Uncorked: Melania Bellesini

Tell us about the moment you first became interested in wine...​
Whilst I was studying for the a junior sommelier competition back in Italy, I discovered the immense world of wine, its complexity and intersection with other subjects. A glass of wine is related to everything, from culture, tradition, nature, history and, especially, people. 

Tell us about your wine list at The Fat Duck​
I am always looking to introduce our guests to new grape varieties and new wine nations and geographies, so the list is full of hidden gems. We of course have a fantastic cellar of well-known classics for our guests, but I always hope and encourage them to delve deeper into the list.

Over the course of your career, have you had any wine-related disasters?​
The worst thing that ever happened to me was in the dining room of The Fat Duck. I opened a bottle of red for a table and the pressure in the bottle was much stronger than I’d expected. It sprayed all over a gentleman on a nearby table. Thankfully, he was very understanding but I felt awful. Of course we covered his dry cleaning bill! 

Name your top three restaurant wine lists​
It’s impossible to pick just three. I don’t like having favourites and it would mean I would have to leave out others I also like. However, I’ll play along - I have always admired the list at Andrew Edmunds in Soho. He passed away recently, and it was a huge loss to our industry. He was passionate about wine, and I loved his list. It was a small selection but highly curated, rotating frequently. It was great value and full of new discoveries on every visit.  

Who do you most respect in the wine world?​
Jancis Robinson. She is so knowledgeable and humble about her expertise.  She started from nothing and has built a hugely influential empire of wine. For someone with such a huge influence and importance, she is so approachable, and her books are just fantastic - thorough and well-researched. I also have the utmost respect for all the producers we work with.

What’s the most interesting wine you’ve ever come across?​
The most fascinating thing I have ever come across is not a wine, but a sake called Furodokei. Two glass vessels containing this sake were found whilst refurbishing the brewery, dating back to 1972. Both were then blended with sake from 1973 and 1974. The production of this blend then stopped and the vessels were left unsold. They had been left and forgotten about until they were uncovered during a refurbishment. No one had tried them for nearly 50 years and they were just amazing. We managed to obtain the full UK allocation of this sake for The Fat Duck which was a moment of pride  – having something with such a good story, and point of difference on our list. 

What are the three most overused tasting notes?​
There are so many that get thrown around.  I suppose the ones I try to avoid are ‘farmyardy’, ‘minerally’ and anything along the lines of ‘wet pebbles’.

What is your ultimate food and drink match?​
We have a dish at the Fat Duck of liquorice poached salmon which I pair with a Gamay from Switzerland. I was so excited when I discovered this as the wine works so well with the highly complex flavours of the dish. I also enjoy pairing sake with venison - it surprises people how well they go together.

Old World or New World?​
It doesn’t matter. 

What is your pet hate when it comes to wine service in other restaurants?​
Dirty glassware.

As a head sommelier, what question do you most get asked by customers?​
How high the alcohol content of the wine is. People are becoming more aware of the amount of alcohol they drink. It’s a common question these days.

Which wine producing region or country is currently underrated at the moment and why?​
Georgia. It’s not well-known to the general public but has amazing, good value wines. And Madeira - the region has been making good wine for a long time but has been overshadowed by the misconception that they only make sweet pudding wines. 

It’s your last meal and you can have a bottle of any wine in the world. What is it and why?​
Too many to choose! I have never tried Asteroid from Didier Dagueneau -  a Pouilly-Fumé - but have always wanted to.