5 bottles & 5 questions Natale from Ischia [ita]

Every Friday TheChampagneSommelier will ask 5 questions about 5 coeur de bouteilles to friends and Champagne lovers from near and far. This Week we took a bubbly chat with our champagne loving friend & sommelier Natale from Italy. Merci Natale !

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

BIO

Natale from Ischia 

I am the sommelier at the Regina Isabella hotel in Ischia. Prior to that, Iworked in Chicago in the USA for 5years where I also attended the wine school. Since then, I returned to Europe to work in Ischia during the Summer and Switzerland in Winter. I believe a sommelier needs strong psychological skills before arriving at the table and use his intuition to tailor what wines to recommend to the customer based on who he’s dining with, such as his wife, lover, business partner, etc.

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Which Champagne would You treat your parents or in-laws?

‘I would suggest a blended champagne like the Perrier Jouët ‘Belle Époque’ 2012  for its unique and delicate bouquet ,distinctly mineral , but always round silky and elegant. You always want to impress your in-laws.’ 

Which Champagne would You treat your lover?

‘For my lover, personally I would definitely recommend Louis Roederer Rosé’ which is exceptionally seductive with persistent streams of bubbles and an intense bouquet of wild berries essential for a spicy evening.’ 

Which Champagne would You treat your boss?

‘For my boss I would suggest something powerful like the Krug ‘Clos d’ambonnay’ 100% Pinot noir. Living on a island where you can find top quality seafood, this would be a great pairing. ‘

Which Champagne would You treat yourself?

‘I would treat myself with a Salon ‘Le Mesnil Blanc de Blanc’ 2007 defined by all as an insane champagne given that in 100 years it’s only been produced thirty times.’

Which Champagne would You treat a dream guest, and why?

‘To my dream guest , I would offer Piper Heidsieck ‘Hors Serie’ 1971. There are many dream guests on my wish list but I would pick Vincenzo de Luca the president of my region, I found him a knowledgeable person and the same time ironic. This Champagne is a real heritage transmitted by several generations of cellar masters, perhaps enjoyed while listening to Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin.’

Chronicle – Ischia – the genuinely Neapolitan island