Interview With A Sommelier – Vadim Martyniuk

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 article, I speak with a man who has helped many people to discover the vast world of Wines and Sparkling Wines, his name is Vadim Martyniuk. Now let’s find out a bit about his life as a Sommelier.

Tell Us About Yourself

“I have been doing my favorite thing for more than 12 years – studying the multifaceted world of wine. Various books, courses, preparation and participation in sommelier competitions, good mentors, language training – all these just strengthen my interest and passion in my job.”

What Inspired You To Become a Sommelier?

“Once I read an article about Robert Parker. At that time he was a lawyer but once he visited a Paris tasting. Several wines in his glass impressed him. It was an unknown and beautiful world for him which he only started to discover. After that article, I understood the magnificence of the wine world. It was a huge inspiration for me after this article. I realized how big, multifaced and beautiful the world of wine is.”

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

“I would say that I have learned to listen to people and identify the needs of guests based on their preferences and to reveal the secrets of wine. I would like to repeat Salvador Dalí’s famous maxim “A real connoisseur does not drink wine but tastes of its secrets”. And I like a sommelier who helps people to open wine’s secrets.”

How Often Do You Find Yourself Recommending English Sparkling Wine?

“Quite often. I am happy to tell the guests of the restaurant who Steven Spurrier was in the wine world, while serving sparkling wines from his Bride Valley winery from West Dorset. This is a gastronomic drink for true connoisseurs. We should mention that the first high-quality glass bottles and the first sparkling wine were invented in England. Moreover, the same chalk soil as in Champagne passes under the English Channel /la Manche combined with a cooler climate that speaks to the huge potential of quality wines in England.”

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

“I am keen on food pairing with Champagne. Magic and multifaced liquid with a multilayered, changing aroma in glass we could pair with different styles of dishes from around the World.”

What Advice Would You Give Aspiring Sommeliers?

“‘BEST JOB I’VE EVER HAD’ (Fury 2014 film) – this phrase is 100% suitable for sommeliers and wine professionals!

Just tell me which job is better than ours… Sometimes it’s not easy to learn a lot of information, but… No pain, no Champagne!

The flow of information trains our brain. We are rediscovering geography, physics, chemistry, biology and history in the most wonderful way. I have never met another field of activity with such a high level of mutual respect and communication, breaking boundaries and distances. Wine is a social lubricant.”

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

“We can list a lot of theories and practices of gastronomy, but at the same time, I want to share the usual, affordable combination – Fish and Chips + Sparkling.

Fish and Chips – a little satisfying and a lot of flavors of fried and baked. For the Sparkling, I would recommend Corpinnat, Champagne, or English Sparkling.

It would be better to take a sparkling which was disgorged more than one year ago. You will enjoy all the charms of layering and complexity of the developed aroma of baking, toasted tones and ripe fruit notes. They will perfectly complement the aroma of Fish and Chips and the pleasant refreshing acidity of wine coping with rich and satisfying structure.

Enjoy the gastronomic combination. It’s free. Salute!”

Thank you, Vadim, 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 Vadim Martyniuk. Glass of Bubbly was granted permission to use them.