Andrew Sommerhalder is an experienced Toronto-based financial manager with over 20 years of experience. He is a financial manager for Arrowsmith in Toronto. Outside of work, Andrew Sommerhalder is a wine connoisseur that tracks new wine releases in Toronto.
A wine connoisseur knows a lot about wine, including the many sorts, how long they last, and even what parts of the world are made. In other words, a connoisseur's understanding of wine extends beyond tasting and identifying different varietals to the finer points of winemaking and the science underlying it. The majority of wine connoisseurs have official training, and some go even further to earn the title of wine sommelier.
A sommelier, often known as a wine steward, is an officially trained wine expert with extensive knowledge of wine service who works in a fine-dining restaurant and specializes in different areas of wine service and food and wine pairing. The contemporary name is of French origin. A sommelier is usually in charge of working closely with the chef de cuisine, pairing and recommending wines that best complement each menu item.
Credentials are required before a sommelier can get a job as one. The Court of Master Sommeliers in the United Kingdom and the North American Sommelier Association in Canada and the United States are two of the major accrediting organizations for sommeliers. Although sommeliers are considered wine snobs, the main objective of their training is the ability to assist the customer in selecting the wine that best complements the meal and the moment. In other words, the sommelier's ultimate purpose is to assist the consumer in enjoying their wine and the overall experience.
