“When I was 2 years old, I had my first “wine tasting” experience in Italy where my grandmother made me smell and taste a little of a sip of red wine. A few years later I found myself in Tokaj with my family where I kept sipping up the sweet wine leftovers from my parent’s glass (of course they had no idea.. but it was delicious!).

Hungary at that time was still selling sweet red wines and in my young adult years spritzers for white and red wine mixed with cranberry juice or strawberry syrup, the Macifroccs was the “drinking culture”. That probably answers why I did not go into wine up until I was in my early/mid-20s.

I was studying hotel management, catering, and hospitality at one of the best universities in Budapest. We all had to have 2 internships. I have done one in Cyprus and 1 in the US, in Colorado. Whilst I was in Colorado I heard about the profession of sommelier, for the first time. I was amazed by them, how much knowledge they had on not only wine, but food. I attended a training in the hotel, and I must say, I had no idea what they talked about. It was not only in English which is not my first language but also wine has often a different vocabulary for it. I did not know Nebbiolo is a grape, I had no idea how they could smell mushrooms in their glasses of Barolo. But I was curious and wanted to know more.

I enrolled in the Court of Master Sommelier program and did my introductory course while I was out there for the second time in 2014. I did go back to pass my certified level to the US and did that in 2015 I believe.

Moving back to Hungary I found myself my first Sommelier job in a 1 Michelin Star restaurant which for the year I was working at got the best restaurant in Hungary title. I enjoyed it but I barely sold anything but Hungarian wine and my passion for the world of wine just got bigger after my Certified Sommelier Exam.

Szentkiralyi Orsi reached out not even knowing me that she would like to meet me in Budapest and taste wine with me. She is an Advanced Sommelier. I was excited as I did not know there were any Advanced sommeliers in Hungary (at that time there was not one living there. We met and had tastings together, and she said I have a talent and would love to help me, I shall come to London as if I ever want to become a Master Sommelier one day I should be studying in London.

So, I did, I had nobody I knew but Orsi in this country. In Budapest I lived alone, had many friends, amazing family and I still moved to London, to a house with 12 others, to a room that was the size of the bathroom I had back home. It was a huge shock; I was 26. I am not going to lie; it was very difficult in the first few years. The most difficult time of my life. I started working in a 2 Michelin Star restaurant called The Greenhouse. Long days, lots of hours not much social life did not help to feel better, but I had one aim, I would like to be an Advanced sommelier.

I realized that working in Michelin-starred restaurants is an amazing experience, but I felt like I could not really have my personality come through and I wanted to see more.

The same friend, Orsi told me about 67 Pall Mall and sent my CV to Ronan Sayburn MS, who has given me a chance, so I started there in 2018 as a Junior Sommelier.

It was really heaven in terms of wine selection, clientele and I have realized I still have so much to learn, but I am in the best place I can be as many Advanced Sommeliers, Master Sommelier & Master of Wine candidates were working there that time and who then helped me to grow.

I couple of years later I took the Advanced sommelier exam. Prior to that, I had prepared hard for it – through extremely long and busy shifts I had sacrificed my social life, and personal life just to pass this exam for about a year.

I felt like I had so much to prove not only for the company but mostly for myself, that I could do it. I have passed for the first time, and I was in a high! Those 5 days of classes and examinations have been the most difficult days of my life in terms of studies and having my university diploma after this I can say was a walk in the park! This is different.

There are a handful of Hungarian Advanced Sommeliers and only 1 Master Sommelier so I decided I would like to and hopefully will become the first Hungarian woman Master Sommelier which I am still studying for.

I have left the floor – I needed a bit more balance and a routine, however, I still do some shifts in the Chiltern Firehouse next to my main job at BB&R. where I work as a Senior Events Executive.

The more I know, the more I think I do not know and that makes me grateful. To me wine is not an alcoholic drink. Its history, family, story, climate, geography and so much more. I do get emotional when drinking a special bottle which does not have to be expensive but that reminds me of the struggle of the vintage, or the story of the winemaker of perhaps a memory I shared with a loved one.

It has been difficult to live in a country where I had to build relationships, stand strong, and get to higher positions without much support from friends and family as they are far away. However, it made me stronger and luckily now I got to know and meet so many legends in the world of wine and have been mentored by such amazing people as Ronan, Terry, Svetoslav, Heidi, Roberto, and many others who helped me so much on this journey.”

Come and join Zsofi at Berry Bros for a unique journey, tasting carefully selected wines in a ver special environment.

We will have a seated dinner and taste 6 wines