“Where are you from?” The gentlemen, also, getting his Sommelier exam that day.

“New York City”.

“They let you work out there looking like that?”

I passed my exam that day. And I don’t remember his name. Look, wine has this ancient, prestigious and all encompassing impact and history with wars, victories, unions and departures. It cannot be disregarded however it cannot be safe-guarded. 

When I say this I mean in every sense I can. Originally wine certified a type of class, only the rich could afford it. They would buy it by the barrel (uhm party anyone?) and the poorer population didn’t have access to the quality that the rich did. Sound familiar?

This trickled down to today where industry and public slights come and go between wine professionals and the public. My two struggles have been my alternative tattoos and being a woman, colleagues struggle with the racism within the wine community and a lot of others simply suffer from being treated like a fucking idiot just because they don’t wear a suit and pin. 

I’ve been studying wine for almost 7 years and I can tell you it’s been difficult sometimes struggling with my own relationship with alcohol but I’ve made it work and I have my resolve. But I come from a rough past and money has always been a struggle for my entire life. I talk funny. People say I sound uneducated. I used to be a pornstar. I’m an addict. I’m depressed. I curse a lot. But if this juicy, voluptuous pomegranate forward sexy red from Etna is fucking delicious— I mean it and I know it and you’re going to take one sip, look at me with that satisfied smile I crave and say “oh shit you’re right”.

I didn’t just jump into this. I knew I had cards stacked against me. I went to the Wine and Spirit Education Trust not only for wine but also sake. I graduated the American Sommelier Association and I took my exam with the court of Master Sommeliers. I’ve worked under amazing and awe-inspiring sommeliers and there’s also a few I would like to meet alone in an alley. But all jokes aside, what I’m saying is whether you come from sleeping on a park bench waiting for the next ham sandwich from grandma or struggling with any of the systemic issues in the wine community there is one important piece of advice that has gotten me 17 years through the hospitality industry: fuck them.

To the snobs, remember to look up the definition of “Sommelier”— it’s wine S T E W A R D.