Asking 5 D.C. Sommeliers the Questions You’ve Always Wanted to Ask

Enjoying a glass of wine is one of life’s most simple pleasures.  Yet, for a drink ostensibly all about pleasure, it can be pretty intimidating.  The world of wine is filled with nuance and vocabulary that might be confusing unless you’re an expert in the subject.  So, where do you start when you’re looking at a massive wine list?  What if there is a flaw in a particular bottle?  How should you taste wine when the sommelier pours a bit in your glass for sampling?

Buying wine can feel as opaque as Mourvèdre.  Luckily, there are highly trained and passionate sommeliers to help guide us along the wine journey.  Five of the best sommeliers in the exceedingly vibrant wine market of Washington, D.C. agreed to share their perspectives on the qualities that define a good sommelier, indicate how they got started, and provide their expertise to answer some of our burning questions.  So, grab a glass, and drink in the wisdom of our wine experts.

Winn Roberton, Head Sommelier at Bourbon Steak DC

Miranda Franco (MF): "How did you get started as a sommelier?"

Winn Roberton (WR): "I was drawn to food and the dining culture early on and met amazing sommeliers, so the wine bug was quick to follow.  All the components of it."

MF: "What are the most important characteristics that go into making a good sommelier?"

WR: "You must be able to do anything on a restaurant floor.  Serve a table in any steps that may be involved, with wine and beverage at the core.  Deep knowledge that comes from a spirit of inquiry."

MF: "What bottle stopped you in your tracks and got you serious about wine?"

WR: "One of many to choose from would be 1990 Château Angelus [Saint-Émilion, France].  It has big soft fruit, resolved structure, and is the anti-Sideways wine in a way."

MF: "How do you build a balanced wine list?"

WR: "That can be looked at in so many ways; price balance is easy to figure out, and you need to be able to sell anything you put on the list."

MF: "What is the best way to interact with a sommelier?"

WR: "Providing a general overview of what you would like to drink if you know; also, don’t be afraid to talk about price."

MF: "What should a customer do if they don’t like what they ordered after they’ve tasted it, even if there’s nothing technically wrong with it?"

WR:  "It depends on the restaurant; however, the sommelier most times will take the bottle back, assuming you’ll buy a different bottle.  Only occasionally do guests offer to pay for it.  I always offer to split it in return."

MF: "What are the biggest faux pas customers tend to make when ordering and drinking wine?"

WR: "Don’t put your fingerprint on your glass!  Gets gross, especially when eating."

MF: "Does the shape of your wine glass really matter?"

WR: "I’m not huge on wine-specific stemware.  It does seem to make a difference, but I think an all-purpose glass and a nice flute get the job done in many cases outside fine dining."

MF: "How should we taste wine when the sommelier pours a bit in our glass for sampling?"

WR: "Look for any musty smell; without that, the wine is most likely fit to serve.  You can have your sommelier skip the tasting if you’d like or check it for you."

MF: "What wines are most frequently ordered?"

WR: "Big reds and Champagne."

MF: "Is the wine list theory true that the second cheapest bottle on the menu is the worst value?"

WR: "No."

MF: "If you could only drink one wine for the rest of your life, what would it be?"

WR: "Champagne."

MF: "What’s your favorite food and wine pairing?"

WR: "Off-dry Chenin Blanc or Riesling if we must, with Larb, an optionally-spicy, fishy, herby, ground pork dish that is delicious hot or cold."

MF: "What is the most overrated wine on the market right now?  The most underrated?"

WR: "The most underrated regions are Virginia, Greece, and New Zealand."

Stephanie Carrillo, Owner, Rose Creek Wine & Sommelier, Bottles Wine Garden

Miranda Franco (MF): "How did you get started as a sommelier?"

Stephanie Carrillo (SC): "I still consider myself as getting started.  In 2017, I left a corporate career to travel around the world in hopes of finding my true passion.  Along the way, I worked at a tiny organic vineyard in the Southwest of France, which reinvigorated my love for wine.  Since then, I’ve done as much reading, studying, staging, and drinking as possible.  This year I became a WSET Diploma Candidate and started my online wine store, Rose Creek Wine.  At Rose Creek, we highlight women winemakers and wines from producers who craft small-batch, terroir-driven, minimal intervention wines."

MF: "What are the most important characteristics that go into making a good sommelier?"

SC: "I think the most important characteristics revolve around excellent communication skills (both being able to explain things without leading the listener into the weeds, and being a good listener oneself) and checking your ego at the door.  Being approachable, empathetic, and putting your customer’s desires over your own biases are paramount.  Wine (specifically wine lists) can be intimidating to the average customer.  Great somms can listen to customers’ preferences, answer their questions without making them feel stupid, and guide them to wines that excite them and agree with their palate."

