Noble Rot sommelier jumps ship to Burgundy

By James Lawrence

Published: 10 January, 2025

Stephanie Wangui, erstwhile sommelier at Noble Rot Mayfair and a Sommelier Wine Awards judge, has relocated to the Cote d'Or to work as a trainee viticulturist with Domaine Guy Roulot.

According to Wangui, she met owner Jean-Marc Roulot during a trip to Spain last year, learning about Grenache production in the up-and-coming Sierra de Gredos region close to Madrid.

“During the placement, Jean-Marc and I got chatting about the possibility of working for a few months in Burgundy – I had been thinking about moving into the production side for a while and this was a fantastic opportunity,” said Wangui.

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“I was lucky as the Domaine has a long-standing relationship with the import business run by Dan Keeling and Mark Andrew (owners of Noble Rot). So, after my visa was approved, I decided to jump ship and get out of London. I initially planned to stay only a few months, however, this has ballooned to an entire season!”

Born in Kenya, Wangui had become one of the UK's leading wine personalities, renowned for her enthusiasm and relaxed approach to wine enjoyment.

“I will miss London very much, although I am looking forward to getting my weekends back. But, most of all, I want to get my fingernails dirty and learn everything there is to know about this enigmatic and fascinating region. New year, new adventure.”

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