kind Of Wine It Was?

“Well if I have to talk about my first experience with sparkling wine it was a Joseph Perrier Josephine in 2013 as I was stepping into the sommelier world. The interesting part is not knowing exactly about Champagne back in the day and that experience pushed me more into the sommelier world to get to know more about wine.”

What Inspired You To Become a Sommelier?

“I was a young junior back in the days and an Italian gentleman named Carlo Tinelli pulled me into the sommelier world where my big brother was a sommelier and I watched how interesting it is to be a sommelier. With the help of Carlo, I gained knowledge, gained experience and gained more confidence, therefore, Salute to Carlo.”

During Your Time As A Sommelier, What’s The Most Surprising & Interesting Thing You’ve Learnt?

“Definitely the labels and shapes of the sparkling wines and Champagnes. Each bottle is unique and has an interesting story about each label. There are many facts about those labels and more things to learn about them and that is what surprised me and interested me as a sommelier.”

What Advice Would You Give An Inspiring Sommelier?

“Well I have to say enjoy what you doing and every single day as a new learning experience that will make you more confident and push yourself. Having said that, it’s very important to be who you are and do what you love in your role as a sommelier.”

If You Sat Down For A Quiet Dinner, What Dish And Sparkling Wine Would You Choose To Enjoy Together?

“Well, I love it when it’s old school so defiantly I’m gonna enjoy a bottle of pascal agrapart with an amazing Miso black cod fillet.”

Thank you, Alston, for sharing your words, knowledge and experiences with us and we at Glass of Bubbly wish you the very best for the future!

Images belong to Alston Coomarawel. Glass of Bubbly was granted permission, to use them.