Somm documentary full biography
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‘Somm’ Uncorks the Agony and the Ecstasy of the Wine Expert
If sommeliers, or “somms,” are the new rock stars of the restaurant industry, as one chef proclaims, then Somm is their behind-the-music rockumentary. This stylish documentary follows a group of professional sommeliers based in San Francisco as they prepare to take the Master Sommelier Exam, dreaded for its level of difficulty and, therefore, prized for the rare distinction it imparts to those who pass.
Fewer than 200 Master Sommeliers have been named since the Court of Master Sommeliers was created in the United Kingdom in 1969; the three portions (Theory, Tasting, Service) are intense, and preparation for the exam happens months—and sometimes years—ahead of time. The single-minded dedication and rigor of the test candidates is not in and of itself novel; it’s the way director Jason Wise manages to build an engaging story out of something that could easily have
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The original SOMM documentary, released in 2013, gave viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the arduous journey towards becoming a Master Sommelier. The spelfilm highlights four candidates going through the notoriously challenging exam, one of which was Ian Cauble. We watched him hunched over flashcards, studying until the early morning hours. We also saw his poise, holding his head high and confidently walking into the exam room.
After successfully becoming a Master Sommelier, Cauble became the United States ambassador for Krug Champagne. He also maintained a presence in front of the SOMM cameras. He was a featured storyteller in the film’s sequel, SOMM Into The Bottle and has made several appearances in episodes on SOMM TV.
We wanted to reconnect with him further. From starting a family to launching a successful business, it’s safe to säga Cauble is busy and thriving. Read ahead for our one-on-one interview to find out what he’s doing today, what he w
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The World’s Best Wine Documentaries
These 16 films are the crème de la crème of wine documentaries. Highlights include a gripping story about the biggest wine counterfeiter in history, a glossy film charting China’s growing obsession with Bordeaux, and a look at the controversial Barolo Wars of the 80s.
Sour Grapes (2016)
Rudy Kurniawan was considered to have one of the greatest cellars on the planet – until the truth came out. In 2006 Kurniawan, aka “Dr Conti”, made $35 million at two record-breaking wine auctions. Two years on, Laurent Ponsot of Burgundy’s Domaine Ponsot caught Kurniawan selling vintages of wine that had never, in fact, been produced. Through interviews with FBI agents, wine collectors, producers and auctioneers, Sour Grapes chronicles the rise and fall of the greatest wine fraudster in history, who is said to have flooded the market with as many as 10,000 fake bottles and is now serving 10 year