CHEERS - TO THAT

Olly Smith sweeps aside outdated rules to uncork the joy of wine for every pocket, palate and occasion

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Olly Smith’s career has been anything but predictable.

As a teenager, he held a Saturday job delivering boxes for a wine shop and won a music scholarship to Charterhouse School, singing and playing the French horn and organ.

He then worked as a screenwriter for film and TV, before making a move back into the world of wine.

In 2005, he won the reality show Wine Idol, launching his career as one of TV's most recognisable wine experts. Regular appearances on Saturday Kitchen soon followed, paired with a reputation for infectious enthusiasm and unpretentious expertise.

Olly is now the author of six books, and his latest — Wine: Everything You Need to Know — is a comprehensive guide to tackling the subject from scratch, covering everything from food pairings to the art of decanting and, crucially, how much to spend.

His charm and quick wit were also seen when he triumphed on Celebrity Mastermind, answering every question correctly on his specialist subject, the 1987 cult classic film Withnail and I.

Olly also hosts the podcast A Glass With..., on which he shares drinks and stories with celebrity guests. “We had the most incredible evening,” he recalls of an episode recorded at Dawn French's home, where an interview turned into a spontaneous curry outing. “She's one of the kindest people I've met in years.”

Another highlight was his first guest on the podcast, the pop singer Pink. “I went out to California to her house and winery, which was a story that hadn’t been broken. She kindly let us have the exclusive,” Olly says.

There was also the actor Sam Neill. “I’ve got to know Sam quite well, actually,” he tells us. “I’ve been to New Zealand to see him at his Two Paddocks vineyard. Wine has taken me on the most wonderful adventures, which I’m forever grateful for.”

Olly, in your book, you speak of shunning the snobbery that has often surrounded wine...