The Champagne Academy
Sonal Clare
Midlands Dinner Organiser
2022
I am currently working in The Wilderness Restaurant, which is a fine dining Rock N Roll restaurant in Birmingham.
I have been working in the industry for 17 years with a passion for looking after guests and sharing knowledge and experiences with the team to make wine more fun, accessible and approachable.
I was very fortunate to have won GQ Sommelier of the year in 2018 and have also judged previously for Decanter and the Sommelier Wine Awards.
This year we won the best looking wine list in by Wine List Confidential, where our wine list was focused around being an editorial style magazine.
I have written in several articles and publications and am also a member of the “Be Inclusive” organisation and a member of “Choose Hospitality”. I am always keen on new wines, and enjoy curating wine flights that involve classical and also more obscure regions.
Sonal
More Info
Midlands Dinner Organiser
What is your most memorable Champagne moment?
I Think my most memorable moment was going to Krug and receiving my first opportunity of Krug Vintage while walking around the Clos du Mesnil Vineyard. It was incredible!
How did you start your career in Wine & Champagne?
My role first came about after working at a hotel in Ireland, whilst doing an industry placement from University. Having worked front of house, my Charismatic manager at the time offered if I wanted to learn about wine, and I was like sure! (Having never really drank wine before). Since then, I have enjoyed the interaction and heightening the experience of guests with wine, knowledge and enthusiasm.
I always then had a thirst for knowledge (excuse the pun!) and was offered opportunity at my previous role at Michelin Starred Purnell’s. Here I worked my way up as a waiter and was then offered a role as Sommelier/Assistant manager. It was here I was able to have access to a thrilling and exciting wine list (with over 250 bins) to learn with.
I guess you can say it was a role I was “thrown” into but thoroughly have thrived and have so many great memories and opportunities from it!
What is your current role in the industry?
I am currently Wine director and Head Sommelier of the Wilderness restaurant in Birmingham. It is a moody Rock N Roll fine dining restaurant with a focus on tasting menus.
3 Interests Outside of The Champagne World
Apart from indulging to the finer things in life (wine), I am an avid supporter of Arsenal (even more so this season LOL! (I hope this doesn’t come back to bite me at the end of the season!)
I love cooking and taking lessons from my Mother to cook from my Punjabi heritage.
I am also a lover of music and in January I did a pop up at our sister site and Dj’ed whilst serving wines and entertaining guests!
What is your favourite quote?
“Work hard, play harder!”
Why Champagne?
Champagne, for me, is luxury and it is steeped with history, class and sophistication.
I find pairing Champagne with food is so fascinating and versatile. It is not just a drink for celebration but also a discussion to understand the craftmanship and work of each House.
