A sommelier may be responsible for the development of wine lists and books and for the delivery of wine service and training for the other restaurant staff. Working along with the culinary team, they pair and suggest wines that will best complement each particular food menu item.
This entails the need for a deep knowledge of how food and wine, beer, spirits and other beverages work in harmony. A professional sommelier also works on the floor of the restaurant and is in direct contact with restaurant patrons.
The sommelier has a responsibility to work within the taste preference and budget parameters of the patron.
In modern times, a sommelier’s role may be considered broader than working only with wines, and may encompass all aspects of the restaurant’s service, with an enhanced focus on wines, beers, spirits, soft-drinks, cocktails, mineral waters, and tobaccos.
The modern word is French, deriving from Middle French where it referred to a court official charged with transportation of supplies.
This use of the term dates to a period when pack animals would be used to transport supplies. The Middle French probably finds its origin in Old Provençal where a saumalier was a pack animal driver.
Sauma referred to a pack animal or the load of a pack animal. In Late Latin, sagma referred to a packsaddle.
Though ‘sommelier’ is a job title potentially anyone may claim, becoming a professional certified sommelier often requires some combination of experience, training, formal education (a bachelor’s degree is not required, but individuals may do a two-year associate degree), classes e examinations.
Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS), established in 1977, is an independent examining body that offers the ‘Master Sommelier Diploma’, the ‘Advanced Sommelier Certificate’, the ‘Certified Sommelier Certificate’, e the ‘Introductory Sommelier Certificate’. It was created under the supervision of the Worshipful Company of Vintners, the Institute of Masters of Wine, the British Hotels & Restaurants Association, the Wine e Spirit Trade Association of Great Britain, e the Wholesale Tobacco Trade Association.
Court also offers intermediate levels of education including the annual “Advanced Sommelier Course”, which prepares invited candidates to sit for the Advanced Exam, generally offered 2–3 times per year. Taking the Advanced Course e passing the Advanced Exam are mandatory before sitting for the Masters Exam.
International Wine Guild was founded in 1998 e is approved e regulated by the Colorado Department of Higher Education. Independent school offers the Level IV ‘Guild Master Wine Educator Diploma’, the Level III ‘Guild Wine Master Diploma e Certification’, the Level II ‘Advanced Wine Course e Executive Sommelier Certification’ e the Level I ‘Introductory Wine Sommelier Certification’. International Wine & Spirits Guild was established to encourage study to develop technical e professional understanding e increased knowledge of wine throughout all areas of the wine, spirits e food service industry. IWSG also offers professional courses e certifications for Wine Judges, Wine Instructors, e in Fine Spirits e Sake.
North American Sommelier Association was founded in 2006 e is the official representative in the United States e Canada of the Worldwide Sommelier Association (WSA). Its Certified Sommelier course is divided into three phases but is offered as one entire course e includes extensive class time, lectures, educational visits to wineries, e educational dinners. Unlike other groups, NASA has only two tiers of Sommelier qualification: Silver-Pin e Gold-Pin.
Il Gold-Pin qualification is obtained through a series of extensive requirements e certifications (Master Wine Taster, Master Of Service…) as well as proof of experience in the industry. Aside from the Sommelier Certification, NASA also provides various smaller proprietary specialization courses, such as ‘Italian Wine Specialist’, ‘American Wine Specialist’, ‘Spanish Wine Specialist’ e various master-classes such as ‘Master Of Terroir’, ‘Master of Sangiovese’, ‘Master of Service’, e ‘Master Wine Taster’.
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