What Is a Sommelier?
And how do you pronounce it?
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If you’ve ever deliberated over a wine list at a restaurant and had the sommelier sent over, chances are you’re familiar with their role. But what exactly is a sommelier, and how do you become one? For more info we consulted Master Sommelier Chris Ramelb.
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What Is the Meaning of “Sommelier?”
A sommelier is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional who is responsible for wine service in a restaurant. In French, the word sommelier translates to butler and is used as a term to describe a wine steward or wine waiter.
“A sommelier is a term for a trade professional who works in a wine program,” Ramelb says. “Their duties usually include purchasing, inventorying/cellaring, selling and/or service of wine.” According to the Court of Master Sommeliers Americas, a sommelier may also use their skills and knowledge to coordinate food pairings, facilitate wine education, and are often responsible for the entire beverage selection, including beer, sake, spirits and cocktails.
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Let’s Talk about Sommelier Certifications
There are four levels of sommelier education, and to become a certified sommelier, one must pass level two. Educational programs for sommelier certifications are available through professional organizations such as The Court of Master Sommeliers or Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET). Here is a breakdown of the four sommelier levels per the Court of Master Sommeliers:
Level One Sommelier: Introductory Sommelier
Covers essential aspects of wine study, deductive tasting method and service standards.
"In the intro, it’s a two-day lecture where the only test or assessment they get is a theory test that’s multiple choice," Ramelb says.
Level Two Sommelier: Certified Sommelier
Focuses on ability to demonstrate proficiency in deductive tasting, wine and beverage theory and tableside service (both technical and salesmanship skills). Must obtain a minimum passing score of 60% for the Certified Sommelier Examination, which includes tasting, theory and hospitality and service portions.
“The jump from intro to certified is the fact of demonstrating deductive tasting as well as service standards. From certified on, so level 2 through the master’s exam, you can anticipate the same three parts of an examination: theory, service and tasting," Ramelb explains. "In the certified examination, the theory is written theory with some easier questions like multiple choice, fill in the blank or matching, and your first introduction to mock service examination as well as a four-flight wine tasting."
Level Three Sommelier: Advanced Sommelier
Explores the Court of Master Sommeliers standards in beverage sales and service in greater depth. Must obtain a minimum passing score of 60% for the Advanced Sommelier Examination which includes a theory examination (an oral exam), a deductive tasting of six wines and a practical wine service examination.
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"Advanced is the same thing [as certified] with greater depth; the depth and breadth of pool of questions are much, much larger," Ramelb says. "The biggest jump between levels two and three is you’re given six wines instead of four. And the difference between that is that the tasting examination is all done orally, so you need to memorize this thing called the tasting grid. And then mock service is a little harder."
Level Four Sommelier: Master Sommelier
The Master Sommelier Diploma Examination is similar to the Advanced Sommelier Examination format but the minimum passing score is 75%.
"For the masters level, it’s almost written exactly as the advanced level: six wine flight, verbal grid for tasting and crazy schemes in the service examination,” Ramelb says. “The difference between master and advanced is that the theory is also all verbal, so there’s no passing questions, there’s no going back to check your answers. It’s one of the most awesome experiences."
What’s the Correct “Sommelier” Pronunciation?
The correct phonetic pronunciation of sommelier is suh-muhl-yay.
What about the Meaning of Connoisseur?
The meaning of connoisseur refers to a person who has expert knowledge in a particular subject, such as food, wine, or art. Although one might know a lot about wine and be described as a wine connoisseur, there's no certification required.
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