The various facets of the passion for wine

It all unknowingly began with my grandfather's cellar, called "the forbidden place" during my childhood. A place that in my child's imagination hid who knows what secret. Perhaps it was the wine that kept the secret, because my grandfather treated it with care and respect and aged it in that calm place, where it seemed time had stopped. A few years later, during a language stay in Valais, the most important wine region in Switzerland, that passion was born in me which encouraged and pushed me to deepen my education on wine.

Today, after much study, work and competitions, I am part of the exclusive group of 6 Sommeliers in the world to have won both the title of Best Sommelier of Europe (in 2010) and that of Best Sommelier of the World (in 2013).

After this last competition, my career took an important turn, intense, full of commitments and opportunities, which allowed me to diversify my scope of action and to be active as a consultant, teacher, merchant and above all, wine producer.
This last one was the greatest opportunity, which convinced me to stay in Ticino to follow my passion and get closer to production. This choice is partly due to the location where I live, Ligornetto, one of the wine villages of the Canton Ticino and partly to the desire to live wine in all its aspects, from production to consumption through a professional activity on multiple fronts.
As a consultant since 2014, I select wines for the airline Air France, which obtained the coveted "Best Airline Wine List of the World" recognition in 2018 and 2019.

In addition to consulting, I organize and lead masterclasses, tastings, seminars and events dedicated to wine.
As a teacher, I train future managers of the luxury hotel sector at Glion Institute of Higher Education in Montreux.

My company, Paolo Basso Wine, based in Ligornetto, is also active in wine trading. Through the online wine shop you have the opportunity to purchase my five wines, as well as those of other producers that I rigorously select, with whom I share a common passion: the constant and continuous pursuit of quality, in all its facets.

These are meticulous producers, some unknown, others true stars who love their craft and the land they work and who are attentive to environmental respect and sustainability.
Given my experience as a sommelier, these are wines that express themselves wonderfully at the table, where thanks to their refined and deep style, they have the particularity of enhancing the food-wine pairing.
If you need advice, I am gladly at your disposal.