Alessandro Marchesan

Born just outside Venice in Bassano del Grappa, Alessandro Marchesan grew up in a region where food was never served without wine. In fact, his father’s own love of wine and in particular, Italian fine wine, was instilled in Alessandro from a young age and he quickly learned and inherited a keen interest in grape varieties, regional wines and pairing wine with food. This early foundation proved advantageous and Alessandro’s first job was in the position of bartender at the world famous Cipriani Hotel in Venice. It was from here, that Alessandro decided to move to London, to not only improve his English, but further his knowledge of his growing interest in more international and in particular, New World wines. Working as a bartender in central London, Alessandro enrolled himself on a course with the Wine and Spirit Education Trust that would eventually lead to a Master of Wine certificate. In 2002, he won the Dan Pontifex Award which sponsored a 6 week course in Australia and gave him the opportunity to discover Australia’s regions, learn direct from its wineries and gave him first hand experience of New World wines. On his return to London in 2003, he applied to Zuma and was offered the position of Sommelier. This allowed him to impart his growing passion for wine and his expanding knowledge of New World wines and their clean flavours, on the innovative and unique dishes at Zuma. In 2003 he was awarded Harpers and Queen UK Sommelier of the Year. Since joining Zuma, Alessandro has built up both a comprehensive cellar and a successful and informed sommelier team and now holds the position of Group Sommelier and Wine Buyer. He is also a judge for Decanter Magazine.