New Delhi, February 12: What strikes you most about Daniele Raulet-Reynaud is her absolute passion for wine. For her, wine is much beyond being just a drink. ‘‘Wine is inimitable like haute couture, it’s like a good perfume — just a little is enough. It is a reflection of season, of environment... it’s a memory...,’’ she goes on. In case you are wondering about her ode to the drink, here is a brief introduction to the lady: Reynaud is a sommelier (now, that means ‘wine expert’), who is in Delhi to preside over the Sopexa wine and cheese promotion at Oberoi hotel. Sopexa is the food and beverage marketing and promotion board of France.

Reynaud will conduct a series of training sessions and seminars in Oberoi (February 11-13) and the Imperial (February 14-15) hotels to educate Delhiites more about wine. ‘‘I find it a great challenge to find how well French wine can go with Indian cuisine. That’s because French wines are so vast in their variety and taste, and so is Indian cuisine,’’ says Reynaud, who is also a lecturer with Sopexa.

The most annoying thing Reynaud has found during her Indian experience are the ‘‘long drinking sessions’’. ‘‘People continue to have drinks and snacks for a long time and go for dinner very late. As a result, alcohol gets stuck to your palate and interferes with your dinner.’’

Her observations find a reflection in what she plans to teach Indians about wine. ‘‘I want them to switch over to wine from drinks which have a higher content of alcohol,’’ says Reynaud, adding quickly, ‘‘not because I represent Sopexa.’’ She emphasises that drinking wine is also healthier, especially for the younger generation. They are also her target audience. Reynaud also happens to be one of the few women in the otherwise traditionally male-dominated profession. Though she is not the first woman sommelier, Reynaud was the first woman to get Maitre d’ Hotel of France award. It’s given to the best maitre d’ hotel (a person who has all-round knowledge of food and wine, and is well-versed in running a fine dining restaurant) in France.