Interview With A Sommelier – Camilla Bonnannini

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 woman from, England, who has helped many people to discover the vast world of Wines and Sparkling Wines, her name is Camilla Bonnannini, let’s find out about her life as a Sommelier.

Tell Us About Yourself & What Inspired You To Become a Sommelier?

“Well, I find it very difficult to talk about myself, I never know where to start. I am Italian, and I moved to the UK three years ago, on an Erasmus exchange. At the time I was finishing my postgrad in English Literature and at the same time my Sommelier Diploma with the FIS, and my Certified Sake Sommelier course with the SSA Italy.

It was not the easiest time as Covid was still a big thing, but it was fun.

What inspired me to become a sommelier? It always makes me giggle when I think about it. I have a strong sense of smell, which I always had, and sometimes this has been a curse… I can tell what people have been eating, and drinking, just with a small sniff, and I can’t stand certain smells, for example, when clothes or hair smell like cooked food. For years I wanted to work in the fragrance industry – in a role that we call ‘naso’ (literally ‘nose’). I thought it was super interesting and amusing, I liked the idea of assessing and assembling aromas. I remember I used to have a box full of perfume testers with which I trained myself, similar to ‘blind taste’ training. Anyways, years ago, a friend of mine asked me why I wasn’t thinking about becoming a sommelier, given this particular trait, a type of job that I was completely unaware of. I’ve always worked in hospitality, in all sorts of places, but mainly in cocktail bars, since I have a soft spot for mixology. I used to help with developing cocktails, playing around with flavours, aromas and textures. So when this external input came to my ears, since I am a restless curious mind, I started to research the subject and fell into a rabbit hole. I decided to enrol in the course the FIS was offering in Rome and since then the rest is history.”

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

“The first experience I had with sparkling wine was at a very young age, during Christmas time. In Italy, commonly, kids try a little bit of alcohol (do not worry, just a taste), usually under the invitation and surveillance of an uncle, grandad or dad (it always comes from a man). There is a saying “bagnati le labbra” (lit. “just wet your lips”) which every Italian has been told at least once. So, as tradition wants, I was offered Champagne, as my grandad was a big fan of it. I am not sure I liked it at the time, but I definitely couldn’t understand what wine was and how it might have had bubbles.”

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

“Difficult question. The most surprising, interesting and beautiful thing that I learnt is probably how infinite the world of wine is. To me it’s like numbers, there is no end, no strict definition, no exact scientific reason, and no single dimension. The world of wine is a multifaceted reality, like a cubist painting. It should be considered the 8th wonder of the world.”

What Sparkling Wine Producing Countries or Regions Hold A Special Place In Your Heart?

“This is even more difficult to answer. I’d say, at present (who knows in the future), probably Sicily. Unfortunately, when talking about Italian sparkling wine, people immediately, and almost always, think about Prosecco… Now, Prosecco is fine, one can find some good products BUT, there is not just that! There are some phenomenal, unbelievable Metodo Classico wines that are at the same level as prestigious Champagne. I can think of many, ‘Terzavia’ by Marco de Bartoli for example. DELICIOUS.

This is true for many other countries, including, and mainly France.”

What Advice Would You Give Inspiring Sommeliers?

“I always say that the world of wine is amazing, it is not only wine and its producers but also history, literature, geography, music, art, poetry, and so on. It is a way of living, a philosophy, so I would let it be the leading inspiration really.”

Where’s The Most Memorable Place You’ve Enjoyed A Glass of Bubbly?

“One of the most beautiful and memorable places I had a glass of fizz was in Barcelona (one of my favourite places in the world), in this little wine bar in the middle of a square, during summer. Sunset, some street artist playing the guitar in the background and a little bit of foie gras with croutons as a snack (the latter not very Spanish, I know, but it’s one of my favourite foods). I can recall this memory so fondly. Beautiful.”

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

Photo Credit belongs to Camilla Bonnannini, Glass of Bubbly was granted permission, to use them.