These are the biggest misconceptions about sommeliers, according to sommeliers
Lots of tasting (without swallowing), memorizing lots of (sometimes deadly boring) theory and providing impeccable service. Those are just some of the daily skills a top sommelier has to master. But the average person really does think differently, as it turns out.
Not drunk every day
In fact, they don’t even drink wine every day. Let alone expensive wine… But there are more misconceptions about sommeliers, according to sommeliers. Here they are:
Isabel van Bueren
“That when we go out to eat ourselves, we always order expensive wines.”
Erica Verweijen
“That we’re constantly travelling to discover new wines. Many people don’t understand that we work with importers.”
Nabil Touires
“That sommeliers are alcoholics.”
Bram Faber
“Many people think we’re snobs, stuffy and old-fashioned.”
Imil Ayoub
“That we’re drunk every day. And that we’re very focused on selling (expensive) wines.”
Julian Cleton
“That we drink wine every day.”
Laurence Reintjens
“That it’s all just a matter of pouring a little wine. Most of the day really consists of price calculations, meetings with suppliers, administration and tastings, after which the evening still has to begin.”
Wouter van Essen
“That our goal is to talk guests into an expensive/more expensive wine.”
Ivar Roerink
“The amount of knowledge and expertise you need to be a sommelier is often underestimated. The wine world is incredibly vast and continues to grow every day, which means that as a sommelier you always have to keep investing in yourself. Especially because today’s guests often know surprisingly much about wine – and as a sommelier, you always want to surprise guests.”
Ruth Engels
“Sommeliers are often seen as wine snobs. I think this misconception arose from the fantastic wines we get to taste and the knowledge we have about wine. But of course that’s not true at all – you can also make me very happy with a tasty easy-drinking wine.”
Sabas Joosten
“That they’re exclusively about wine. Spirits, beer, tea, coffee and cigars are also part of it. And that they drink a lot, of course. Not true either.”
Dennis Blaaser
“That sommeliers are, by definition, grey, boring snobs, while a generation of fresh and incredibly engaged somms has emerged, sharing amazing wines and their passion with an open-minded perspective, such as Lendl Mijnheimer (Bougainville, Amsterdam), Niek Beute (De Klepel, Amsterdam), Chanan Wisse (Scheepskameel, Amsterdam) and Priscilla van der Voort (Waterproof, Scheveningen).”
Maaike Kauffman
“That we do nothing but walk around and “pour a bit of wine”. Sommeliers often also accompany the dishes in the restaurant. Besides, we don’t drink only expensive wines at home (I certainly don’t)...”
Also read:
- 6 bizarre things sommeliers experience
- These are sommeliers’ favorite wines under ten euros
- The strangest drinks sommeliers have ever had
Image: Isabel van Bueren
