To Som or not to Som
Sommelier, a word and a role that a few years back not many of us paid much attention to has now taken on a spot in popular culture that is astonishing to many of us. It has spawned books, mini-series and even movies about the arduous task of becoming a master sommelier. For those that pursue the designation, and there are many right now, it is a huge commitment of time and money. Many who start down the path view it as a sort of ticket to future riches and rewards working in the wine business. Is it though?
I have been fortunate to know some great soms. Some right here in our own local community others around the country. Guess what? The best sommeliers I have known do not now possess nor do they have any intention of going after the designation. Back in my first career I knew a very impressive investment banker, one of the smartest people I have ever met. He had an MBA from a prestigious Northeastern school. He said to me at one point, “don’t do it…. Getting an MBA is not worth the time or the money, and it has little to do with what we do on a daily basis.” The really great sommeliers that I know feel about the same way!
Do all of these folks have a tremendous amount of wine knowledge? You bet. Do they possess an extraordinary palate? Absolutely. Are they able to communicate the essentials about the bottles on their lists in a way that resonates with wine drinkers of every level? Undoubtedly. And every single one of them has told me in various ways that their success in their jobs would not and has not been impacted by the lack of the master sommelier designation.
Yet every one of these folks I know as a sommelier have earned the right to be called one and deserve the respect of wine professionals and wine consumers as such. Much of what a sommelier does has little to do with being able to identify in a blind tasting varietal, appellation and vintage of a wine. Much of their day to day jobs does not involve being able to identify the growing conditions and regulations in far flung wine regions.
It is what they do for us the wine consumer that makes them some of the best sommeliers I have ever met. They put together a great selection of wines that cover all the required categories. They then are able to talk to a wine consumer and ask questions that reveal that consumer’s true taste in wine. They are great at eliciting what it is the wine drinker seated in front of them is looking for at that moment. As one som said to me recently “It is of little value to wax rhapsodic about an $80 Riesling from some of the oldest vines in Germany when your customer wants a $20 Chardonnay from California”. In a nut shell the best sommelier understand that it is not about information at all…. It is and always will be about knowledge, knowledge of your customer and what they like, and knowledge of what you have that will make them happy with their wine choice. Then put those two things together and you have a happy customer.
What sets the best sommeliers apart from the rest is their job performance at “table side”. Are there many sommeliers with the master sommelier designation who are able to apply all they have learned and combine it with the skill set I identified above to make a spectacular dining and wine experience for nearly every customer they work with. I’m certain of it! Perhaps the lesson in all this though is the important part of the job is being able to harness knowledge over information and provide a first-class wine experience for your customers. Master that art first, then decide if the investment of time and effort is really for you or anyone else.
For consumers when you find a great som who makes your wine experience the best it can be. Hang on to them. If they change venues follow them and visit them. Your wine experience will remain great regardless of the designation they hold, or the lack of it.
If there is a topic you would like to read about or if you have questions on wine, you can email George@thedinnerpartyshop.com, or make suggestions by contacting the Healthy Community section at the Coeur d’Alene Press.
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George Balling is co-owner (with his wife Mary Lancaster) of the dinner party, a wine and table top décor shop located by Costco in Coeur d’Alene. George worked as a judge in many wine competitions, and his articles are published around the country. You can learn more about the dinner party at www.thedinnerpartyshop.com. Be sure and check out our weekly blog at www.thedinnerpartyshop.com/home/blog-2. You can get all of these articles as well as other great wine tips by friending us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/#!/dinnerpartyshop.