Interview With A Sommelier – Ovidiu Olteanu

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 Ovidiu Olteanu, let’s find out a bit about his life as a Sommelier.

Tell Us About Yourself

“I am a very ambitious person and I manage to complete everything that I propose to myself, even goals, I am curious by nature and I think that this also led me to start working as a sommelier and to be able to learn as much as possible about the secrets of wine and about certain drinks, as well as about the pairings between different dishes with different drinks or wine. I have experience in restaurants for about 25 years and I started getting to know the world of wine more closely about 15 years ago working in different restaurants as a sommelier and enjoying testing and selling many beautiful and expensive wines.”

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

“I fondly remember my first experience with sparkling wines, it happened 11 years ago when I participated for the first time in a sommelier competition in my country Romania, staying at one of the most historic and important wineries in the country that produced wine but also one of the most important sparkling wines in the country, Rhein Winery, where I tasted different types of sparkling wines and saw the sparkling wine production area and all the necessary steps to reach the bottle. But speaking of sparkling wines, I would like to add to this topic that one of the best sparkling wine producing countries is the UK with exceptional and quality sparkling wines that are very close to the taste of Champagne.”

What Inspired You To Become a Sommelier?

“Because I love the fact that every bottle of wine has a story behind it that you can tell to the guest. I also love to study the grapes, the region, and the traditional food which matches with wine. In the end, I chose to become a sommelier, because I knew that I would never get bored with wine.”

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

“The most interesting thing I’ve learned since working as a sommelier is that every day you have to learn and be aware of what’s happening and what’s new in the world of wine, to be very passionate about learning as many new things as possible but also to meet new people as colleagues but also different types of clients that you have to know how to surprise them with new things from the world of wine.”

What Advice Would You Give An Inspiring Sommelier?

“My best general advice will be to stay open, do not exclude any areas or grapes or so on just because it’s not your personal favourite, or because you don’t like it. In some ways, the best way to learn about wine is this way: Tasting, drinking, travelling, meeting winemakers, walking the vineyards.”

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

“Sparkling wine is a classic pairing with fish and chips, the quintessential British dish, Ridgeview’s Blanc de Noirs is made entirely from Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, the bubbles in the wine cut through the grease of the fried fish, while the acidity helps to balance the flavours of the dish. It’s also a great pairing with oysters, shellfish, and other seafood dishes.”

Thank you, Ovidiu, 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 Ovidiu Olteanu. Glass of Bubbly was granted permission, to use them.