Being Wineful: Wine Pros Series 1, Episode 5.James Clark and Davide Traverso in conversation with Keira Hodge.
Nervous about the wine list? Here’s what actually happens when you hand it back to the sommelier.
James and Davide from @sottoedinburgh joined me for the latest WinePros episode, and the conversation kept coming back to the same thing: it’s not knowledge that holds people back. It’s fear of judgement and fear of disappointment.
So here’s a little of what they actually do at the table to make you feel better about the whole thing.
🍷 They ask what you normally drink at home. Not what you know. Just what you like. That one question tells them almost everything.
🍷 Davide has a phrase he uses when price feels awkward. He leans in quietly, points to the list, and says: “Where are we tonight?” No direct question about budget. Just a gentle steer that gives you space to answer comfortably.
🍷 James tells the table upfront: if you taste it and don’t love it, they’ll pour it by the glass and find you something else. That single sentence changes the whole atmosphere.
🍷 And that moment when you’re asked to taste the wine when it arrives? They’re not judging whether you like it. They’re checking it’s in good condition. That’s it.
Italy has over 1,200 native grape varieties. Sotto has 250 bins on the list. James and Davide know exactly how unfamiliar it can feel. They’re also the best possible people to walk you through it.
And that’s just the start of the episode. There’s also:
🍷 A blind tasting with a wine I brought along. Let’s just say I didn’t make it easy for them
🍷 The Italian alternatives game: what to drink instead of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Malbec, Cab Sav, Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir, all answered with Italian options you’ve probably never heard of
🍷 The wine memories that changed everything for both of them (a 1992 Barolo drunk in a park features heavily)
🍷 Their desert island grapes, and why one of the answers might surprise you
🍷 Food and wine pairing, and why the only rule that matters is what grows together, goes together
🍷 James opens a wine he bottled himself, a McLaren Vale Grenache from his brother-in-law’s vineyard in South Australia, 2025 vintage, straight off the boat
🍷 Their Edinburgh restaurant recommendations
Full episode is now live. Link in bio.
🎙️ WinePros Series 1 @beingwineful
#BeingWineful #WinePros #EdinburghWine #Sotto #EdinburghEats #WineConfidence #WineEducation #ItalianWine #ScottishHospitality #IndependentEdinburgh
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