Ep 274 - What Does It Take to Become a Top Sommelier? Inside the UK Sommelier of the Year Competition with Emma Denney, 2026 Winner

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EAT SLEEP WINE REPEAT: A Wine Podcast Exploring Wine Regions, Grapes & Education 1h 2m 1 speaker 3 chapters transcribed 1 month ago

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What does it take to become UK Sommelier of the Year and how did Emma prepare for the competition?

Janina Doyle 0:05

Welcome to Eat, Sleep, Wine Repeat, a podcast for all you wine lovers who, if you're like me, just cannot get enough of the good stuff. I'm Yanina Doyle, your host, brand ambassador, wine educator, and smellier. So stick with me as we dive deeper into this ever-evolving wonderful world of wine. And wherever you are listening to this, cheers to you. Hello, wine friends, and welcome back to another episode where I am talking to one of the most exciting names in the semelier world right now, the brand new UK Sommelier of the Year 2026, Emma Denny. So we're going to be talking about what it actually takes to win this competition from every single stage. So you're going to be able to see behind The scenes, what actually happens?

Janina Doyle 0:57

We are going to be talking about the secrets behind her incredible wine list at Claridge's. So she is the director of wine at the legendary five-star hotel in London with nearly 2,000 wines on the list. She's an advanced semelier, currently studying for the Master Sommelier title, and I have got her today. to divulge some of her hidden gems on the wine list, some of the bottles that she thinks deserves more attention, and the exact wines that she would happily drink herself. And we will also be touching on one of her specialist subjects, champagne. Make sure you stay to the end because I'm going to be putting her to the test with my own champagne pub quiz. And you'll learn what is the ultimate wine trip you must go on and the grape variety that deserves far more attention.

Janina Doyle 1:52

So pour yourself a glass, get comfortable. You're about to have a million wine recommendations thrown at you. Enjoy the conversation. Emma, may I start by saying what a pleasure to have you on during this triumphant moment. Congratulations on being the UK Smelier of the Year 2026. Thank

Emma Denney 2:15

you so much. Thank you so much. I I'm I'm very grateful. I'm very grateful to be here.

Janina Doyle 2:20

Oh well you are the talk of the town. Uh so how about we take you back to the moment when your name was announced as the UK Psalm the Year? I mean, what went through your head?

Emma Denney 2:30

I was just I was very happy. I couldn't believe that I've, you know, finally done it. Um I had a really good feeling about my preparation this year and how I composed myself throughout the competition. And so I was like, maybe this is it, maybe I've done it. And then when uh Nicholas Kleck called my name, I was just like Like this is it. It still doesn't feel quite real, but uh yeah, I'm very happy.

Janina Doyle 2:57

Well, it's interesting that you said maybe this is it because if I'm right, you made the top six in twenty twenty two and top six again in twenty twenty-five. That's right. So you felt like you've got it this year, you've prepped enough. So what do you actually do to prep when your everyday job is providing that beautiful service as a sommelier in a top restaurant and hotel?

Emma Denney 3:21

Yeah. It's it's a really hard one to prepare for. I mean, when you have exams, you're told what you're gonna do. You know the level of knowledge you need and you know what you might do for the practical tasks. For a competition, they can throw anything at you. So it's just about being as prepared as possible for anything that's coming your way and knowing how you can pivot in different situations and knowing that you're listening to the tasks. Do you have knowledge of spirits? Do you have knowledge of cocktails? Knowledge of beers, cigars, different dishes from different countries, you know, it it it's the whole realm. And then also just being comfortable with, I know what I know. And I know that I know a lot and I know that I don't know everything for sure because that's almost impossible.

Emma Denney 4:08

Um and just being comfortable with that as well. Because I think a lot of the times in the past I've been quite uncomfortable with what I haven't known. And this year walking into it, going, I've done the preparation, I've practiced different practical situations of what potentially could come up. Up but it's really just about getting yourself comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Janina Doyle 4:30

Oh, I love that. And that's just great advice for anyone, any day, no matter what they're doing.

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Chapters

3 chapters

1 What does it take to become UK Sommelier of the Year and how did Emma prepare for the competition? 0:05–10:18 2 Which wine sparked Emma’s passion for Champagne and how did it shape her career? 10:18–28:12 3 What are Emma’s top‑value and must‑drink bottles on the Claridge’s wine list? 28:12–1:02:14

Speakers

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Janina Doyle 28 min

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Topics in this episode

Apple Podcasts 1 Spotify 1 John Maynard Keynes 1 Janina Doyle 1 Marlborough 1 Claridge's 2 Margaret River 1 Krug 1 Pinot Grigio 1 Christopher Murray 1 Pinot Gris 1 UK Sommelier of the Year 2026 1

