My Weekend: Helping guests select delicious wines at East Cork's Ballymaloe

Ballymaloe House Hotel is opening its historic cave wine cellar deep for a very special event in March - a two-night tasting journey. It will be hosted by Ballymaloe House Hotel head sommelier Samuel Chantoiseau, alongside esteemed wine tutor Colm McCan. Here Samuel tells us more about how he spends his weekends...

Tell us a bit about yourself…

I am half French and half Italian, was born in Bordeaux in 1971 but spent more time in Saint-Etienne / Lyon.

I met my beautiful Irish wife in Cork at ‘On The Pigs Back’ in the English Market, and we have two daughters, a dog, and cats.

I built a house in the picturesque fishing village of Ballycotton conveniently less than 10 minutes from Ballymaloe House Hotel. I started working at Ballymaloe House in 2006 as an assistant sommelier when I first moved to Ireland.

What’s your ideal way to spend a Friday night?

I am usually working on Friday nights; it is a busy night at Ballymaloe House as we serve a delicious hors d’oeuvres buffet.

When lucky enough to have a Friday night off, I like to spend it with my family. We might enjoy some delicious food out; Trawler Boyz at The Blackbird, Ballycotton or venture into Midleton to Kevin Ahern’s Sage Restaurant.

Lie ins or up with the lark… which is for you?

Up with the lark… I love to make the most of my free time. I love to fish for mackerel whilst kayaking in Ballycotton Bay.

Does work creep into your weekend at all?

Yes, most weekends. Weekends are very busy at Ballymaloe House, and I enjoy helping guests select delicious wines.

If money was no object, where would you head to on a weekend city break? And who would you bring?

To Dublin, to stay at the five-star Merrion Hotel and eat at Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud. Naturally, I would like to share this experience with my wife, Susan.

Closer to home, is there some place you like to head to recharge the batteries?

I love the west coast; Kenmare is a stunning balance between the mountain and the sea.

Do you like to catch up with family/friends at the weekend?

Yes, of course, especially when you love wine and gastronomy, and share these pleasures with them.

Do you get to indulge in any hobbies? Even as a spectator?

I worked previously as a photography teacher in a secondary school in Saint-Étienne and specialised in black-and-white landscape photography. I still love photography and there is no shortage of beautiful landscapes to photograph in East Cork.

Entertain or be entertained? If the latter, do you have a signature dish?

We love to entertain (and be entertained). My signature dish is lamb couscous.

We have so many places to eat out in Cork — where are your go to spots for a special meal? Ballymaloe House, despite being where I work. It is the ideal location for a special occasion.

 When dining amongst the lovely fresh flowers picked from the gardens, you can rest assured that you will have a fantastic, seasonal, and locally sourced meal and I know the wine list well!

Sunday night comes around too fast… how do you normally spend it?

Working!

What time does your alarm clock go off on a Monday morning?

Due to the nature of my job, I rarely work on a Monday morning, I do, however, get up to ensure the girls have breakfast and get to school.

Extra interesting info…

The bottle of wine that sparked my love of wine was a 1970 — the year I was conceived0 — Château Montbousquet Saint-Émilion Grand Cru. A good friend of my mother, the winemaker François Querre, promised her he would keep a bottle from his private cellar for her child to enjoy when he grew up. I finally opened this bottle in 2010 and it proved a special experience to taste such an old wine.

My motto?

“Never say never, and always try to keep an open mind.”

UPCOMING EVENT

Join Samuel Chantoiseau for a weekend of wine exploration, appreciation and tasting along with wine expert and teacher at Ballymaloe House Hotel for a two-night stay on the Friday and Saturday, March 1 and 2.

Guided by these experts, you will discover the world of wine, explore organic, biodynamic, and natural wines from diverse regions, learn about emerging trends in the wine industry, and refine your skills in the delicate are of food and wine pairing. For more information visit: www.ballymaloe.ie Ballymaloe House Hotel, is based at Shanagarry, East Cork. Contact 021 4652531.