Some people’s presence in a place says something about that place. When Samuel Ingelaere chooses an address, it’s not to do anyone a favour — it’s because he believes in it. And what he has believed for years is that El Callejon, the bodega at 5 rue Monhaut in Biarritz, is one of the rare spots in the city that truly deserves a leisurely visit with a good glass in hand.
Samuel Ingelaere is the house sommelier. He composes the wine list, advises, chooses. And once you know his background, it becomes clear why this matters.
Best Sommelier in France, at Veyrat’s table
The distinction dates from 2005: the Gault & Millau guide awards him the title of Best Sommelier in France. In the industry, this is no minor accolade — it recognises an exceptional palate and a total command of the science of food and wine pairing. The year he receives it, he is working as Head Sommelier for Marc Veyrat, at the time the only chef in the world to hold both a 20/20 Gault & Millau rating and three Michelin stars simultaneously.
Gastronomic chronicles of the era cite him by name: it was Samuel Ingelaere who suggested pairing a vin jaune with Veyrat’s desalted cod with gentian — a pairing that has since become legendary in the annals of French cuisine. This is not the work of a technician. It is the work of an interpreter.
Ediswine: France’s first oenological concierge
After the great tables — he worked at several of France’s most acclaimed restaurants — Samuel founded his own company in 2008: Ediswine, based in Biarritz. The concept is simple to describe, ambitious to execute: offering bespoke oenological consulting to both seasoned enthusiasts and complete beginners. Wine cellar audits, introductory tastings, food and wine pairings, exclusive vineyard visits to the most inaccessible estates — Ediswine became France’s first oenological concierge service.
The central idea is personalised accompaniment, going against the grain of generic wine discourse. « I test different appellations with them first, then depending on their preferences, I lean in that direction, » he explains. No universal recipe. No imposed score out of 100. A thread built together.
Three words: pleasure, sharing, culture
When Côte Basque Madame — for which he has been the official sommelier for several years — asked him to define wine in three words, Samuel answered without hesitation: pleasure, sharing and culture. A simple formula. And yet it says everything about a philosophy that has nothing to do with counter-side elitism.
« You can talk about the journey that a wine tasting provides, the work of everyone involved in producing that wine. When you take an interest in wine, you create your own path. » That path is what he helps his clients find. And every journey begins by listening to what the other person enjoys — not by explaining what they should enjoy.
The wines he loves, the ones he champions
To reach what he calls « the Grail of great wines » — the perfect balance between flavour harmony, terroir identity and the winemaker’s style — Samuel cites a few references that reveal his sensibility.
Jean-Paul Jamet’s Côte-Rôtie, « the absolute master of whole-bunch fermentation on the syrah grape, of incredible complexity combining different terroirs ». Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape by Emmanuel Reynaud, « of extraordinary suaveness and depth on a unique sandy terroir ». The wines of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, with their aromatic marker of faded roses, blackcurrant leaves and bramble. And Vincent Dancer’s white Burgundies, which he describes with a precision closer to portraiture than criticism.
El Callejon: a list that reflects him
What Samuel brings to El Callejon is exactly what he champions elsewhere: a selection that doesn’t aim to impress, but to be right. Wines that have something to say alongside the food. A cellar built around the wines of the Basque Country and the South-West of France, without excluding the great French regions when they deserve a place.
In a bodega that has been running since 1990, where regularity is itself a form of loyalty, the wine list has that rare quality: it’s alive. It changes with the seasons, the vintages, the winemakers Samuel encounters during his estate visits.
For those who want to know more — about a wine for the evening, the ideal pairing with a Basque beef cut or the sheep’s cheese platter — just ask at the counter. If Samuel is there, the conversation might go on for a while.
Ediswine — bespoke oenological consulting
Biarritz · ediswine.com
Instagram: @samuel_ediswineEl Callejon — 5 rue Monhaut, 64200 Biarritz
Open Monday to Saturday from 7pm