Female sommeliers: Why your next wine host is likely to be a hostess

There are increasingly more female sommeliers across the country, including these women who work in Sydney restaurants. Picture: Bob Barker

THERE was a time when the idea of a restaurant wine sommelier conjured a very specific image. Snooty, aloof, possibly overbearing and almost certainly male.

But times in the Australian wine game are changing, with women now emerging as a dominant presence in the sommelier trade.

In fact, three of Sydney’s big powerhouse eateries — Rockpool, Aria and Quay — all boast a female chief sommelier.

It was only a decade ago when men made up roughly 90 per cent of all cork-pullers across the 35,000 restaurants that make up the Australian restaurant and catering association.

Now, 40 per cent of all graduates of the Sydney Wine Academy at North Sydney are female.

Kim Bickley, ex-head sommelier at Luke Mangan’s Glass Brasserie and Black by Ezard, remembers a time when there was only one female sommelier of note — former wine director for the Rockpool Bar and Grill group and wine icon Sophie Otton.

“She was definitely the only one I was aware of,” Ms Bickley said.

“There’s still a little bit of a glass ceiling there. But certainly in the wine industry there has been a big shift.”

Female sommeliers pictured at Flying Fish Restaurant, Pyrmont. From left: Louella Matthews (Rockpool), Breanna Lawler (Flying Fish), Georgina Larson (Aria), Amanda Yallop (Quay), Belinda Mackie (Sokyo), Phillipa Anderson (Ucello @ Ivy), Tonia Perfetto (Crinnitis), Gabrielle Webster (Love Tilly Devine), Caitlyn Rees (Mr Wong), Kim Bickley (Glass). Picture: Bob Barker.

There is also a school of thought that not only are women sommeliers seen as more approachable and less intimidating than their male counterparts, but that their palates are more suited to tasting.

“There is that talk that women have a more sensitive palate and I’m certainly not going to argue with that,” Ms Bickley said.

There are, however, some old habits that creep in, in particular customers who instantly assume female sommeliers are waitresses.

Aria’s Georgina Larsson, who has been the head sommelier at Matt Moran’s harbourfront eatery for four years, says she approaches this as a challenge.

“I try to wow them with my knowledge and sell them a bloody good wine and so they think, ‘My God you really know your stuff’,” she said.

“And I just know the next time they see a women they won’t make that judgment.”

Source : The Sunday Telegraph Amy Harris October 19th, 2014