You’ve arrived at your favourite restaurant piqued with anticipation for the delicacies that await. That anticipation, however, has also left you somewhat parched, and your waiter seems to have disappeared faster than a leopard’s lunch. Five more minutes, you’re madly waving down anyone who’ll acknowledge your empty glass. Come on, admit it; we’ve all been there.
From out of nowhere, a Sommelier appears, like a magical apparition. (In all fairness, they would be by your side almost immediately). “Hello, I’m Josef, your Sommelier. I will be looking after your wine experience tonight”. He confidently leads the conversation, asking questions, and you share the tale of a recent trip to Italy and the winery Castello di Verrazzano in Chianti. In what seems like a blink of an eye, he’s ascertained the best wine to accompany your evening. Voila! You sit bewildered, basking in the memory of the wine you had in Italy!
They curate a restaurant’s wine list to pair deliciously with their menu. Importantly, it’s their role to provide you with a wine experience that meets your taste and budget and pairs perfectly with your meal. Additional duties may include managing the cellar, wine education, and the service of wine.
A Sommelier knows the wine list intimately and is well-positioned to support you in making a selection you’ll love. And a good Sommelier is a ninja of conversation with a knack for ascertaining your budget without asking. Never will they leave you blushing with a $350 bottle that doesn’t sit within your budget.
In a nutshell, it’s their sacred mission to elevate your dining experience and ensure you have a cracker of a night!
Talking about wine all day sounds like the perfect job, right? Most Sommeliers have refined their craft through certified education with the Court of Master Sommeliers, with four levels on the journey towards Sommelier Mastery; 1. Introductory Sommelier Certificate; 2. Certified Sommelier Examination; 3. Advanced Sommelier Certificate; and 4. Master Sommelier Diploma. Only 240 Sommeliers worldwide have earned the title of Master Sommelier, demonstrating how exclusive their role is.
Some people think a Sommelier’s job is to sell you expensive wine. Possibly once upon a time, but that era has well and truly gone. They are simply wine angels put on earth to ensure an elevated dining experience, sharing their wine wisdom along the way.
Of course, the wines will undoubtedly be of high calibre if you attend a fancy schmancy restaurant for a $400 degustation. A good Sommelier will still source a delicious bottle well within your budget. After all, they want you to dine again, so they won’t sell you a bottle you’ll spend your evening sweating over.
Rudranil Das, Restaurant Manager for Penfolds Magill Estate Restaurant, expressed his passion for providing high-end wine service:
Ensuring our guests are comfortable and understanding their needs is paramount. Enhancing their experience with good conversation around their likes and dislikes, in turn, allows me to discern a wine selection that will not only meet but exceed their expectation.
It goes a long way, allowing guests to taste a few wines. I’ve had numerous instances where a guest implied a dislike of Chardonnay, yet after a sip of Penfolds Yattarna or Reserve Bin A, they fell in love with Chardonnay again.
[Thanks, Rudranil!]
So next time a Sommelier approaches, and your heart nearly jumps into your throat. Don’t be shy; fess up. If your wine knowledge is limited, say so and watch the magic unfold.
If there were a moral to this story, it would be this: trust your Sommelier to pick your wine. You won’t be disappointed!
As with any good ritual, you’ll require some tools to support a successful outcome.