Today is the day to introduce the first blog post about an incredible entrepreneur I work with.
Go bold or go home, right? We are diving straight in there with Patricia Hedge, french born sommelier who are working with her true passion in life, wine.
Patricia is the main sommelier who are in charge for the Wine and Gourmet Tours that Get Me Lost create. She hand picks the region, the restaurants, the hotels and the wine lists. The next one coming up will be in the area where Patricia is from - Alsace.
It's commonly known of course that France is the wine country of all wine countries and what you notice quite quickly is that if you are in France then it is French wines that is on offer, both in the restaurant and in the shop. As Patricia has a wider experience I wanted to pick her brain about this.
Hello Patricia! Please, could you start by giving us a quick introduction of yourself?
That you are a kick-ass woman, sommelier and entrepreneur we definitely understand. But if you had to pick your Top 3 thing that you are most proud of in your career, what would they be?
At first when I started as a sommelier in 1998 it was only a few women doing this amazing job so when I was working as a head sommelier in a 2 star Michelin restaurant I really had to prove to the male clients that I had the knowledge and the experience. I really like a good challenge and it only took me three months to get my reputation.
Secondly what I really love about my job is to put a big smile on my clients faces and bring them happiness with a perfect wine and food match.
Last but not least. I’m very proud that I never needed to choose between my work and family life. I have always been able to have both and now I have four beautiful kids who are very proud of their mother.
I’m glad I can be a good role model for them and show them that you don’t have to choose, you can do what makes you happy.
As you have worked as a sommelier in more countries than just France, tell me a bit about that and what was the biggest difference from France and working with French wines?
I worked for two years in England and I was really amazed by the quantities of wines you can find from all other countries. In France you mostly find only French wines.
In Switzerland I learned about their amazing different variety of grapes and the quality of their wines. But the Swiss are clever, they keep the best wines for themselves.
I also learned something else about their wines, you should drink them young, they had screw tops and this was maybe 25 years ago so very advance compare to France.
In Australia I learned about varietal wines* and met a few French Oenologues**, this showed me that the French techniques have a good reputation overseas. *A varietal wine is a wine made primarily from a single named grape variety **Oenology is the science and study of wine and winemaking. Oenology is distinct from viticulture, which is the science of the growing, cultivation, and harvesting of grapes.
So, there is no doubt that you know your ‘winos’ and French wine is of course fantastic. But if you weren’t allowed to talk about French/Italian/Spanish wines. What other countries wines would you recommend trying if you would find it on the shelf?
I have a few Austrian wines that are great specially the Muller Thurgau from the Kamptal region. I also love Swiss wines and the wines from the South African Pinotage are amazing. Or a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is always delicious, Romanian wines and also, if you find them, try a wine from India!
There are so many and very difficult to choose!
Oh wow, I don't think I have ever tried (or seen) an Indian or Romanian wines before! Ok, back to our beloved France. What is your Top 3 wine regions in France and why?
Without hesitation Alsace, both because I come from there and also the wine road is such a great scenic route. The winemakers are always so friendly and their wines are very typical.
The Rhône Valley because I find that the Syrah and the Viognier grape are so interesting.
Burgundy because I love the Pinot Noir and the Chardonnay grapes, they are my favourites since a long time.
And just because I’m super curious. If you had to pick one, what bottle of wine is the best you have ever tasted?
I remember that day like it was yesterday. I was working at Cliveden House in Taplow at the Waldo's restaurant and one of my client gave me some Montrachet Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1988 to taste. It was truly amazing and the best wine I have ever tasted.
Together with Get Me Lost you are currently creating the next wine tour. This trip will be going to your favourite region, Alsace! Without giving away all the details (because it’s a secret) please tell the readers about it and why you have picked it?
This next wine tour will be very special for me and the vineries and places we going to visit have all each a special meaning for me and this is why I have picked them.
The rest I will keep as a surprise 🤩 But it will be special.
So what do you do when you don't do collaborations with Get Me Lost? And where can they find you if they want to get in contact?
I’m working freelance for different companies and organising wine and cheese pairing or wine courses. I also work for private people organising wine tours, private wine tastings and organising peoples wine cellar. I also help out with wine auctions, as in selecting the wines that can be sold in an auction.
Facebook page: @winetastingantibes Instagram: @resch.patricia6 Email: winetasting06@gmail.com
Picture on the left is showing Patricia instructing a wine tasting client how to properly open a bottle of wine. Picture on the right is showing Patricia and her husband (who is a Michelin star chef by the way)
Question for you: Please let me know in the comments if you have any out of the normal recommendations for regions, wines or countries? Or what bottle was a happy surprise? (It doesn't matter if it's a €4 or €4000 bottle).
If you are interested in joining the next tour to Alsace please let me know by writing on the contact page or in the comments below so we can get in contact with you. We are currently creating this and therefor the details is not officially set yet.
Month: middle of October 2022
Length: approx 5 days
Type: All inclusive
Spaces: 6 adults
It will be a beautiful mix between grapes and hops, earthy traditions and a few stars, narrow streets and breathtaking nature.
We are SO looking forward to have you with us in October!
Picture showing me (Sara) and Patricia at a private dinner where Patricia hosted a Food and Wine pairing for us.
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