Masterclasses:The French Invasion
We pour Italian wine every day of the year, so what happens here is a little out of character. The French Invasion is a series of evenings given over to the great wines of France, opened in our private room and guided by Daniel Manetti.
Daniel is a friend of Passione Vino from the early days, when we supplied wine to The Connaught and he was a young sommelier quietly building one of the most remarkable cellars in the world. He rose to Head Sommelier, then Wine Director, and eventually Global Wine Director of the Maybourne Hotel Group, sourcing bottles most of us will only ever read about. Today he runs OmniaWine, his own consultancy devoted to rare bottles, private collections and experiences few people are ever invited to.
Each evening takes one region and goes to its summit: six rare wines, one table, and the stories behind every bottle. We began with Bordeaux and now cross to Burgundy. The seats are few, the bottles are not easily found, and the Italians are, for once, happy to be guests.
