Rob Harpest’s Wine Tips for the Sommelier

Personality goes a long way. A genuine, personable sommelier is so much more valuable than a robotic encyclopedia. Guests respond to someone they can trust and enjoy talking to. I earned my greatest jobs over candidates who knew more than me and had tasted worlds more wine than I had. Honesty and humility can make all the difference in your career and in your ability to take care of people.

Have fun with it! Don’t be afraid to say unusual things and describe wine uniquely! Compare a wine to a movie. Tell a guest that a wine is like falling into a plush pillow-topped mattress. Or making out with a silk curtain! Share your favorite guilty pleasures with people. Wine is supposed to be fun!

Always be on the lookout for something new. It has always been my general rule of thumb to never open anything from my personal cellar more than once in a one-year period. When I go out, I will never choose something I’ve already had if there is something I have not. At work, I make it a point to try to taste something or with someone new every day. You never know what new surprises are out there. It’s very easy to lose track of how important tasting appointments are when you get wrapped up in operations. Challenge your palate.

Listen! Listen! Listen! If you’re the one talking, then you’re not learning what is right for your guest. Understand their vocabulary. Ask them questions. I love asking, “What is your favorite wine you’ve ever tasted?”  When they use the descriptor “big,” do they mean big fruit or big tannins? When they say “sweet” do they really just mean “fruity”? If you’re speaking two different languages, then you’ll never be able to offer as good a selection as you can advise for them.

Embrace your OCD, but teach it to relax once in a while. All somms have varying degrees of OCD. It’s why we’re good at what we do. We love to organize, categorize, and label things (verbally and physically). Don’t spend all your time organizing bottles as if they’re never going to be sold. A wine program should be fluid. Focus on being efficient with your time for the betterment of the restaurant—not falling victim to squandered hours of moving bottles from one bin to the next. Organizational tendencies can be your best ally and your worst enemy.

Be super selective in your choices. There are so many wines out there. Don’t just settle for “good enough.” If I don’t feel the urge to buy a few bottles for my home cellar as well as the restaurant, then it isn’t the right wine. The smaller your list, the more important every decision is. Treat every selection on your list with the respect it deserves. Every choice has meaning. Who is the wine’s audience? What dish is it meant for? How does it exemplify your concept of the wine program as a whole? Make it count!