Celebrity Interview: Essi Avellan MW
22nd March 2016
Essi Avellan is Finland’s first Master of Wine and is recognised as an international wine author, Champagne specialist and a reputed wine judge.
For her MW studies she wrote her dissertation on single-vineyard Champagnes and won both the Lily Bollinger Medal for best taster and the Tim Derouet Memorial Award for best overall student.
She is the author of several wine books, including revising and extending the 3rd edition of Tom Stevenson’s award-winning Christie’s World Encyclopedia of Champagne and Sparkling Wine.
She has been awarded the title Dame Chevalier of Ordre de Coteaux de Champagne.
Glass of Bubbly Interview
Where’s the most memorable place you’ve ever enjoyed a Glass of Bubbly?
It must be in a hot air balloon over the English countryside, in the Cotswolds. I was making a fun scientific experiment with Taittinger Comtes de Champagne with two Master of Wine colleagues analysing how our taste perception of it changed at different altitudes.
Which country would you tip in having an up and coming sparkling wine region?
Well, England of course! The development over the past ten years has been nothing short of phenomenal.
What’s your favourite Champagne or sparkling wine food pairing?
Veal entrecôte with an aged prestige cuvée rosé such as Krug Rosé NV.
What does Champagne mean to you?
A: Success
B: Celebration
C: Romance
D: Enjoying great company
There is a tight link to all of the above, but to me it is the great company that matters the most. It encourages you to open your best bottles and makes the Champagnes taste even better.
Glass of Bubbly
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