by Erik Dodge

Created on: March 20, 2010   Last Updated: March 31, 2010

A sommelier is a professional wine connoisseur and a guide for wines from the vine all the way to the customers’ glass. Responsibilities of a sommelier include placing wine orders, overseeing deliveries, organizing the wine cellar and tasting wines. Truly exceptional sommeliers work with the chef to expertly pair wines with each dish on the menu. Diners, most likely, only see a sommelier perform the most vital aspect of the job, suggesting and serving the perfect wine for the palette and budget of each patron.

Why trust a sommelier?

Any wine connoisseur can be called a sommelier but those employed at eateries are generally certified at the very least. Certification often requires one pass a test and in some cases further courses or training must be completed. Test questions range from, how harvest decisions affect wines to matching wines with meals, in addition to a blind wine tasting. Head sommeliers often gain supplementary experience by working under more experienced and knowledgeable sommeliers before taking the head sommelier position. Such an education prepares them with a wealth of knowledge to answer any questions diners may have.   

Accessible or intimidating

Job number one for a sommelier is to make the wine list accessible to each person dining at the restaurant. No matter what level of knowledge or size of budget a client has the sommelier’s goal is to provide the best dining experience possible. Recommending and serving wines is frequently a cherished job perk for great sommeliers. Laura Rhys, 2009 Sommelier of the Year, explained why she enjoys working with guests in an interview on the Lovethatwine web site, “there is nothing like having the ability to get it absolutely right when recommending a wine. I love impressing and surprising guests and introducing them to something completely new.” Clearly, for great sommeliers, the guest comes first.

Setting a budget

In order for the sommelier to find the perfect wine the guest must be willing to share just what s/he’s looking for. It’s a good idea to start with the comfortable price range. Instead of saying a dollar amount out loud, a guest can simply point to a bottle at the top of his/her price range and tell the sommelier that is the level s/he’s comfortable with. Most sommeliers will not steer guests toward more expensive wines but be happy to find something that will pair well with the meal and stay inside the price range.

Finding the right wine

A guest shouldn’t be afraid to tell the sommelier exactly what s/he is looking for. Describing personal wine preferences or perhaps the pairing the patron would make if eating at home should give the sommelier an idea to get started. However, there is no need to stop here. Use as much detail as necessary to help the sommelier find the perfect wine. Those feeling adventurous may prefer to simply suggest a budget and let the professional take over. This method can lead a diner to exotic or rare wines that would not normally grace his/her glass.

Great sommeliers have extensive training and experience, which puts them in the perfect position to find the best wine for every meal. A guest, whether knowledgeable about wine or not, should call the sommelier whenever questions arise regarding wine selection. Once at the table, the sommelier will need to know a patron’s preferences and budget before suggesting wines to compliment the meal.  Sipping a wine which perfectly complements the meal is a guest’s reward for completing the process and the satisfied feeling that accompanies it is the mark of a truly great sommelier.

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