What Is a Wine Sommelier?
A sommelier is a trained wine professional who specializes in wine service, wine tasting, and wine pairing with various foods. Modern sommeliers are required to learn about the characteristics of different grapes and growing regions so they can help connect wine lovers with the very best wines for their palates.
Where Are Some of the Places Sommeliers Work?
Sommeliers work everywhere from small wine shops to fine-dining and Michelin rated restaurants, to wine and spirits distribution companies and even as ambassadors for specific wineries and wine regions. They write and teach about wines and use their expert knowledge of the various types of wine and grape varieties to guide guests and consumers to the wine they’ll best enjoy. The work of sommeliers can also be found on television shows about food and wine, websites dedicated to wine culture, or in books.
Trained sommeliers are certified by the Society of Wine Educators, the Wine and Spirits Education Trust or the Court of Master Sommeliers. Some sommeliers work as instructors or professors at culinary schools, where they teach aspiring cooks and future sommeliers about pairing foods with wines based on flavor profiles.
What Kind of Training Goes Into Becoming a Sommelier?
Becoming a sommelier requires years of training, and in the United States, one must pass several tests to earn the title. To be a certified sommelier you need to pass three exams to receive accreditation from the Court of Master Sommeliers. Before taking the exams, which cover blind tasting, theory, service, and salesmanship, candidates are strongly encouraged to undergo rigorous training.
About Certified Sommelier Amanda Greenbaum
The Malibu Coast AVA, where AJA Vineyards is located, is a wine region in Southern California. The Malibu Coast AVA offers a variety of reds, whites, and rosés. At AJA Vineyards, Amanda Greenbaum is a Certified Sommelier who is involved in all operations at our winery and uses her extensive knowledge of wine to create some of the finest wines in the Malibu Coast.
Amanda fell in love with wine at the young age of 14. After graduating from UCLA Amanda studied at the International Culinary Center and became a Certified Sommelier; a title granted to her through the Court of Master Sommeliers. She has interned with winemakers around the world, and brings this knowledge and experience back to AJA Vineyards.
Try some of AJA Vineyards’ delicious wine today and benefit from Amanda’s knowledge and experience!
