Video: Life of a She Sommelier 2024, May
The modern labor market is saturated with professions whose names are not always familiar to ordinary domestic workers. It is not difficult to get confused among brokers, brokers, croupiers, managers and everyone else. The merging of cultures has led to the emergence of new names in literally every area of work.
In the wine market, sommelier is one of the most popular specialties. What is it, who should be called that, and why should I contact him? These issues require detailed coverage.
Sommelier: definition, meaning, history of the term
The word has French roots. In the Middle Ages, he was the person responsible for linen and utensils in the royal palace, as well as for prepared food and wine in the cellar. Over time, functions were limited to preparing the instruments, serving the table, and choosing wines to serve on the royal table.
The mid-19th century became the golden age for this profession, when numerous upscale restaurants were opened and the culture of wine consumption was at its peak. The wars of the 20th century reduced attention to many elements of luxury, sommeliers became less in demand.
Who is a sommelier today? This is a specialist working in restaurants, monitoring the state of the assortment of wines and wine cards, acting as an expert on such issues.
What does this specialist do?
Such people belong to the restaurant staff. The sommelier profession included in the staffing table significantly increases the rating and class of the institution. As a rule, not all restaurants can afford such a specialist, but only those that rely on the exquisite cuisine, the quality of service and the maximum comfort of their visitors.
So sommelier - what is it? This is the name of the profession in which the specialist performs the following duties:
- Drawing up wine cards for restaurants.
- Maintaining a stock of wines at a given level or expanding the assortment (this also applies to other alcoholic beverages: liquors, whiskey and others).
- Visiting thematic exhibitions, tastings and meetings in order to maintain their awareness of the wine market at a high level.
- Responsibility for the procurement of new batches and single copies.
- Based on the knowledge of the assortment of its wine cellar, it recommends the visitors to the restaurant wines that match the dishes they have ordered.
Another task of the sommelier is the timely replenishment of depleting stocks. In this, knowledge of the market, its features, ups and downs helps him. In addition, he needs to be on friendly terms with the owners of wineries, collectors and intermediaries.
High responsibility sommelier
In the process of replenishing the wine list and buying a variety of original wines, the decisive role is played only by the knowledge and individual tasting experience of the sommelier. What does this mean for a restaurant's reputation? The fact that the slightest mistake or oversight of an employee can be very expensive.
One of the skills of a skilled sommelier is the ability to literally read the client’s mind and read between the lines. Most often, he can only manage a few minutes, during which he should have time to give a recommendation on the combination of ordered dishes and wine. Procrastination or hesitation becomes a sign of unprofessionalism, makes an unfavorable impression on visitors and damages the reputation of the institution. A lightning strike that hits exactly the target is what you expect from a sommelier. That this is an important aspect of the specialist’s activity and a peculiar art, when teaching the future sommelier, they expound first of all.
Visiting a restaurant and leaving a decent amount in it, customers want satisfaction and complete gastronomic pleasure.
Communication with customers
Often, a restaurant’s wine list includes at least one hundred names, the sommelier profession provides for a specialist to know all these wines, their properties, cost and optimal variations for combining with dishes and other drinks.
The activity of a sommelier can be compared with the work of a psychologist, because he also needs to feel the mood of visitors, quickly identify their social status and needs. Really outstanding specialists are obliged to have inventiveness, sense of humor and tact.
Only a few clients perceive the sommelier as a member of the service staff. In most cases, they are interested in obtaining complete information about wines, perceiving them as a component of the kitchen, a sophisticated and mysterious element of the atmosphere of the institution. It is for them that the post of sommelier was introduced. Who is this if not their friendly guide in the mysterious world of wines?
In addition to professional recommendations, he also carries out the correct supply of wines to the table.
Who is a sommelier and how can one become one?
There are special schools that specialize in teaching the intricacies of this profession. An important component of the learning process is not only theoretical courses, including knowledge about the types and methods of wine production, as well as the history and location of wine regions. Important skills in decomposition of the fragrance into its components, as well as the ability to interpret the resulting bouquets.
The result of sommelier professionalism is the ability to determine the quality of a drink and grape variety by its aroma. The best in their field can also establish the name of the wine producing region and how long it has been bottled.
During training, future sommeliers train their sense of smell using special sets of wine aromas. They include all samples of smells that are found in bouquets.
The sommelier uses a specific inventory - an Narzannik. People call it simply a corkscrew. However, the professional tool has several differences: it necessarily contains a knife for cutting the foil, and also often has a design with a support knee.
Sommelier and Artistry
Often this profession is compared with acting. And here we have in mind not only the elegant, artistic manners that accompany the serving. Of great importance is the kind of art with which the sommelier is able to present varieties of wines that are well-known to him, while preserving the freshness of emotions as in the story of a recent discovery.
The same task is faced by an actor who comes to revelation, playing a perfectly memorized role.
Total
Summarizing all the above, one can briefly answer the questions about what the sommeliers do, who they are and what their role is. These top-class restaurant workers have unique wine knowledge and experience. Sommelier work is actually a source of added value for wine in a restaurant.
