Liinaa Berry
Melbourne Ambassador
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Liinaa Berry has over ten years experience working as a sommelier in Australia and her home country of Mauritius in various hospitality roles including at the Constance Hotel group which has seven five-star resorts across the Indian Ocean.
With a business degree under her belt, Berry launched her hospitality career as a commis sommelier in the Constance Lemuria in the Seychelles and the Constance Belle Mare Plage in Mauritius, where she was mentored by Jerome Faure, Maître Sommelier from the UDSF (Union de la Sommellerie Française).
In 2015 she secured a role with the gastro pub hotel, The Crafters Hotel in the Adelaide Hills where she was responsible for curating their wine collection, which developed into an award-winning 2000-strong bottle list, scooping both the Best Hotel List in the country and third best in Australia in 2018 by Qantas Winelist of the Year. Five years later she moved to the boutique hotel Mount Lofty House as head sommelier at the fine dining restaurant Hardy’s Verandah, where she won Best Wine List of South Australia for two consecutive years. A year later, Liinaa managed the opening for their luxury lodge Sequoia, which went on to become one of the most garlanded retreats in Australia.
She then moved to Melbourne to open a wine bar, a restaurant and a boutique hotel in a 170-year old former jail which she transformed into an entertainment venue, going on to win Best New Winelist of Australia 2023; a 3-glass rating for Olivine Wine Bar; and a hat (Australia's equivalent of a Michelin-star) for their bistro restaurant North&COMMON. With the venues up and running, Liinaa now has a new project in Melbourne lined up for 2024.