MF: "What bottle stopped you in your tracks and got you serious about wine?"

SC: "I don’t think it was necessarily a specific bottle as much as it was a specific experience.  I visited Italy for the first time in 2013 and visited this small organic/biodynamic producer near Lucca called Podere Concori.  Gabriele was an incredibly gracious host; he spent tons of time sharing about his vineyard and cellar practices and set up a picnic in his backyard for us to share with his wife and child.  It was the first time it hit me that wine was much more than a way to get boozy at dinner.  I realized how much goes into wine production and that every bottle tells a story.  The history and the culture surrounding wine production really pushed me to know more."

MF: "What should a customer do if they don’t like what they ordered after they’ve tasted it, even if there’s nothing technically wrong with it?"

SC: "If a guest doesn’t like what they ordered (even if nothing is technically wrong with it), I believe they should always let the somm know.  We are there to enhance the guests’ dining experience, and if they’re stuck drinking something they don’t like, it can completely spoil the night out.  I’d rather eat the cost of the bottle that didn’t suit their palate and find a bottle they will enjoy than force them to keep something they’ll have to choke down.  I think 99% of hospitality professionals would agree.  The most important thing a guest can do is try to be descriptive in explaining what they don’t like about a wine.  Was the wine too light?  Too tannic?  Too fruity?  The more descriptive they are, the better we can pinpoint the right bottle!"

MF: "What are the biggest faux pas customers tend to make when ordering and drinking wine?"

SC: "Eh, I’d like to get away from people feeling like there’s a proper way to order and drink wine.  In my opinion, the culture of snobbery and exclusion serves no one in the industry.  The more we stop shaming people about wine and start allowing them to come to it in a way that feels approachable to them, the better off the wine industry will be."

MF: "Does the shape of your wine glass really matter?"

SC:  "Yes and no.  Are certain glasses better suited for certain wines?  Definitely.  Wine glasses taper in at the top to help concentrate aromas, the different size bowls of the glass are better suited to help certain wines aerate & get more surface area, the thickness of the glass can affect temperature, etc., etc.  Like all things with wine, you can get very geeky about it.  But honestly, for the casual drinker, does it REALLY matter all that much?  No.  Go for it if you’d prefer to drink your wine from a rocks glass or a plastic cup!  Regardless of the glass, it will still be wine, and it will still be delicious."

MF: "How should we taste wine when the sommelier pours a bit in our glass for sampling?"

SC: "When we pour a bit in your glass to taste, we’re looking for the cue from you that the wine is not flawed.  Pick up your glass at the stem, smell, swirl, smell again, and then sip, letting the wine coat your palate.  Here are some things that might indicate your wine is flawed:
–Does it smell or taste like a wet newspaper or a wet dog? Or an icky moldy cardboard/ basement? (This is an indication of TCA or cork taint);
–Is the wine fizzy when you’re sure it’s not supposed to be a sparkling wine? (This is an indication of a secondary fermentation happening in the bottle);
–Does it smell like eggs or sulfur? (The wine is reductive and could probably benefit from some decanting);
–Does it have a brownish tinge to it? Does the description indicate the wine should be bright and youthful, but it’s dim/ taste like rotting fruit or vinegar on the palate?  (The wine is oxidized and possibly had a faulty closure.)"

MF: "What wines are most frequently ordered?"

SC: "Wines that aren’t difficult to pronounce, wines that are most commonly known —

Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Rosé."

MF: If you could only drink one wine for the rest of your life, what would it be?

SC: "Champagne or white Burgundy."

MF: "What myth would you like to banish from the wine world?"

SC: "There are two myths I would like to banish:  1) Wine always gets better with age.  Not true.  Actually, most wines are not meant to age and should be drunk within 2 to 3 years, and, 2) A screw cap closure means the wine is low quality.  That is just not true.  I think we’ll see more and more producers switch to screw caps in the future."

MF: What’s your favorite food and wine pairing?

SC: "Sparkling wine and fried chicken."

MF: "What’s the hardest food and wine match?"

SC: "This might be controversial, but for me, it’s chocolate.  I just personally struggle to see how chocolate and wine go together."

MF: "What is the most overrated wine on the market right now?  The most underrated?"

SC: "In my opinion, California Cabernet is the most overrated, and Greek reds are the most underrated."

MF: "What wines are you buying to enjoy personally during your time off?"

SC: "This is tough because I’m always buying and trying new wines.  Some of my go-to’s: Dry Sherry (I wish more people would be open to it!), German Riesling, Lambrusco, anything and everything from the Loire Valley."

Brent Kroll, Proprietor & Sommelier Maxwell Park and POP

Miranda Franco (MF): "Is the wine list theory true that the second cheapest bottle on the menu is the worst value?"

Brent Kroll (BK): "I think this is an old retail theory, but I don’t really see this applied."

