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What is a Sommelier?

29/05/2020 Wine service

June 3rd is International Sommelier Day. This date was chosen to commemorate the foundation of the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI) in France in 1969. It is the largest Sommelier community in the world with 55 countries on 5 continents taking part. It works to join forces to protect and improve this profession. But to understand this celebration properly, we need to start at the beginning. So we need to know what a Sommelier is and what they do.

sommelier

A Sommelier is much more than a waiter

Sommelier is a French word which originally, in the 17th century, meant “carriage caretaker” and was a name given to the person in charge of guarding a master’s belongings when travelling. Among the valuables in the carriage was wine. A precious drink that not only had to be looked after all the way, but on arrival it had to be tasted before it could be served to the master. Rather than seeking out the qualities in the wine, it was a case of making sure the wine was not poisoned.

Over time the name has evolved and today a Sommelier involves much more than looking after wines. On a technical level, they are a drinks specialist, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, which includes waters, teas, coffees, vinegars, oils, distillates and liqueurs. But they are mostly known for being an expert in wine service. 

Just like in a museum, the visit is much more informative and interesting if listen to the guide rather than just looking at the exhibits on your own. In a restaurant, a Sommelier is responsible for recommending wines, thinking about pairings and, most importantly, the diner’s tastes, without forgetting the characteristics of the production area, the history of the winery, the unique touches of the winemaker… everything that shapes the story inside and outside of every bottle. Their knowledge of winemaking and food is so extensive that, as well as knowing about lots of wines, they can also tell great stories about them with skill and enthusiasm. And it is not about making a sale, it is about knowing how to convey the emotions that a specific wine brings for each occasion.

However, it is not easy to understand the preferences of someone you have only just met. And this is where a Sommelier really comes into their own: with their ability to empathise with a client they have just met and use the very little they know about them to work out which wine they will love, and most importantly, how to present it in a way that will give them the full, unique experience. 

Differences between a Sommelier and a winemaker 

Although these two professions are closely linked to wine and can often coincide, they are actually two very different jobs.

On the one hand, a winemaker is in charge of actually making the wine. They are a technical advisor who oversees the entire process, from cultivating the grapes in the vineyard, through to the various technical decisions in the winery, to selling the finished wine. Their work is directly linked to the winery and every producer has their own way of doing things.

The Sommelier, on the other hand, is responsible for serving wine to guests in the best condition. So they are not associated with one particular winery and their main job is to perfectly present and serve a wine that their customers will love. Nowadays the role of a Sommelier is very varied and they can be found in restaurants and organising tastings, marketing wines, teaching or even in specialist media. 

From what we have learned, we can see that of these two professions, the Sommelier is the closest to the customer. A trusted advisor we can rely on to select a wine and serve it with great enthusiasm and passion. 

If you want to celebrate International Sommelier Day, it is time to get organised. Firstly, you need to create a menu for your guests. Once you have settled on that, you will need to pair the dishes with good wines. At Decántalo we have expert Sommeliers to guide you with your purchase, give you advice and point you towards the best wines for you. You can get in touch with them through our online chat during opening hours (from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. Monday to Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Spanish time). As well as that, each wine page gives details about the history, production, characteristics and serving suggestions. Add a touch of passion and that is all you need to serve your wines like a proper Sommelier. Why not have a go?

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