My name is Grace. I am 28 years old and a flight attendant for America's hottest new airline (I will let you, my dear reader, guess which one). My days are spent traveling back and forth across the country in a metal fuselage serving the discerning guest a variety of beverages, and using the words "please return to your seats and fasten your seat belts" so often that I can do my job in my sleep. Don't get me wrong, I love aspects of my job. I love the hustle and bustle of airports. I love serving First Class and the celebrities that frequent my airline. But- above all else, I love that I get to use airplanes like they are my own personal bus service. I can fly for free anywhere in the country, and anywhere in the world for a very reasonable rate. Flying is a fun job, but I am not challenged the way I want to be.
The desire to become a sommelier stems mainly from the fact that I am a wino and a foodie- and these attributes seem to suggest that I could make it as a "Som". To date, I have never studied wine, I have just appreciated every sip in my glass.
What does it take to become a sommelier? There is no clear-cut path, but industry experts and top restaurants all recognize the certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers, which starts with a certificate course, a test, an advanced course with test, and finally- the illusive "Master" exam, which is so hard that only 200 people in the world have passed it. Equally intimidating is the fact that you cannot just sign up to take the exam, you have to be invited.
I suppose the entire point to becoming a sommelier is the journey. It is entirely possible that you could study wine your whole life and even be considered a "master" of it- but there is always more to learn. 95 percent of all Sommeliers are men. Typically middle-aged or older, cultured, educated, well-traveled, linguistically gifted men- and that is all part of the allure for me. I want to prove to myself that I can become a somme. I want to be an expert in something that I love. So, my journey begins now.
Today I purchased some books on Amazon to help me before I take the certificate course in March:
And...
The Only Wine Book You'll Ever Need by Danny May- mostly chosen for the hilarious title.
My plan is this:
I intend to spend the next year learning everything that I can about wine, winemaking (I already have a jump-start on this, since I spent some time in Napa Valley with a winemaker helping out for the harvest last year), and the work of a Sommelier for the next year. I am going to be a wine sponge.
Here.... goes!!!!