MF: "If you could only drink one wine for the rest of your life, what would it be?"

BK: "I love some dry Lambrusco, but because I worry about the future of it as a wine-producing region, I’ll go with Assyrtiko from Santorini."

MF: "What myth would you like to banish from the wine world?"

BK: "That wine that isn’t natty [natural] isn’t pure/sound/correct.  There’s good and bad in virtually all sectors of wine."

MF: "What’s your favorite food and wine pairing?"

BK: "En Rama Sherry and salted Marcona Almonds."

MF: "What’s the hardest food and wine match?"

BK: "I don’t enjoy pairing Chocolate.  I don’t think it’s a great food pairing.  I’d opt for bitter, high cacao dark chocolate with Chartreuse.  Full-bodied reds are almost never the answer."

MF: "What is the most overrated wine on the market right now? The most underrated?"

BK: "Finally, a chance to show some Lambrusco love!  Dry (Secco) Lambrusco has a ton of value and is incredibly underrated.  The best examples of amazing estates can retail in the $20s.  One of the best things on the planet with cured meat!"

MF: "What wines are you buying to enjoy personally during your time off?"

BK: "Northern Rhône Syrah.  It’s like a pulled pork sandwich to me.  Even a decent one tastes great.  I love savory whites and reds."

Nadine Brown, Sommelier, Principal, At Your Service Consulting

Miranda Franco (MF): "How did you get started as a sommelier?"

Nadine Brown (NB): "I came to wine by accident.  I am from Jamaica originally and went to high school in Puerto Rico and came to the states to attend college in Boston to get a degree in social work.  I always wanted to work with kids and families, I did that just for a few years before moving to DC.  I moved back home, although it wasn’t really home at the time.  When I left Puerto Rico to go to Boston, my family left Puerto Rico and came to DC.  I tried to find a job in the social work field, and it was difficult.  1997 DC was very different from what it is today.  Then one day, I saw an ad in The Washington Post for a host for a new French restaurant opening on Capitol Hill (Bistro Bis); no experience needed, and I thought, why not?  I will do this for a couple of months and then go back in September and continue my social work search, which was 24 years ago."

"I fell in love with restaurants.  I fell in love with the chaos; every day was the same but different.  I quickly moved up from the host stand and became the office manager, where I would type up the list of daily specials, much of which was in French.  I had a copy of the Food Lovers and Wine Lover’s Companion beside me, so I could look up all these classic French terms I didn’t know.  I also found history fascinating, regarding both food and wine, and I first came to wine from reading.  Wine is an endless series of rabbit holes of history, geology, chemistry anthropology—all of which my ADHD brain loved.  When I left Bistro Bis after only four years, I was a floor manager and had taken my first wine course.  I left management and started waiting tables, allowing me more time to focus and study wine.  I would work a lunch shift, go to a trade tasting or seminar on my break, then come back and work dinner.  I have certificates through the Wine Spirit Education Trust (WSET) and the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS).  I’ve worked at several restaurants, but my longest tenure was wine director of Charlie Palmer steak on the hill, where I was for 14 years from 2003 to 2018."

MF: "What are the most important characteristics that go into making a good sommelier?"   
        
NB: "Being a good listener, I call myself a translator.  I’m here to listen to you describe what you’d like to drink and make recommendations.  Great Somms always retain some humility, knowing that even most Masters don’t know everything and that it’s an endless journey of learning.  A good somm remembers, especially in a restaurant, that it’s a business, and your job is to make money.  But a great somm is hospitality driven and genuinely wants to add to the overall experience if they’re in a restaurant setting."       

MF: "What bottle stopped you in your tracks and got you serious about wine?"

NB: "There were a couple of bottles.  I was fortunate early on to get introduced to some of the best wines in the world, primarily from wine collectors.  I would say Billecart – Salmon Brut Rosé, and a Quarts de Chaume, from the Loire Valley."

MF: "How do you build a balanced wine list?"

NB: "To remove yourself from the list a bit.  Of course, you should put your own stamp on the list and have wines you enjoy and that are also trending, but remember you were making selections for hopefully thousands of people coming through your door, and you want to have things that they will enjoy."
"My number one rule is to have good wines that are well-made.  Also, returning to my point about listening, having a variety of things for my guests to enjoy.  Also, providing balance in price points is also important because wine is for everyone."

MF: "What is the best way to interact with a sommelier?"

NB: "Interesting question.  I think it might depend a little bit on your level of wine knowledge.  But no matter what – don’t be intimidated, and hopefully, you only encounter somms that don’t make folks feel intimidated.  If you are a novice and worried about it, maybe look at the wine list ahead of time to get an idea of what’s on there, and then use a somm to help narrow things down.  Tell them things that you have enjoyed in the past.  Be forthright and upfront about how much you want to spend.  They’re discreet ways to do this if you’re engaged in a business dinner or on a date.  Use their expertise to your advantage."

