Valeria Weihmuller

Valeria Weihmuller

Sommelier Relais & Châteaux

THE LODGE AT KAURI CLIFFS
Member Relais & Châteaux since 2003
139 Tepene Tablelands Road
0478 Matauri Bay ([NZ] - New Zealand)
Tel.: +64 09 407 0010
Fax: +64 9 407 0061

Story of a Sommelier

How did you get into the world of wine?

I have always worked in the hospitality industry. My first career is hospitality, I did so in Switzerland at www.shms.com, but after some time I decided to specialize in wine, and did so in Mendoza, Argentina. The rest is history, wine is now a part of my life. I have been in the wine world for more than 15 years and another 5 more years in the restaurant business, running restaurants and training Food & Beverage staff in wine, service & hospitality.

What is your personal philosophy?

My personal philosophy is that the more relaxed you are, the more connected you are with yourself, and when this happens, the more you can connect with a wine, with the people around you, with the guest and with the moment. Also, the more this happens, the more a wine can tell you…

What are your 3 favourite things about wine?

That it’s a personal experience – no one can tell you what you should like or dislike (I find this very refreshing). It’s Universal, transcends culture, and helps you connect with guests on very deep level. It also allowed me to meet fascinating people around the world and have the most interesting conversations.

What is special about your cellar?

It’s all about style and travels across all wine regions in New Zealand.

It celebrates the New Zealand wine industry, from boutique small wineries to more commercial or larger ones. Our cellar is 90% New Zealand wine; however, we also display some European, South American, US & Australian wines as well. 

My philosophy is that there is a specific wine for each palate and the cellar reflects that. Different styles, different body, different wine personality . . . just like people.

  

What 2 food-wine pairings do you think work best?

I tend to enjoy Venison with Syrah, Beef with Cab.Merlot blends and Lamb with either Pinot Noir or Syrah. I also enjoy Dry Gewurztraminer with Ceviche, Indian or spicy cuisine, Thai, a nice Alsace-style Pinot Gris with seafood tortellini, and so many others.

Having said that, I think there’s a specific wine for each person, and that no one can tell a guest what they should like or dislike. If a wine pairing, technically speaking, worked ‘perfectly’ well with a dish but the guest didn’t like the wine, then the wine pairing didn’t work and the guest won’t be happy. It’s all about hospitality at the end of the day and service. I firmly believe that we should always start with what guests like and work from here, rather than the other way around.

As a sommelier, what is your relationship with the Chef like?

The chef and I have working together for many years. We’re here to create memorable hospitality experiences for guests. He does so through food and I do so through wine. And between the two of us and the whole food & beverage team, we strive to exceed guests’ expectations. There’s a lot of respect and trust involved. We’re both very passionate about hospitality.