My curiosity grew with age and led me to sign up to my first wine course. Years later, I was determined to transform my interest in wine into a career. Naively, I assumed that passion would be enough, but soon realised that it wasn’t so. My lack of experience as a sommelier resulted in countless application rejections and unsuccessful interviews. But, just like in the movies, the proverbial doors of the industry finally opened for me. I was filled with excitement at what was to come, but challenges lay ahead.
The fantasy of opening and decanting rare wines from mature vintages was swallowed whole by pressure and workload. I quickly became overwhelmed by the long hours and physical tasks required. While I found joy and satisfaction in recommending and serving great wines, there were also less than enjoyable duties involving cleaning, carrying and unboxing wooden cases which could take up several hours of the day. The pressure and high expectations were a constant stress and it started to take a toll on my mental health.
I looked for help, but meeting friends became difficult due to the unsociable working hours. The countless times I missed out on festive periods and key celebrations became part of the work package. That’s not to say that I didn’t – don’t – enjoy working with wine. When things go well, it is rewarding. However, it can also leave you feeling devastated when mistakes happen.
It took a couple of years for me to finally have more confidence in my ability as a sommelier. Yet growing within this field is challenging. There is always a voice that echoes, ‘what’s next?’. Even in this modern day, I find that career opportunities might be overlooked for women. In several job interviews, I was asked: ‘Are you planning to get married or have kids?’, a question that is clearly inappropriate. In previous jobs, I heard such comments as ‘female sommeliers will always move on to an office job as they get older’, or the shocking assumption, ‘women do not want to work long hours’. Unsurprisingly, many female industry fellows had similar experiences. Some report being told ‘you are not arrogant enough’, or asked ‘can you really manage?’.
Despite this, I believe those times have passed and the situation has improved. But there are still hurdles to overcome. What am I personally facing? The guest who does not believe that I am a sommelier, or my wine recommendation being refused due to my gender… There is still a long way to go to fix the industry. I can’t pretend that those ludicrous experiences didn’t distract me and dishearten me when it came to my career ambitions, but my love for wine shone through.
Today, I am fortunate enough to have opportunities in designing wine programs and sharing my passion. My hope is also to help the industry take further steps in equality to benefit the next generation of sommeliers. I have seen so many wine-loving colleagues decide not to progress as a sommelier due to worries and fears around lack of experience and barriers to career progression. Some are under the impression that sommeliers are part of a mysterious ‘exclusive club’.
Is it time for us somms to reflect on how we can attract people into the industry? Should sommeliers become more ‘approachable and friendly’ so guests feel more comfortable speaking with us? This isn’t just my dream, there are many working towards the same goal. One day, when I look back, I hope I can say with pride that I was part of achieving it.
Let us celebrate individual differences just as we celebrate the diversity provided by wine’s myriad grape varieties and terroirs. Diversity should be reflected not only in the wine list, but also in the people who work in the industry, behind each bottle. In the end, we’re speaking the same wine languages, and sharing a common passion – wine connects people, and that’s something to raise a glass to.
In my glass this month
It was an absolute treat to enjoy Marqués de Murrieta’s Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial Blanco 1986 (£785-£800 in bond via Crop & Vine, Ideal Wine Co, VinQuinn). Such an expressive wine – powerful, yet executed in a very fine and elegant way. Mature aromas of beeswax, honey and orange blossom, followed by layers of creaminess, spices and a hint of petrol on the finish. Mineral, umami, with great balanced oak. It shone so well that I couldn’t believe it was a wine with 38 years of age.
