Celebrity Interview: Olly Smith

Olly appears regularly as a wine expert on BBC1’s Saturday Kitchen and makes regular guest appearances as the drinks expert on ITV’s This Morning. He is soon to film series 2 of his wine and travel show, Jeni & Olly’s East Coast Wine Adventure.

He is the Wine Editor of The Mail on Sunday’s Event Magazine and has also had books published, his latest one being, Behind Enemy Wines. He judges at numerous international wine awards and also hosts a multitude of live events around the UK.

Olly’s wine bar and eatery, The Glass House, can be found on board P&O luxury cruise ships, his most recent one is on RMS Britannia, Britain’s largest cruise ship.

Before entering the world of wine, Olly was a scriptwriter for TV and film, including shows such as Pingu and Charlie & Lola. However, Olly’s favourite writing assignment was The Fly Who Loved Me which united him with his hero and friend Sir Roger Moore.

Glass of Bubbly Interview

Where’s the most memorable place you’ve ever enjoyed a Glass of Bubbly?
Halfway up the Eiffel Tower in the Jules Verne restaurant, with Barbara Broccoli, the producer of the James Bond films. I correctly identified the fizz in my glass as Bollinger ‘75 – the very same glass of Champagne enjoyed by Roger Moore as Bond in the very same restaurant in ‘A View To A Kill’.

Which sparkling wines or regions do you think are the most underrated?
England for sure, though its reputation is growing.

What’s your thoughts on the future of English sparkling wine?
In a word, epic. I’ve been collecting English fizz since 2000 and the quality over recent years continues to rise and delight. If I get a spare moment I would love to plant a vineyard where I live in Sussex.

What does Champagne mean to you?
A: Success
B: Celebration
C: Romance
D: Enjoying great company
Surely it’s all of these along with ‘merriment’, ‘jollity’ and ‘glory’?!

www.ollysmith.com
@jollyolly

Photo Credit: Cristian Barnett