What does a sommelier do? Everyone immediately think about wine, but which are its tasks actually?
The idea of the work of a sommelier and the thoughts about this mysterious character that uses to live on the rooms of the restaurants and among the shelves of the wine shops, have changed in the years.
People usually imagine him/her among decanter, dusted candles and bottles inside wineries full of any type of wine, colour and year. The imagination make us think about him/her in ancient and mysterious places while opening bottles and taste peacefully the Bach Nectar, looking like a thoughtful romantic person dreaming on possible evolutions and pairings.
Well, if you are still thinking about these things about a Sommelier it is better you change your mind!
Let’s start from the beginning: how can you become a sommelier?
The journey requires big passion, time, money, study (a lot) and when you finish the course you receive the pin, a diploma and the tastevin, but it is just the beginning of the travel.
Which is the role of sommelier in a restaurant? What does a Sommelier do?
A sommelier takes care about the beverage, he/she welcomes the client, serve water and propose an aperitif. Once that the maître take the order he/she starts to cover its role to select, together with the client, the right bottle or a chalice journey suitable for the dish of the client.
At the end of the meal it cares about the coffee, possible infusions and also some drops of a precious distillates.
Sommelier cares not only about wine and thus it doesn’t have to know only wine!
A good sommelier has to be informed on the world of the beers, with their multiple types and shades; on the panorama of coffee and infusions knowing their qualities; on the world of distillates and spirits informing about the characteristics and the most suitable pairings.
Not only this!
A Sommelier has to organize with patient and the maximum functionality the winery, arranging the bottles of wines when the suppliers arrive (often there are pallet of bottles), organizing and keeping it in order and clean, manage the bureaucracy keeping an inventory always updated, loading the purchases and downloading the bottles sold and above all to keep check the wines in order to serve them in it the best moment (not too young or too aged).
It is a life full of sacrifices and satisfactions, made of lots of hours spent in the working place and other spent on the books or in wineries to be always updated; often this go to the detriment of the private life and friends.
The passion is what make us act in a certain way and when the client thanks us to have been like at home or to have tasted wines that he/she didn’t believe… well, these cases pay back all your efforts!
