The Sommelier: Your best sipping buddy

What do you want to be when you grow up, Johnny? A fireman.

How about you, Danielle? A teacher.

And what about you, Nicholas? A Sommelier.

Being a Sommelier is a fascinating vocation that takes skill, personality, training, and a love of wine. Once you become more familiar with what they do, a Sommelier can be your new best friend, raising your dining experience to a new level.

The position of a Sommelier originated in France, where wine experts were chosen to serve royalty. We have a hunch you’re not from a royal family, but you’ll definitely feel exceptional when you’re working with one – most often in an upscale restaurant that takes pride in its service and beverage selection.

Sommeliers make wine suggestions, but that’s just part of their skill. They need to know a lot about wine and food – in detail – to be good at their job.

They have to be familiar with the chef’s ever-changing menu, specials, and seasonal foods so they can order the beverages to keep on hand at the restaurant. The job requires knowing about wine-growing regions worldwide and how various wines are produced - not to mention a memory of great and not-so-great vintage years for different labels.

Choosing wines for various budgets is crucial so that someone who wants to spend a little less still gets a delicious option. A Sommelier will know what drink pairs best with each entrée and course from start to finish, whether it’s an authentic antipasto or a chocolate mousse. They will serve you the wine and wait for you to enjoy it.

Sometimes a recommendation will be listed on a menu, but there’s nothing like a conversation to discover in more detail what the diner likes and find the perfect match. So that goes without saying that a good Sommelier appreciates people, has an outgoing personality and is good with details. One of the super skills of a good Sommelier is explaining a complex wine in basic terms so that regardless of a diner’s knowledge, they can understand their choices.

Sommeliers also have many behind-the-scenes responsibilities, such as building relationships with vineyards and suppliers. They also have to know how to store the wine, whether a particular wine needs decanting, and the best temperature for serving. There are boxes and bottles, and lugging them up and down stairs. But a massive job perk is traveling to different vineyards for tastings and tours. 

Want to increase your knowledge about wine & food pairings?