Interview With A Sommelier – Margarita Korenyeva

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 who has helped many people to discover the vast world of Wines and Sparkling Wines, her name is Margarita Korenyeva. Let’s find out a bit about her life as a Sommelier.

Tell Us About Yourself

“Hi there, my name is Margarita and I’m from Ukraine. I’ve been working with wines for… a while. Starting in Ukraine more like a caviste and then managing the wine boutique. Later my passion for traveling pushed me to start a sommelier career at the American cruise line ‘Oceania’. This gave me a great opportunity to travel the world and develop my skills in a busy restaurant environment.

Afterward, I decided to move to Paris for studies and at the same time to work in wine and tourism. There, I was really excited to visit all the wine regions and to have direct contact with wineries and wine merchants. After that, destiny brought me to Dubai to work in the best French restaurant called ‘LPM’, and also the best Italian one, ‘Il Borro’. I was amazed by the management there, the working rhythm, the wine list and the new type of guests. Just recently I’ve decided to move to Hong Kong to unlock a new and interesting destination.”

What Inspired You To Become A Sommelier?

“I think, originally the inspiration came from my family because my parents own a distribution company back in Ukraine. So, from a young age, I was surrounded by different spirits and wines. Also, an important moment was my trip to France when I was a teenager. I was living in Burgundy there, so I had the opportunity to visit different wineries and see the culture of the country and how winemaking co-exists with food.”

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

“Wine is the key to the heart of a wine lover, it shows the uniqueness of every person, and it gives you an idea of the personality. Finding this key to the heart can make people happy and this will create the bond between you as a sommelier and your guest.”

How Often Do You Find Yourself Recommending English Sparkling Wine?

“Since I was working in the markets where English Sparkling Wines were not that strongly represented in the wine lists, it was more of an interest and excitement for me to have an opportunity to taste them. I have high hopes to work with these wines more closely in the near future.”

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

“I hope I will not sound too cliché, but my answer will be Champagne. (In the defense of Prosecco, I would say that it is so easy-going and affordable that you can have it in every corner of your city by itself or with light bites and not go home with an empty wallet.) Coming back to Champagne, it can be extremely diverse, authentic and with unique character depending on the producer and vintage, so that it can easily fit any dinner. Some nice vintage brut and steak or rose with the duck? I think with Champagne you can go over the classical options such as seafood.”

What Advice Would You Give Aspiring Sommeliers?

“I still have a lot to learn to give advice, but what I would suggest is to create the bond, be open-minded, be yourself, be that person that guests would trust (and believe me they will come back to you wherever you are). Knowledge is power, but communication is the key to success. If possible, visit the tastings, discuss the wines, make notes. It is always fun and inspiring to have a little debate over a glass of wine.”

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

“It is so easy to imagine and so difficult to decide. I always think this quiet dinner needs to be cooked by me or by my friends, so today I would choose nicely prepared confit duck and red berries compote with Leclerc Briant Rosé de Saignee Extra Brut 2009, which is rich and elegant, fresh and aromatic, with great fruit concentration and creaminess (and reminds me a bit of good Gevrey-Chambertin). But sometimes a quiet dinner can turn into several bottles of your favorite bubbles :)”

Thank you, Margarita, 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 Margarita Korenyeva, Glass of Bubbly was granted permission to use them.