Chattanooga sommelier shares her insights
Wine.
That word is plenty to comprise its own paragraph, article, book, or dissertation. For some people, the concept never exceeds a cardboard box on Friday evening; for others, it’s a life-long endeavor of passionate, intensive research and dedication.
In wine, there is more to know than can ever be known. Yet this unattainable perfection is sought after by people like Sommelier Michelle Richards.
Michelle is the general manager and level two certified sommelier of St. John’s. These simultaneous titles lead to an unequivocally full plate, the profession of two different experts wrapped up by a single masterful service and hospitality expert.
Working as a sommelier may seem like a dream job, and for some it is, but there is no lack of excessively hard work while studying the fermentation of grapes. A cumulative scholarship of geography, language, climate, biology, anthropology, and cuisine barely scratches the surface of the intellect necessary for the success of Michelle’s current certification and her eventual goal of attaining the coveted Master Sommelier Diploma.
Michelle moved from Annapolis, Maryland to attend UTC as a business major. At the confluence of her education and personal interests, she shifted her major towards a humanities degree.
“I took that opportunity and developed my major around it. At UTC, you can develop your curriculum around whatever you want it to be. I was able to invent classes with professors. I developed an Italian wine and food course and a Tennessee wineries course,” offers Michelle. “I wrote a 30-page paper about the rhetoric of wine labels. I kept going deeper and deeper into it. I was basically studying for my certified exam while still in school.”
Wine itself is merely a portion of the job of a beverage expert. In addition, an amalgamated knowledge of beer, spirits, sake, liquor, and flavor pairings is vital to Michelle’s career. She works closely with the kitchen in order to create beverage pairings to accompany the chef’s offerings.
“We are both very passionate about both wine and food, and we’re both out-of-the-box thinkers. We have been working together for seven years, so we have a strong rapport.”
They will often offer what they call “daring pairings”, which stray from the traditional standards of “pairing rules”. She continues with a smile, “They often end up being my favorite pairing of the night.”
St. John’s offers over 400 different bottles of wine. In 2017 and 2018, under the direction of Michelle, the restaurant won the prestigious Two Cup Award from Wine Spectator Magazine, which recognizes their diversity in both price range and bottle selection along with a strong variance in vintage. The restaurant also offers occasional off-menu wine dinners.
Though wine often has a stigma of inaccessibility, Michelle assures me that wine is approachable by anyone interested in taking the journey. She often begins by asking St. John’s guests where they gravitate in a wine shop.
“Find a grape variety you like and then try all of the different types of that grape. Take pictures and notes.” There are also apps that allow you to track your interests in wine and create a platform where you can develop your palate from your own past experiences.
“True sommeliers are about hospitality and taking care of people. Don’t think that they are going to price gouge you. I’m here to truly pick out the best wine in your price point. Many places will offer a half glass, and that’s a great way to experience more variety,” continues Michelle, her passion for hospitality glowing.
Wine is her self-proclaimed love language. Her passion for her work is incontestable.