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Pieter Rosenthal of www.corkandbottle.co.uk on the Thierry Cabanne Scholarship.

Published:  31 July, 2009

The Sunday afternoon train journey to Romsey from Waterloo takes me back to my student days. Travelling light, but still too heavy in trains hardly designed for luggage.

The Sunday afternoon train journey to Romsey from Waterloo takes me back to my student days. Travelling light, but still too heavy in trains hardly designed for luggage.

 

My Thierry's experience kicked off with the Definitive Italian Tasting at Lord's Cricket Ground on Thursday. It gave me the opportunity to get stuck into Thierry's Italian range, including Veneto producer and recent addition to the stable, Pasqua.

 

It feels very much like a fresh start. After nine and a half years with T-Mobile a month at Thierry's will kick off my new-found career in wine. Scary though it is, timing is everything. Considering the current economic climate maybe I should be more worried than I am. But I really needed a change in my professional life and it all feels very right after investing so much time in passing the WSET Diploma with Merit earlier this year.

 

As I settle down in the garden enjoying the late sunshine and a glass of wine (the local Wine Rack is open until 10pm, even on a Sunday!), I get word from the home front I'm in Harpers magazine again, introduced as the new blogger on Harpers' website.

 

A mild apprehension takes hold on my first walk to the office, which is mercifully short as it is starting to rain. I needn't have worried. My first day at work is one of the quickest days I've had in a long time. Always a good sign.

 

Thierry's office, at Horsefair House, is a venerable maze. 'Watch your step!', I hear behind me a fraction of a second too late as I stumble into yet another office. It somehow suits the personality I had attributed to this unique wine business. Like anyone starting a new job, remembering all the faces and names is a real struggle but everyone is making me feel fantastically welcome and there are some helpful mugshots on the website. I find myself referring to them a lot over the next few days. A sense of disappointment is tangible when word spreads that Anita is not well today, which means Thierry's legendary lunch will not be served. Everyone is wishing for her speedy recovery and on Wednesday I finally get treated to my first Thierry's lunch-time treat, which is very much at the heart of the Thierry's family.

 

As the week progresses I am increasingly amazed at the genuine openness and willingness to share information in the organisation, but similarly the enormous complexity we have to deal with. Having come from a very corporate background Thierry's way of working is highly refreshing. There is a real sense of enthusiasm, hard work as well as a culture of support and intimacy. I meet with Ged Welch, Thierry's managing director, to talk about the bigger picture as well as the company's strategy and he confirms my view about the sense of openness and empowerment. I feel there is a genuine desire to learn and become even better at managing the sometimes challenging relationships with customers and producers alike. Both can be demanding at times and margins are tight which makes it a tough balancing act that has seriously opened my eyes.

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