Adriana Valentini, who has been working in the last six months as Independent Wine Consultant between the UK and Italy, had among her clients’ hotels chain like i.e. Aethos Hotels, where she was appointed the creator for the wine list for their latest *resort in Sardinia, Costa Smeralda. She has recently moved back to her hometown where she joined Triple Sea Food, an Hospitality Holding owned by Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio - one of six children of Leonardo Del Vecchio, the late chairman (d. 2022) of EssilorLuxottica, the world's largest eyeglasses firm – as their Group Wine Manager looking after their three restaurants in Milan - Vesta, Casa Fiori Chiari and Trattoria del Ciumbia.

Born and raised in Milan, Italy, her passion and her ambition to become one of the top female sommeliers, has led her to travel the world gathering experience, from vineyards in France, to the ‘New World’ in Australia and New Zealand. She worked as Head Sommelier for Milan’s top restaurants, among all there is the two Michelin starred ‘Il Luogo di Aimo e Nadia’ alongside chefs Fabio Pisani and Alessandro Negrini, she then travelled the globe on board of a luxury Cruise and she eventually moved to London in 2014 with her husband, where she worked for a decade as Head Sommelier and Restaurant Manager for many luxury venues among which was the sumptuous Five Stars Corinthia Hotel, nestled in the heart of Central London, and as Head of Beverage for the iconic Oxford and Cambridge Club, a traditional London Private Members club in Pall Mall. She has pursued a career in wine because honestly ‘When you have a fond memory of a specific occasion it normally involves a glass of wine and this is what drives me - happy memories’!

She likes to consider herself like a “speed dating psychologist”: a good sommelier can indeed work out what sort of person you are, how well off you are and what you really fancy most within a very short period of time, maybe with only a few sentences into a chat — and then take you there quickly, picking up on any hints you drop along the way! Her 15 years of professional qualifications do include the Wine and Spirit Educational Trust (WSET Diploma student), the Executive Management in Food and Hospitality UK, the Institute of Export and International Trade and the Diploma qualification in wine awarded at the beginning of her career by the Italian Sommelier Association (A.I.S). Thanks to her Diploma in Foreign languages, she is fluent in English, Spanish and German. In her spare time, she does embrace the culture traveling back and forth between London and Milano, where she loves attending top wine exhibitions and shows. She does also enjoy masterclasses to ensure that she is continually expanding her knowledge for wine and spirits.