Welcome to the Culture Lounge podcast, a curated sonic experience that carries on the Assouline legacy of joining tastemakers and visionaries shaping culture. This week's wine episode recorded in Paris, brings together two wine connoisseurs and longtime colleagues, Enrico Bernardo and Sébastian Labe.
Wine is central to family, food, and hospitality. No matter the moment, dish, or weather, nothing beats a perfect glass of wine. So, when it came time to delve into the world of wine and its process, we looked to none other than two global and celebrated sommeliers, Enrico Bernardo and Sebastian Labe. Bernardo, a true maestro in the world of wine, won the title of Best Sommelier in the World at age 27, a testament to his unparalleled talent. With over 25 years of experience in the restaurant industry, the Italian sommelier has served as the Head Sommelier of Le Cinq, a restaurant at the Four Seasons Georges V in Paris, and owns three Michelin-starred restaurants: Il Vino with locations in Paris and Courchevel and La Villa Madie in Cassis, France. Meanwhile, Labe started his career at Le Louis XV in Monaco, a three-Michelin-starred restaurant in Monaco led by French chef Alain Ducasse. Since then, his experience as the Executive Head Sommelier of the Yannick Alleno Group and the Head Sommelier at The Cheval Blanc made him a leading authority in the industry. Today, the Frenchman is the Executive Head Sommelier of LVMH Hotel Management. Recorded in Paris, the two wine connoisseurs come together to share their passion and talk about their experiences with their guests, and their personal lives. Discover the secrets of what makes a wine memorable, and delve into the worlds of the wine and hospitality with the renowned specialists.
On Creating a Special Moment For Their Guests
Labe: "Once the wine is finished, what really matters is the global experience for the guest. And wine is just one piece, and the backbone of the experience. But you're creating a moment that will stay with them forever."
Bernardo: "Wine is emotion. Wine is a moment. Wine is a relationship. It’s a kind of freedom associated with sharing not only words or philosophies, but also sharing time."
On Studying Wine
Bernardo: "You have to associate the culture of the wines. So, you have to know why a Nebbiolo grape is tannic if you compare it with a Merlot that is not so tannic. The culture and the studying process is so important to associate with your personal feelings.
Labe: "You need training and your palate needs to be trained to understand and to be able to have the feeling of each wine."
On Their Personal Taste
Labe: When I create a wine list, I'm not picking and selecting only the wines I want to put in my cellar. I always try to have the largest selection of typology of wines to be able to give the best selection to any request."
Bernardo: "I love the skin contact wines like the orange wine. But sometimes I love a glass of Vin Jaune."
The Culture Lounge podcast is a production of Assouline and Pineapple Street Studios.
Senior Producer: Emmanuel Hapsis
Recorded and mixed by: Pedro Alvira
Head of Sound and Engineering: Raj Makhija
Executive Producer: Bari Finkel
The video companion to the Culture Lounge podcast is a production of Assouline and Vacationland.