Meet the Newest Advanced Sommeliers
You may go to a restaurant and have a “Sommelier” suggest a wine…this person is most likely not really a Sommelier. It takes years of hard work, dedication, and yes…study to become a Somm. To become an Advanced Sommelier is even tougher.
This year, 18 people (out of 66) earned this coveted title from the Court of Master Sommeliers after passing the three day Advanced Sommelier exam.
Jake Lewis of Momofuku in Toronto went on to earn the Rudd Scholarship which means he gets $5k towards the courses and materials to prepare for his Master’s exam (there are only 220 Master Sommeliers in the world). He also gets to attend the Rudd Masters Roundtable in Napa Valley, California.
Andrew McNamara, MS, Chairman of the Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas said that “All of the candidates who took the exam should all be extremely proud of their achievements, but these eighteen demonstrated a superior knowledge of wine theory, an advanced understanding of beverage service, and an unparalleled tasting ability”
The complete list of 2015 Advanced Sommeliers
€¢ Nicholas Barb, The Little Nell Hotel (Aspen, CO )
€¢ Daniel Beedle, Juni Restaurant (New York, NY)
€¢ Ashley Broshious, Brix Restaurant and Gardens (Napa, CA)
€¢ Nick Davis, Canlis (Seattle, WA)
€¢ Kelvin DeBoer, Sidney Frank Importing Co. (Seattle, WA)
€¢ James Deleon, Kroger Company (Houston, TX)
€¢ Christopher Dooley, L’Espalier (Somerville, MA)
€¢ Michael Freeman, Vintner Select (Dayton, OH)
€¢ Brent Jones, Grill 23 (Boston, MA)
€¢ Brandon Kerne, Bar Italia Ristorante (Saint Louis, MO)
€¢ Jake Lewis, Momofuku (Toronto, Ontario)
€¢ Daniel Miller, Del Frisco’s (Fort Worth, TX)
€¢ Anthony Minne, Plum Market (Chicago, IL)
€¢ Nathaniel Munoz, Aubergine at L’Auberge (Carmel Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA)
€¢ Paul Ozbirn, Parkside Projects (Austin, TX)
€¢ Steven Robinson, Atelier Restaurant (Ottawa, Ontario)
€¢ Jennifer Schmitt, Everest (Chicago, IL)
€¢ Carl Villeneuve Lepage, Restaurant Toque! (Montreal, Quebec)
What is the Court of Master SommeliersÂ
The Court of Master Sommeliers was created in England in 1977. It’s goal is to improve the level of quality when it comes to beverage knowledge and service in hotels and restaurants.
The first Master Sommelier Diploma Exam in the US was held in 1987. As mentioned before, there are only 220 Master Sommeliers in the world.
What do I need to do to become a Master Sommelier?
It’s a lot of work. Becoming a Master Sommelier does not mean you drink wine all day. You need to understand geology, geography, science, nature, and much more. They also need to have a naturally talented palate in order to recognize the differences between the over 10,000 grapes that exist in the world. Like I mentioned, it’s no easy task.
There are 4 steps that you need to accomplish to become a true Master Sommelier:
1) Introductory Sommelier Course $525 – A minimum of three years in the wine/service industry is strongly recommended for the Introductory Course.
2) Certified Sommelier Exam $325
3) Advanced Sommelier Course ($795 for the course & $795 for the exam) – Entrance into the Advanced Course and the Advanced Exam is via a selection process of the Court of Master Sommelier’s academic admissions committee. You must have passed the Introductory and Certified Exams and have at least 3 years minimum experience, but 5 years are suggested, in the front-of-the-house restaurant service industry.
4) Master Sommelier Diploma $795 – The Master Sommelier Diploma Exam is by invitation only after successful completion of the Advanced Exam
How many Master Sommeliers Exist in the World?
140 people earned the title of Master Sommelier in the Americas since the organization’s inception (119 are men and 21 are women – ladies, we’ve got some work to do).
220 people worldwide who have earned the title of Master Sommelier since the first Master Sommelier Diploma Exam.