Bottle shock: Eloise Feilden, freelance editor & journalist

Front-of-house was never my strong suit. I’d forget the daily specials, mix up orders and drop trays of glasses. I’m still haunted by the time I spilled an entire finger bowl of murky prawn water into a customer’s lap at the end of a meal. Safe to say his first date didn’t last long after that. I’ve always been in awe of people with the magic touch for hospitality – the servers and sommeliers who glide between tables intuiting the needs of their guests, able to multitask with ease and stay calm amid the carnage of a busy service. When I became a journalist it was a no-brainer what I would write about. Truth be told, the actual liquid has always come second for me. It’s the people behind the bottle – those who produce as well as pour it – that make for great stories. It’s those stories that keep me coming back.