Interview with a Sommelier: Meira Harel

Meira started working in hospitality 12 years ago in a Italian restaurant called Bellini in Tel Aviv, Israel.

In 2012 she moved to Melbourne and has since worked as Head Sommelier at some of Victoria’s finest restaurants – Grossi Florentino, The Lake House and The Town Mouse.

Meira was awarded the Age Good Food Guide Sommelier of the Year 2016 and was a finalist for Gourmet Traveller Sommelier of the Year 2016.

Her latest achievement has been adding ‘Mum’ to her already remarkable resumé.

Describe your wine list in a few short sentences

At the moment I am working on setting up a business as a consultant sommelier, and have been working on a few different lists around Melbourne. Whilst it means I jump between different lists, it keeps me on my toes!

What do you love most about being a sommelier?

The fascinating and beautiful connections you get to have and develop with so many different people, from winemakers to guests to other sommeliers.
It's a constant learning curve which is truly rewarding and it's fantastic to feel and be a part of a community.

What is your favourite wine you’ve ever drunk?

Wow, that's a tough one! It's always so hard to name just one wine….
For me, the wines I remember the most aren't necessarily the most expensive or the most rarest wines around. It’s when they're drunk with special people on special moments, then that's what makes them my favourite and why they are so memorable.

The last one in that category will be the 2002 Louis Roederer Cristal, I had that bottle of Champagne with my partner and a couple of our best friends to celebrate the birth of our baby boy and I will always remember that…..great wine and great people.

What’s the most exciting wine region in Australia right now and why?

The Adelaide Hills in South Australia is producing some of the most exciting wines around at the moment.

The community of winemakers there is focused on producing wine with a sense of place and purity of fruit, from using healthy viticulture.

Most of all they are doing a fantastic job showing everyone that South Australian wine doesn't necessarily mean big and bold wine but could also be vibrant, elegant and super-drinkable wine!

Any funny stories from service involving wine?

A few….most of them not suitable to repeat. The one that always comes to mind is when a lovely old couple asked me if I was a ‘somalian’…..they meant Sommelier obviously – I didn’t have the heart to tell them I wasn’t from a north-east African country.

What’s your wine glass of choice?

I love Zalto – so fine and beautiful. More interesting though is what’s in the glass! If I could only drink one glass then it would be Chenin Blanc - the perfect combination of the lifted and complex aromatics of white flowers and honey suckle with the high level of minerality, crunchy acidity, yellow pear, honey, chamomile and a long lasting finish is a winner.

How can I get the best out of my sommelier in a restaurant?

Make sure you give your sommelier a few main guidelines about what you love to drink and perhaps give her/him a couple of examples of the last couple of bottles you've drunk, that way your sommelier could easily understand your palate, how much you would like to spend and what type of wines you enjoy drinking.

Most of all, trust your sommelier and let him/her surprise you with something new every once in a while.

There's nothing better than discovering great new wines! That's the beauty of wine, it's an endless journey…

Have a go at our fun palate profile quiz here and we’ll recommend three bottles that we think you'll love according to your results!