Creative Pursuit

with Benoît d'Onofrio

We have much in common with Benoit, from our love of fermentation, the sensorial and unfamiliar, to the relentless creative pursuit and questioning of the status quo.

Today we spoke with Benoit on the decisions that inspired his current work, underpinned by a term he coined ‘Le Sobrelier’.

Could you tell us a little about yourself and what you do?

I’ll turn 45 this September and I was trained as a sommelier and served for 15 years in Parisian restaurants before turning into Le Sobrelier - a neologism I personally coined to underline my commitment towards pouring all types of meaningful beverages, no matter their charge in alcohol.

For the past 4 years, I have therefore been focusing on the production of spontaneously fermented drinks that belong to a class of their own and that deliver depth, complexity as well as an aging potential that compare with none.

What inspired the infusions you created for the event, and what were you hoping to capture?

The drinks that were crafted for the Abel launch party were inspired by the brand’s color identity and its palpable sense of discrete refinement. In terms of tasting profile, I was hoping to capture both the aromatic essence of Abel’s new collection and a bit of summer vibes.

What do you hope people feel when they experience your infusions?

I hope they can connect to sensorial and sensual experiences from their most intimate past whilst feeling the drinks tastes like nothing before. Feeling so much familiar with something - if not someone - that feels so completely unknown is pure magic to me!

Do you have a favourite Abel scent? What do you love about it?

My personal favorite has to be Cyan Nori. It is the scent of sun-warmed salt skin after a late-afternoon dip in the ocean, where the wild Atlantic meets a sweet sun-drenched orchard.