Location : Brighton, UK
Profession / passion : Sommelier / Photographer
Website : www.spencerandsmelskaya.com
Instagram : @ania_sm & @co__pines

One Day is an ongoing project sparked by the Covid-19. In the days of isolation we would like to focus on what we do best; bringing people together. Read more about the project here.
We will be posting one new day of someones life every day until we run out of contributors. See our instagram stories to experience these peoples One Day in action.

What is the story behind your profession/ passion?
I have always been fascinated by flavours. From a very young age I liked to combine flavours on my plate together in my mouth and never chew it separately)) A bit of reference to Ratatouille cartoon if you know what I mean. Discovering wine and training my palate (after all palate is a muscle!) was and still is a wonderful journey!
I can be transferred to different places and times, taken away by flavours. It causes me some moments of daydreaming (my boyfriend calls it Ania Mitty moment - if you ever have seen the Secret Life of Walter Mitty, if not you really should!)
The wine is such a beautiful thing, so many layers to it: from human perception of flavours and the chemistry of it - to a personality of a winemaker.
As I like my experiences pure and support the less waste, less toxic, natural way of living, no surprise I support natural, minimal intervention winemaking. It just makes sense in our era to support things not artificially made and as artisan and handmade as possible.
Wine is a live thing and it can transport you to a really beautiful place.
Especially wine with a personality and that’s what natural wines are by definition, I think.
My favourite quote re-wine would be from “Sideways” movie and it kind of sums up what I believe in and reasons why I do what I do:

[Describing her passion for wine] I like to think about what was going on the year the grapes were growing; how the sun was shining; if it rained. I like to think about all the people who tended and picked the grapes. And if it's an old wine, how many of them must be dead by now. I like how wine continues to evolve like if I opened a bottle of wine today it would taste different than if I'd opened it on any other day because a bottle of wine is actually alive. And it's constantly evolving and gaining complexity. That is, until it peaks, like your '61. And then it begins its steady, inevitable decline

How do you want people to react to your work/passion?
I am trying to treat the world with kindness and love sharing things I am enthusiastic about. I believe my passion can be contagious. Most of my friends drink natural wines and trying to follow a more sustainable path.

How has the current situation affected how you work?
I am currently on furlough. I consider myself lucky as I have an opportunity to slow down because of government support. So no, I am not fully working at the moment. I have picked few freelance gigs and doing an online wine tasting with www.noirfood.com on the18th of June and that’s probably the biggest event during those COVID months. My future is uncertain, however, I remain optimistic!
I believe in a future this might be a good opportunity for my wine consultancy Spencer and Smelskaya (www.spencerandsmelskaya.com) to help restaurants and new hospitality businesses with their wine list management and wine trainings. We founded it together with my good friend Honey Spencer so we are developing it a bit further at the moment! So all the exciting plans!

What is the most inspiring cookbook you’ve read recently?
Can I refer to a wine book instead?
My manager at Silo has loaned me a book called ‘Stories of life and wine in 100 bottles’ by Jane Lopez. She just basically brought it to work one day and told me she thinks it would be my cup of tea and I would get inspired. Which I really did! It is more like a diary of the author (who is Master of Wine) and her most memorable bottles + some facts about those bottles. Love learning through the prism of personal experiences!

Do you have a food idol and if so who?
Doug McMaster, the head chef and owner of Silo, the zero-waste restaurant, I used to work at, prior COVID. He inspired me to be more sustainable in my life and support the more sustainable wines and people. He is also a kind and humble human being with the most amazing level of dedication to sustainability. He basically changed the way hospitality businesses operate. He encouraged me to start asking uncomfortable questions which could lead to importers/suppliers/transport companies to change their behaviour and amount of single-use plastic in the wine business for example.
He has a vision and I support his vision in my work and choices.

Describe a smell that brings back memories to you.
I love the smell of a bird cherry. It reminds me of early spring mornings when you are on the way to school. The smell is so strong and it makes you all happy and giggly because it means summer is soon and vacation and leisure times and adventures! I was looking for a wine with a hint of this smell but haven’t found it yet!

What was the most defining moment in your life?
To realise that the most valuable quality in human beings (for me) is kindness and live by it every day, prioritising those who are kind.

A restaurant, individual, supplier, anyone in the food world you feel is doing something great and deserves a shout out and why?
• Uncharted wines - because wines on tap is a future of sustainable wine imports but also Rupert has an impeccable taste and dedication to sustainability. He also supported me with zero-waste wine program at Silo! https://www.unchartedwines.com/
• Modal wines – because Nic imports the most likeminded winemakers possible with such an in-depth take on sustainability and incredible attention to details (to reduce the waste, single use plastic, tape etc.). Also, wines are so honest and so true like the people who made it. https://www.modalwines.com
• Les Caves de Pyrene - for popularising minimal intervention wines in the UK from early 2000. Impressive portfolio! https://www.lescaves.co.uk/
• Basket Press wines – for showcasing really interesting regions and grapes I never heard of (mainly the Czech Republic but even other countries of Eastern Europe) https://www.basketpresswines.com/
• Fine cider - for getting me hooked on natural craft fine ciders https://thefinecider.company/
• Dynamic wines – for being open to the conversation of reusing cardboard boxes + supplying and supporting Gut Oggau wine from a very beginning of their journey in 2007 https://www.dynamicvines.com
• My business partner Honey Spencer - for always being there for me and inspire me on a daily basis, for one of the sharpest palates I know and also one of the kindest souls I know https://www.instagram.com/honeyspencer

How do you relax?
I am lucky to live by the sea so in a moment of distress I try to go and watch the waves. The smell, the colour, the sound – all of it puts me into a meditative state of mind. I also try to meditate and do yoga, run by the sea and then jump in for a quick dip or go for a cycle listening to my favourite tunes by the seafront. I also love bath + 'Chet Baker sings' album.

How do you wish to see this current situation have a positive impact on our lives?
I wish we would all slow down and find a balance within us. Also, it is incredible how little we need, how much we can do ourselves from baking to making and how self-efficient we can be. Thinking again about sustainability, it would have been my dream if people would develop a more conscious approach to a day to day life and have a luxury of time and slowing down whenever necessary. Be more in contact with nature and themselves. Maybe then our consumption behaviour would change and we would just be kind to others but also ourselves.

One Day : Ania Smelskaya - Sommelier