It’s spreading across America worse than EBola. Why do people with heart concerns or skin cancer concerns seek out Medical Specialists who are constantly keeping up with the latest advances in their fields but when a wine lover goes to a retail store or restaurant, they are annoyed by a sommelier’s guidance and some actually consider you worse than a used car salesperson??
I can only speak for myself but I am sure these words will echo with every single person who has studied and passed exams to become sommeliers. We do NOT do this job because of the work hours (Nights Weekends and Holidays) and certainly not to get rich. We study, study and read every possible publication on the latest wine trends and travel the world FOR YOU!!!. Yes FOR YOU!!!. We are Not Used Car Salespeople. You can buy any wine you want without our advice at any price and we still earn our BONUSES and COMMISSIONS. We do this out Of PASSION to help YOU. I sometimes sample 40 new wines in one week, to find that new exciting gem of a wine that YOU may never be able to try so I can introduce it to my guests or customers. With all that said, there are still these people that are so resistant to a Sommelier trying to create a unique, memorable experience that they actually find it Annoying. They even express to management why they would hire such a person to ANNOY tables and make wine recommendations or offer education and information about new wines when people can read a wine list and pick their own wine??. Thank goodness this is only a minority of the dining or wine buying consumers but it is scaring me that this group is growing larger every year.
If you really suffer from this kind of attitude towards a sommelier, I strongly suggest you watch this movie which will hopefully change your opinion of what a sommelier goes through to gain enough knowledge and skills to create a happy wine experience for you
Definition of Anxiety is: IRRATIONAL FEAR. If You suffer from SOMMELIERAPHOBIA, First Admit you have this disorder and soon you will realize that us SOMMELIERS ARE NOT THE BAD GUYS
Sommelieraphobia, An Irrational Fear Among Wine Lovers
Larry The Wine Guy 