Sommelier of the Month (UK): Anna Botting

How did you get into the wine industry?

I started to study wine before I officially joined the industry. While I was working on luxury yachts I was looking after guests’ wine service as well as food.  I really enjoyed it, which lead me to take a commis sommelier position in a restaurant.

Why do you enjoy using Riedel glassware within your restaurant?

Riedel has always been at the forefront of developing new shapes of glassware to enhance the wine experience. Using different shapes of glasses gives me the opportunity to show the full spectrum of particular wine.

What reaction do you get from customers when you serve their wines in different varietal specific glasses?

Our guests love the new Veritas range. They always comment how delicate the stem is and how elegant they look.  They especially love the champagne wine glass which we use for all sparkling wines.

What’s been your greatest wine experience?

It is really hard to pick just one moment as I have experienced so many of them over the years. That is the best part of my job. There is always a new wine and new vintage to discover.

What’s been the funniest wine moment in your career?

A magnum of champagne exploding all over me while I was opening the bottle in a Michelin star restaurant. Strangely enough, all the team and guests had a really good laugh as I was looking pretty miserable with champagne dripping off my face.

What’s been your biggest wine faux pas?

See above :)