Sommelier

Ferran Adrià’s legendary restaurant El Bulli defined modernist cuisine. The restaurant had an undeniable influence on haute cuisine trends both in Spain and across the globe. For 13 years, its wine programme was led by sommelier Ferran Centelles. Ferran continues to work with Adrià at the elBullifoundation, a creativity centre of culinary and wine-focused scholarship that was created in 2011 after the restaurant’s closure.  

 Sharon McLean is a Certified sommelier, DipWSET and Approved French Wine Scholar Program Provider at her firm Cru Consultancy, which she owns and operates with her partner, Treve Ring.She is also the Lead Instructor for the Wine Scholar Guild’s Live Online French Wine Scholar course series, an MW candidate, freelance wine writer and international consultant!  Sharon, given that we couldn’t fit all of your accolades and projects into that introduction it’s safe to say you are one incredibly busy woman! How do you fit all of this in? And... how did you start your wine journey? 

Pascaline Lepeltier is one of the world’s most respected and modern sommeliers and restaurateurs. Her list of accolades and professional achievements is endless. In 2018, she was the first woman ever to obtain the Meilleure Ouvrière de France in sommellerie (this is a very prestigious award that loosely translates to "best tradesperson of France") and the same year, she was named Best Sommelier of France. 2018 was action-packed for Pascaline as she also featured in popular wine-themed movie Somm 3. 

“The couple at number 12 wants to see you,” my assistant told me, returning from what I immediately knew was going to reveal itself as a tricky table to please. At the time, I was managing the wine list of a charming modern-British restaurant with rooms in the New Forest, a fairytale-like national park about two hours’ drive southwest of London. The gentleman at number 12 couldn’t believe how a young waiter, wearing a bright pink shirt and a denim tie, could possibly offer him proper guidance on a wine list boasting over 400 entries.  

In the world of wine, the sommelier holds a position of both reverence and responsibility. More than just a connoisseur, a sommelier is an interpreter of terroir, a storyteller of vintages and above all a master of human connection. Philippe, a world-renowned sommelier from France's Jura region, spoke with WSG’s Founder and President Julien Camus recently, with rare authenticity about what defines excellence in this noble craft. 

Some of the most exciting opportunities within the job market lie within the wine industry. They represent careers which span a remarkably diverse range of talent which among them include winemaking, marketing, consulting, journalism, chemistry, and software development. It is no secret that the recent pandemic has played a very pivotal role in the landscape of the job market. This has been especially true where