Superhero Sommeliers

A Wine Enthusiast article on a new generation of sommeliers caught my eye. When last did you go to a restaurant with a sommelier? I find it really special when a restaurant cares as much about the wine as they do about the food and the service, but I am a wine man and wine people like sommeliers. Sommeliers should, however, not only appeal to wine lovers. In fact, they are supposed to be about sharing the story of the wine and helping you understand the culture, history and sense of place, especially when you don't know much about wine. I think sommeliers is an all important part of food and wine experiences, but perhaps it is time to reposition them a little and apply their skills wider than the traditional white tablecloth restaurants and intimidating vintage and terroir talk.

And while I was expecting this article to be about how sommeliers might have become outdated in a time of wine apps, global economic pressure, and with younger generations not that interested in our beloved product, the article focused on exactly what I think sommeliers should be in today's reference - wine educators. But educators in a much broader, more modern sense than in the past or in the traditional sense of education. Like the passionate history teacher who told stories rather than teaching, who sparked your interest in world events and humanity, a passionate sommelier can introduce you to the wonder of the world of wine. This is something that the wine industry needs and that consumers miss, even though they might not realise it.

What does it take to be such a storytelling sommelier? Storytelling is part of most cultures, from the fables of ancient Greece to the legends of Japan and the folktales of Africa. While these tales usually have a universal life lesson, there is also a lesson in how they are told. When Aesop's original Greek fables were translated into Zulu, the animal characters were changed to African animals so that the new audience could understand and associate with the stories. Traditional storytellers could have taught marketing departments that lesson from the beginning: it is about the audience. The concept of storytelling has become part of the jargon for modern-day marketing departments. No one wants to be told what to buy anymore, they want you to share your story, so they can buy into that. For that story to be successful, however, it has to resonate with the audience. Here is a very important lesson for wine.

Wine has a wonderful history and beautiful traditions and although wine styles might differ from one region to the other and from one shopping basket to the next, I believe that the origin and artistry of wine will always be relevant. What we might have to change, however, is how we tell the story of wine. We must consider a new and diverse consumer base. We have talked about this concept before, but what do most South Africans know about the earthiness of a European forest floor? There are all kinds of earthiness in our local flavour reference but is probably not pine cones and truffles. There might be some romance in the idea of using a foreign vocabulary and strange concepts, but while it might intrigue a few, it might intimidate and estrange many others.

Intimidation is often the result of unfamiliarity and that is why, even when there is no intent to intimidate, unfamiliar wine descriptors might have one reach for a cocktail or a beer, rather than the wine list. At its core, inclusion is about hospitality. Making people feel comfortable, welcome and important. In South Africa, we know how important it is to talk in a language that everyone understands and we all know how excluded you feel when you don't. Wine language can do the same - alienating future wine drinkers more than attracting them. Perhaps wine needs a lingua franca!

And that is why we need sommeliers in our restaurants, but also in supermarkets and small shops. We need them in real life, but we also need them as influencers on social media. They have to come from various cultures and backgrounds so that they can interpret the flavour of the forest floor in the context of their audience. This will take time. First for newcomers to wine to understand its complexities and then to contextualise it for a new audience, then to prepare information and teach others. Keep in mind that wine in itself is not just easy to understand. Every variety, vintage, and origin is different. What you taste might depend on the age of the wine, its temperature, the food you are enjoying it with, or even just the vessel you drink it from! It isn't straightforward, but it is what makes wine so special. It is why we have tasting rooms, wine clubs, books and conversations about wine. It is also why we need sommeliers!

Similar to winemakers who also have to sell their own wines, we need sommeliers to be storytellers and linguists. They have to love history and culture. They should understand palates and plates. They need to be passionate about the wonder of wine. Perhaps the question isn't whether we need sommeliers, it should be about how much we are embracing and supporting a new generation of these superheroes to reach a new generation of consumers and future wine drinkers.

Do you think this is asking too much? Perhaps not! Do read A New Generation of Wine Drinkers is Rewriting the Language of Wine. They're already out there!