A sommelier by training, Gwilherm de Cerval began his career at the Hôtel Ritz Paris, then at Relais Louis XIII, before joining the prestigious Royal Monceau in 2010. A true gastronomic connoisseur, he later became part of the Lebey Guide team, where he played a key role in relaunching the Association for the Safeguarding of Egg Mayonnaise, a nod to his passion for French culinary heritage.
A member of the Association of Sommeliers of Paris, Gwilherm shares his expertise through regular collaborations with Le Journal du Dimanche, L'Express, and Marie Claire. Since 2017, he has been a familiar face on Paris Première, hosting La Chronique Vin alongside François-Régis Gaudry in the renowned show “Très Très Bon”.
His literary contributions have earned him high acclaim, with his 2019 book, Le Petit Livre du Sommelier, earning him the Curnonsky Prize, a prestigious award given by his peers. Building on its success, he launched an eponymous board game in 2021, making the art of wine more accessible. In 2022, he expanded his reach by hosting the wine segment on RTL’s L’Apéro Club.
Today, he serves as France’s official Sake Ambassador for the Japanese government, bridging cultures through taste and tradition. This year, he unveils a new project: “La Traversée de Paris”, a curated guide to the city’s best addresses, co-authored with Caroline de Maigret, Zazie Tavitian, and Manu Payet.
MOMUS gave me carte blanche. It was a very enriching personal and professional experience. Spontaneously, I suggested drawing a parallel between the design of a wine and that of a coffee. I wanted to highlight the impact of nature's variations on aromas from one year to the next. Rather than creating a blend, I started with a single variety and a single terroir, as one would do for a wine. I thus selected the Red Catuai, a very gourmet Brazilian variety, cultivated in agroforestry in the mythical region of Mont Pedra Azul.
I wanted to favor a method of cultivation with the least possible impact on nature; the biodynamic method seemed to me the most appropriate. I had the pleasure of meeting Henrique Slopper, a passionate and exciting producer, with whom I share not only a commitment to natural agriculture, but also a love of wine.
I wanted the roasting to give complexity and depth, like a wine aged in oak barrels. Daniela, our roaster, suggested that we blend beans from the same harvest, but roasted in two different ways: one short and light, the other long and powerful, which gives incredible caudalies.
To make the experience complete, we will also set aside roasted beans each year to measure the impact of the vintage on the coffee. See you in 5 years for “vertical” tastings.