Sommelier is such a beautiful word. It has that lovely French pronunciation and it implies a passion and knowledge that is a little foreign and somewhat exotic to many of us. We might easily be impressed, inspired or even intimidated by a sommelier, but what does having this title really imply?
In French, the word sommelier literally means “butler”. Since the 19th century, it has been used to refer to a “wine steward” or “wine waiter” and therefore implies someone with perhaps enough wine knowledge to compile a wine list, but who knows how to make a recommendation based on your preferences or choice of meal. But in today’s world, having the title of sommelier implies much more than being your server of Sauvignon Blanc. While knowing the wines of your establishment might be good enough for you to fulfil the role of sommelier at that specific address, being a qualified sommelier takes quite a bit of dedication! To gain such a qualification, a combination of formal certification and practical training is required.
Some acclaimed formal certifications are provided by the International Sommelier Guild, the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale, the WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) and the CMS (Court of Master Sommeliers). All of these and many other courses require a combination of formal training and practical experience in the hospitality industry. Sometimes someone doing the job of the wine waiter has the title of sommelier and while the uncertified person might be an exceptional server with a love for and knowledge of wine, they might not have the depth of knowledge of terroir and international exposure, having travelled to various winegrowing areas, taking part in extensive international tastings, etc. Sometimes all of this might not be required, of course. If you have a limited wine list, compiled by the owner, the “sommelier” really is a wine waiter and while doing a good job, perhaps it is a little unfair to carry the title compared to those who have put in extensive effort, time and money to become a certified professional. I believe titles in hospitality are important when they contribute to clarity, respect and efficiency. While a person’s worth, experience and skill can be so much more than their title, one should also be careful about misleading titles.
In South Africa, the South African Sommeliers Association offers a variety of certification options and over recent years, we’ve seen quite the investment in training sommeliers to assist restaurants in providing a better and more profitable wine experience. Training these wine enthusiasts helped us to optimise the exceptional tourism industry and introduce South African wines as part of our acclaimed food experience. South African sommeliers also help to introduce wine to a bigger local audience, make it a little more accessible as an industry and create another platform for wine to sustainably contribute to education and employment. In a recent article, Michael Fridjhon addressed the role of the South African sommelier and how the industry got behind the initiative with funding and creating opportunities. He is a little worried about the direction we are going – do read the article – but this is not part of my beverage title train of thought for the day.
The title of sommelier has been extended to other beverages too and perhaps the level of expertise required to call yourself by that title depends on where you are based and how much those around you know about your beverage of choice. A tea sommelier in most countries would be a trained and knowledgeable professional when it comes to tea. In China, however, if you want to become proficient in the subject of tea (not even an expert or sommelier), you have to complete extensive studies such as a 4-year degree! For the rest of us, a certification at the World Tea Academy might be enough to be an expert in tea – from its origin and making to serving and pairing.
Talking about serving and pairing. When it comes to coffee, what is the difference between a barista and a sommelier?
We wouldn’t dare serving coffee in a restaurant or coffee shop without a barista, would we? A barista is an expert in the making of coffee. From grinding and brewing to serving and decorating. The coffee sommelier, however, reaches another level of sophistication and while probably also an exceptional barista, has more in-depth knowledge when it comes to the story of coffee. At a sommelier level coffee is about more than the cup in your hand, it is knowing its history, origin and terroir and understanding flavour profiles, vintage influences, etc. More than making sure that the coffee tastes good, the sommelier can compile a menu for different experiences of coffee, keep seasonality and profitability in mind and even suggest terroirs, brews and styles as the ideal food pairing! This sounds like what we expect from the wine sommelier and fulfilling this role would require quite a broad and well-informed reference.
It is about more than just the quality of the coffee. Organisations like the Coffee Quality Institute try to improve the quality of coffee and the lives of those who produce it, but can you study to become a coffee sommelier?
Like for wine, to become a coffee sommelier, you can sign-up to a number of international programmes. The Certified Coffee Specialist (CCS) program involves comprehensive exams and presenting a thesis, while the Master of Coffee programme requires a certificate from the CCS, both a written and oral exam as well as a blind tasting. The Swiss Coffee Sommelier programme take the theoretical and practical coffee knowledge further by adding business management and coffee concept development to the curriculum. Q-Grader is another challenging certification, presented by the Coffee Quality Institute.
When I decided to call my new coffee brand SOMM, I was thinking about the romantic idea of the name, the passion that is implied for both the product and the people behind it, the knowledge of terroir and history as well as the skill and expertise required to offer my customers the best possible coffee experience. I didn’t necessarily consider such formal levels of qualification and I am still amazed at how complex and challenging the world of coffee at this level can be.
I am fascinated by it all and while not at the level of sommeliers, my team and I are inspired by such commitment to coffee and we are experimenting, tasting and finding exceptional new ways with this special beverage. At the same time, however, I hope we can test, learn and explore without losing sight of simple enjoyment. I love innovation, I don’t believe in compromise when it comes to quality and while acknowledging the masters and specialists involved in selecting our beverage of choice, sometimes my wine is really just about enjoyment in the moment, my beer just a cold refreshment on a hot day and my coffee simply about warmth, comfort and conversation, not too much more.