Crafting Careers – Industry Insights
Head of Wines – Indian Accent, Comorin, HOSA, Fireback.
Q1)What sparked your interest in wine?
My interest in wine started from my second year in IHM Mumbai wherein we were taught about wines and spirits, it was further intensified when I started working with Indigo which had a very intense wine List.
Q2) How did you decide to pursue a career as a sommelier?
While working with Indigo as mentioned earlier, it had a very intimidating wine list. To make my life easier as a steward, I started reading about the wines on the list and making a version of a wine bible for the restaurant. This in turn helped me talk to the guests about the wines more confidently and I was able to sell more wines. Seeing this wine driven sales approach, one of my managers who had just returned from cruise advised me to take up wine courses as I had the interest for it. Taking his advice into consideration I started with WSET Level 2 & 3 which I completed in the same year, 2015. Following this I travelled to Athens, Greece to pursue my Court of Master Sommeliers, Introductory and Certified
Sommelier Course which was passed in 2016. CMS at the time was not available in India and there were only 3 other Certified Sommeliers back then.
Q3). You’ve worked with some of India’s finest restaurants – how has that shaped your perspective on wine and hospitality?
Working with restaurants helps one gain a very different perspective about hospitality. Wine has evolved over the years for the Indian market, consumers have shifted from off-dry or sweet wines like Rieslings with residual sugar, to crisper and drier styles such as Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley, or Chardonnays from California. We are also seeing a rise in popularity of dry rose wines from Provence.The consumers are now open to trying out various wines and have an open mind towards the beverage.In a market like India genuine hospitality is at the core of any restaurants operations and to make wine a preferred beverage amongst the consumers, a warm hospitable approach towards the understanding
of the beverage is very important which shows in the form of more approachable wines by the glass and easy to understand wine lists play a major role. Along with the wine drinking culture, Indian wines have also grown in quality which further amplifies wine as an approachable beverage.
Q4) What is your biggest learning as a wine professional?
My biggest learning as a wine professional is the need to continuously learn and grow to adapt to the ever growing wine world. The world of wine is constantly upgrading so should we!
Q5) What key skills should someone aspiring to be a sommelier develop?
For an aspiring sommelier genuine hospitality and customer service skills are needed to be a good sommelier. Wine Tasting and Sensory Evaluation is of prime importance. The ability to differentiate aromas and flavours needs to be developed and practiced from an early stage, along with tasting the The theory behind the subject is equally important as it’s ever evolving.
Q6) What’s one piece of advice you’d give to them?
To become a sommelier it is very important to have discipline in life. Without a habit to study
Everyday exams and certifications can get very challenging as one levels up be it CMS or WSET. Humility is very important to be a sommelier, and to remain open to learn from others. The more you study wine, the more you know that you don’t know a lot.
