Interview With A Sommelier – Daniele Arcangeli

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 from, Islington, England, who has helped many people to discover the vast world of Wines and Sparkling Wines, his name is Daniele Arcangeli, let’s find out about his life as a Sommelier.

Tell Us About Yourself

“Ciao a tutti, my name is Daniele Arcangeli, Italian from Tuscany, I have been working in the hospitality industry for 30 years. Started at 16yo and never stopped since then; I have worked in prestigious venues along Europe covering different positions in the Front of House as Bar and Restaurant Manager and of course as Sommelier.

My passion was travelling and learning the foreign languages; I relocated to the UK more than 5 years ago and I had the pleasure to work in iconic places such as The Fat Duck in Bray and 67 Pall Mall in London.

Now I’m working at Angler as Head Sommelier and Wine buyer, a fine-dining restaurant awarded with 1 Michelin star based on the 7th floor of South Place Hotel in London.

I hold the WSET level 3 in Wines, and I’m starting to study for the WSET Diploma very soon, moreover I’ve got the certification of Certified Sommelier at the Court of Master Sommeliers; awarded as Best Sommelier of Tuscany in 2012 and Best Sommelier of Italy in 2015; in 2019 I represented Italy at the ASI Best Sommelier of the World contest held in Belgium.”

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

“As very first experience as far as I remember, it was a bottle of Moscato d’Asti served with a Panettone after a family rich Sunday lunch at my grandparents’ house when I was a kid.”

What Inspired You To Become a Sommelier?

“There was a moment in Italy during which wine was getting very trendy; while I was working behind the bar, I was continuously asked by customers in suggesting a nice glass of wine as aperitif. Honestly, I didn’t have any clue; and, at the end I decided to sign up for a Sommelier Course. With the time need become passion, even today It’s really a pleasure discovering and learning new things.”

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

“Wine is a topic so wide and complex that embraces lots of subjects: history, geography, chemistry, gastronomy, science and many others. You won’t be bored at all, there’s always something new to learn around it; moreover, studying about wine is like travelling, like for instance imagine the place where it comes from first, and then touching that vineyard with your own hands. Wine is also connection with people, you cannot imagine how many people involved in the wine industry you can meet. Wine is fascinating, behind a label there’s always a story to tell.”

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

“As an Italian, I’m a Trentodoc lover, for me, Trentino offers one of the best Italian expressions of Sparkling Wines and, don’t forget that vineyards are located at high altitudes, grape varieties such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir can accumulate a high amount of acidity and outstanding aromas.

Since I came here to the UK, I have also discovered fabulous sparkling wines produced from Kent to West Sussex and every decade are getting even better if we look backwards in time. In this case, be aware of global warming; England could be the new El Dorado regarding Sparkling wine production?”

What Advice Would You Give Aspiring Sommeliers?

“Travel the world, learn different languages, meet people around the wine industry, be humble and curious, never stop learning. Work with people that inspire you and don’t be afraid to share your passion and knowledge. Always feed the passion inside yourself; at 47yo I’m still keen to learn.”

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

“Instead of associating the term bubbles to the place I would rather match it to the time as celebrating an anniversary or simply meeting a friend it’s always a pleasure and an occasion to have a nice glass of bubbles.”

Thank you, Daniele, 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 Daniele Arcangeli. Glass of Bubbly was granted permission, to use them.