There was a wine from Madeira. The vintage was 1803 and it was one of the most extraordinary bottles I've encountered. More than 200 years old, it was still fresh and vibrant. It was a privilege, a window into another time, and I was lucky enough to drink it with friends. We all brought nice wines, but when this emerged there was silence. Astonishment.

There are downsides. Tasting 100 wines at 8am is not fun, nor is wandering vineyards in winter, but I knew this was what I wanted to do. When I moved to the UK from Brazil, I worked like mad, carried plates until 2am, studied 50 hours a week, all to qualify as a master of wine.

I don't drink much at home - I have a wife and a two-year-old daughter. When I was studying, I had to focus on analysing Ph, acidity, geology, soil structure, even the plant physiology. You can't enjoy it. It's like you're buying a car. You listen to the engine, feel the tyres, but you're not really enjoying the ride. Now, I can go for a drive, enjoy wine.

Happiness is simple. First you have to have a good job. On Mondays, I jump out of bed - off I go. I try to keep fit and run in the forest, and I cultivate my spirituality.

You hear of people buying bottles of wine for up to £5,000, and because they don't like the taste, they'll mix in Coke. That makes me unhappy.