French Sommelier’s COVID Recovery: Wine as Therapy

When Philippe Faure-Brac – 1992's World’s Best Sommelier and head of the French Sommelier Association – lost his sense of smell to COVID-19 last year, he turned to an unexpected ally: his wine cellar.

During France’s first wave, Faure-Brac experienced 10 days without smell and weeks without taste. 'It felt like losing part of my identity,' he shared. His recovery hack? Sipping bold, aromatic wines and daily sniffing sessions with herbs like rosemary and thyme.

'Familiar wines with intense fruity or spicy notes helped rebuild my sensory memory,' he explained, comparing the process to rewiring a computer. The sommelier now advocates for prioritizing wine professionals in vaccination programs, calling their sensory skills 'national treasures.'

Pro tip for fellow foodies: Faure-Brac recommends smelling coffee beans between tastings to 'reset' your nose – a move he says works better than TikTok hacks!

Reference(s):

French sommelier shares how he restored senses after getting COVID-19

cgtn.com