Oenologist or sommelier?
Oenologist and sommelier: a confusion that is all too common!
Often, confusion arises between these two terms, which are oenologist And sommelierSo let's take this opportunity to clarify everyone's role.
L'oenologist
A oenologist is a consultant serving the winegrower or the " wine maker Its scope of intervention begins in the vineyard and extends to the cellarHe proposes and often participates in decisions regarding farming methods to be adapted according to the grape varieties and climatic hazards, on the start dates of the various campaigns to be carried out at the vineThen he intervenes as an advisor during all stages of the winemaking up to bottling: the oenologists have a background in biology. Their opinions are sometimes decisive and significant. Some oenologists have a distinctive style and could be recognized by the quality of the wines achieved – we're talking about the style of Michel Rolland for example. Sometimes certain oenologists have their own analytical laboratory, sometimes they outsource this function. Most large estates have one oenologistThis shared and generally tested resource helps to avoid errors and incidentally allows one to benefit from a shared experience.
The sommelier
THE sommelierHe is at the service of consumers: his secret weapon, the corkscrew, is never far from his side. His role is to present and advise the customer on the choice of a wineAt the restaurant, the sommelier ensures the service of wine and the management of the cellar. There cellar The wine cellar of a large restaurant can sometimes reach 100,000 bottles. It must be built up in a balanced way with old and recent vintages and... wines from different regions, follow the maturity of each wine and in each vintage. There cellar must live! Sometimes, the sommelier buy the wine directly from the domains And tradersHe is invariably sought after by winegrowers and wine producers, as he is an advisor. He makes the selection and carries out the wine listFor the service of wines, THE sommelier possesses genuine skills in thefood and wine pairing and guides the customer in their choice as best as possible. wine must highlight the dish: it is a domaine which requires a real knowledge of cooking. Moreover, the curriculum of sommelier requires prior culinary training! There are several competitions for sommelierand the most prestigious titles are better sommelier of the world, best sommelier in Europe, best sommelier in France And best sommelier of France.