Source

Recorded10 Aug 2026

Publisherfeed.podbean.com ↗

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Show notes

What does it actually take to become the UK Sommelier of the Year? And how do the world's best sommeliers blind taste wine under pressure? In this episode of Eat Sleep Wine Repeat, Janina sits down with Emma Denney, the newly crowned UK Sommelier of the Year 2026 and Director of Wine at Claridge's, to go behind the scenes of elite sommelier competition, blind tasting and fine wine service. Emma takes us inside the competition - from identifying grape varieties, regions and vintages in a blind tasting, to recognising wine faults by aroma alone, tackling food and wine pairing and serving Champagne under pressure. She also explains how professional sommeliers build their tasting knowledge, read the clues in a glass and develop the confidence to make decisions quickly. But this isn't just an episode about becoming a sommelier. Emma is a brilliant guide to some of the wine world's most fascinating regions and producers. We dive into Champagne and grower Champagne, Northern Rhône Syrah and Hermitage, Jumilla Monastrell, Ningxia Riesling, Margaret River and New Zealand Pinot Grigio, with plenty of bottles and wine travel ideas to add to your list. You'll also learn what RM and NM mean on Champagne labels, why Champagne's chalk soils matter, what Coteaux Champenois is, how lees ageing and late disgorgement affect Champagne, how to recognise common wine faults such as Brett, cork taint and oxidation, and why some of the world's most exciting wines are coming from places you might not expect. So whether you're already deep into wine, studying for a qualification, improving your blind tasting or simply looking for your next bottle, region or wine trip to explore, this episode is packed with things to taste, learn and investigate. Shownotes 02:30 – What does it take to become UK Sommelier of the Year? Emma reflects on winning the competition and the preparation behind it. 05:03 – The Champagne that started it all — how one bottle sparked Emma's passion for wine and hospitality. 07:06 – Best value wine at Claridge's — Emma's recommendation: Casa Castillo Monastrell from Jumilla. 08:41 – Why Jumilla deserves more attention — modern Monastrell, old vines and one of Spain's most exciting wine regions. 09:27 – Unexpected wines at Claridge's — why Emma champions Canaan Riesling from Ningxia, China. 12:42 – Worth every penny — Emma highlights Northern Rhône legends René Rostaing and Jean-Louis Chave, explaining why mature Syrah can rival the world's finest wines. 14:12 – If money were no object — why Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage remains Emma's dream bottle. 15:52 – A must-visit wine destination — why every wine lover should experience Hermitage and the Northern Rhône. 19:23 – The best part of being a sommelier — introducing guests to new wines and sharing unforgettable wine experiences. 20:54 – Inside the theory exam — the extraordinary breadth of knowledge required to become UK Sommelier of the Year. 22:45 – Lessons from Vincenzo Arnese — how one piece of advice about listening carefully became Emma's biggest competitive advantage during the competition. 23:36 – Blind tasting without tasting — identifying wine faults using aroma alone during the competition semi-final. 25:30 – Recognising common wine faults — Brett, cork taint, oxidation, volatile acidity and how sommeliers train their senses. 27:53 – Train your nose like a sommelier — Emma discusses common wine faults, while Janina recommends Le Nez du Vin aroma and fault kits for improving your tasting skills. 30:26 – Spotting mistakes on a wine list — how sommeliers identify incorrect vintages, appellations and producer details under pressure. 31:13 – How to start a blind tasting — Emma explains the first clues sommeliers look for. 32:03 – Reading the clues in the glass — alcohol, oak, climate and terroir cues that help identify grape varieties and wine origins. 34:34 – Food and wine pairing under pressure — how Emma approached one of the competition's toughest practical service challenges. 37:05 – The visual challenge — recognising legendary winemakers, vineyards and wine tools from a single image. 38:12 – Caroline Frey's Swiss wines — Emma discusses the acclaimed winemaker's latest project beyond Bordeaux and the Rhône. 40:31 – The Champagne pouring challenge — one Jeroboam, twenty-four glasses and one of the competition's most nerve-racking tasks. 43:15 – Why Krug is so revered — barrel ageing, reserve wines and the philosophy behind one of Champagne's greatest houses. 44:46 – Champagne producers to discover — Emma recommends Eric Rodez and explains why grower Champagne deserves more attention. 48:07 – The Champagne riots of 1911 — how protests helped shape today's appellation system. 48:54 – What is sur pointe? — understanding long lees ageing and late disgorgement in Champagne. 50:01 – RM vs NM Champagne: What do the letters on Champagne labels mean? 51:32 – Why does Champagne have chalk soils? Understanding drainage, roots and Champagne's terroir. 52:26 – Who invented sparkling wine? — Christopher Merret and the origins of traditional method sparkling wine. 53:50 – Coteaux Champenois explained — discovering the still wines of Champagne and why they deserve more attention. 54:55 – Egly-Ouriet's still wines — the renowned Cuvée des Grands Côtés 55:14 – Pre-phylloxera Champagne — why Bollinger Vieilles Vignes Françaises remains one of the world's rarest wines. 56:17 – Margaret River — why this remote Australian wine region belongs on every wine lover's travel bucket list. 58:46 – Pinot Grigio deserves a second chance — why New Zealand is producing some of the world's most exciting examples - such as Greywacke Pinot Gris. 📩 Email: [email protected] 📸 Instagram: @eatsleep_winerepeat 🎥 YouTube: Eat Sleep Wine Repeat 🌐 Website: www.eatsleepwinerepeat.co.uk Cheers to you 🥂 THE EAT SLEEP WINE REPEAT PODCAST Featured in Decanter Magazine and Radio Times, and ranked among the Top UK Wine Podcasts by Feedspot. RECOGNITION: Finalist, 67 Pall Mall Award for Best Global Wine Communicator in Audio (2025) Shortlisted, IWSC Emerging Talent in Wine Communication (2025 and 2026) Ranked #18 in 2024 and #22 in 2025 on Drinks Retailing's Most Influential People in Drinks list.

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