Interview With A Sommelier – Daniele Palomba

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 Daniele Palomba, and let’s find out a bit about his life as a Sommelier.

Tell Us About Yourself

“Born and raised in Naples, Italy. After studying maritime industry, I moved to the UK in 2015 because I wanted to change my job and country. Having to learn the language I found myself working in restaurants as a waiter. While at it, I did my WSET level 2 and found a new passion. After that, I started my sommelier career and never stopped: carried on with my wine studies and am working my way up.”

What Inspired You To Become A Sommelier?

“The greatness of the wine world. There are so many shades of it and above all, the beautiful people involved. No matter where in the world, you will always meet great individuals and learn something new you didn’t know about.”

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

“No matter how much you taste and study, you will never know everything. There will always be something you have not discovered yet.

 Also, the emotions some wines can give. I’d probably say in a lifetime there will be just one handful of wines able to do that, but it’s worth it.”

How Often Do You Find Yourself Recommending English Sparkling Wine?

“Quite often. I do believe very much in the English sparkling wine industry. For several reasons, I am sure that, ‘thanks’ to climate change, English wines will be better and better. The secret is to taste them blind, so to appreciate the liquid without judging the label.”

In Your Professional Opinion, Out Of Champagne And Prosecco, Which Do You Think Does A Better Job With Complementing A Meal?

“I believe there is nothing like Champagne. A great wine that can be enjoyed as an aperitif, with a meal and as a digestif. I do not see any other drink able to do that. To me, the closest you can get is English sparkling, but they are still not quite there. After all, Champagne has been made for centuries, whereas English wine is still a young industry. Step by step.”

What Advice Would You Give Inspiring Sommeliers?

“Never stop. It is an ever-evolving industry and that is the beauty of it.

I know it may be over-whelming at times with the amount of information we have to go through but always find the silver lining.

We get to travel a lot, drink amazing wines of so many different styles and, as already mentioned, the amazing people we get to connect from all around the world, with different backgrounds and great stories.”

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

“We could talk about the greatness and amazing pairings you can get with sparkling wines, such as with caviar, oysters, and sushi.

The bottom line is, give me my bottle of Krug and I can have anything with it. Or just it, even better!”

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 Palomba. Glass of Bubbly was granted permission to use them.