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! ☕👌
