Last year a new film called appropriately “Somm” debuted at the 2nd annual Napa Valley Film Festival, a perfect place to debut a film all about the path a handful of hopeful sommeliers go through in order to become a Master Sommelier. In the world we live in today, earned credentials aren’t always necessary to advance in your career. Thousands of jobs in all industries are awarded annually to people with passion, but not necessarily qualifications.
The Master Sommelier certification is one of the toughest, most intense testing processes anyone in the wine and hospitality industry will go through, all to become a part of a prestigious (and small) group of wine lovers, educators and professionals. The exclusive Court of Master Sommeliers was formed almost 40 years ago and to this day less than 200 individuals have reached the Master Sommelier level.
We are lucky in Dallas to have several, namely one of the finest in James Tidwell, Beverage Director at The Four Seasons Resort and Spa, Las Colinas, and Co-founder of TexSom with his fellow Master Sommelier Drew Hendricks, now Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Napa’s Rudd Winery and based in Houston, and Master Sommelier Barbara Werley of Pappas Bros. Steakhouse. Through a lengthy process of training and testing each of these individuals earned their certification, bringing their knowledge and education to their guests daily.“Somm” takes the viewer through this process with a handful of hopeful candidates, including former Dallasite DLynn Proctor, now Winemaking Ambassador North and South America for Penfolds. The grueling process is depicted on screen, as each hopeful candidate engages in the tedious process of becoming a Master Sommelier.
Wednesday night, June 19, the Angelika Film Center will host a screening at their Dallas and Plano locations of “Somm” with a special wine tasting before the film, and at the Dallas location, a Skype conversation with DLynn, moderated by Lascaux Films Producer and wine lover Gary Cogill, directly following the screening.
If you can’t make it out on Wednesday, the 9th annual TexSom conference will also include a special screening and interview with the director on Monday morning, August 12. Tickets are limited for this viewing and conference registration is required to attend.
Did DLynn pass? Attend the screening to find out…