MF: "What should a customer do if they don’t like what they ordered after they’ve tasted it, even if there’s nothing technically wrong with it?"

NB: "That’s a tough one.  On the one hand, wine is not like a shoe you can take back because it’s the wrong size, but on the other hand, life is too short to drink wine you don’t enjoy.  Remember that the restaurant is a business, and be considerate about it.  I’ve had tables order my coveted 30-year-old Cabernet (a $450 bottle) and try to send it back because they said it tasted old."
"Sometimes you have to make it work and take it as a learning experience.  If you have a relationship with somm or the restaurant, you can try being candid about it sometimes.  They can figure something out and use the rest to sell by the glass or, you know, bring you a glass of something else, so be gracious, tactful, and considerate."

MF: "What are the biggest faux pas that customers tend to make when ordering and drinking wine?"

NB: "I’m pretty liberal with almost everything across the board.  It’s the customer’s experience, I’ve decanted boxed wines before, I’ve brought ice cubes to tables that want me to put it in their wine.  It’s your wine, your money; you should enjoy it your way."
"I’m going to bring up being considerate again here; we had a generous corkage policy at Charlie Palmer where you could bring in bottles, and sometimes people take advantage, and a party of eight with everyone bringing two bottles and I would spend a big chunk of time servicing them and tons of glasses later, to the detriment of other tables that were waiting for my help."

MF: "Does the shape of your wine glass really matter?"

NB: "No, it doesn’t, but yes, it does.  This might not make sense, but one of my most memorable wine experiences was working 100-point wine dinners.  One of the wines was a 1990 Château Latour; all the somms were on a break, and there was some wine left in the bottle, and all we had were red Solo cups and Papa John’s Pizza.  The wine might have shown better in the proper glass, as it was pretty young.  However, that memory is also special because of the setting and that cup.  I probably could have appreciated the nuances of the aroma and had it opened up better, but that wasn’t what it was about at that moment."
"There are certain wines or grapes where I think it matters more.  Does it matter for my $9 Sauv Blanc, Tuesday night wine?  Not really.  It does matter in Champagne, even from a scientific standpoint of how the bubbles rise to the top and when they explode and release aromatics—which is why the flutes and the coup are bad for Champagne.  I think Pinot Noir is another one that benefits from the correct glass."
"I have a six-year-old and 11-year-old who always breaks things; I have friends who have $60 glasses.  Not me – I don’t get too hung up on glasses at home.  However, at work in a restaurant setting, more so because it is part of good service, but I don’t think I need a separate Barolo glass and one for Chianti."

MF: "How should we taste wine when the sommelier pours a bit in our glass for sampling?"

NB: "Don’t overthink it.  Some people smell it, then gesture to pour.  You’re just making sure it’s not corked or any other flaws.  Maybe checking for temperature.  I always worked with the Court of Master Sommeliers service standards where I had a wine table, and we smelled or tasted every bottle before we served it, so if there was an issue, it didn’t even get to the table."
"Most important is to approve the bottle.  Is it what you ordered, the right vintage?  The right wine?  The somm should also be voicing all the details at this time.  Sometimes mistakes are made in the transaction, from when you order the wine, to the Point-of-Sale system, to who pulled the wine….  Verify!"

MF: "What wines are most frequently ordered?"

NB: "It’s a broad question.  I’ve worked in steakhouses in big lobbyist, Capitol Hill-type places where Cabernet Sauvignon was "King," followed by Pinot Noir.  I couldn’t give white wines away sometimes, but I think that’s changed in the last couple of years as people have become more adventuresome.  Also, sparkling wines of all types are having a moment."

MF: "Is the wine list theory true that the second cheapest bottle on the menu is the worst value?"

NB: "That’s funny.  I hadn’t even really heard that theory.  I don’t know if I want to give away secrets.  Also, value can be subjective.  In general, less expensive wines are marked up more, and more expensive wines are marked up less.  But the true value lies in you having enjoyed the wine you drank, no matter the price.  That’s the true value.  It can be the second least expensive wine on the list and still be to your taste."

MF: "If you could only drink one wine for the rest of your life, what would it be?"

NB: "Worst question to ask a Somm!  I’m going to say Vega Sicilia from Spain or, Alsatian wine."

MF: "What myth would you like to banish from the wine world?"

NB: "That sweet wines are inferior to other wines and that people that enjoy sweet wines are all novice drinkers who don’t know any better.  Some of the best and longest-lived wines in the world are sweet.  When done right, they are magical."

MF: "What’s your favorite food and wine pairing?"

NB: "Soft scrambled fresh eggs with too much shaved white truffle with aged white Burgundy."

MF: "What’s the hardest food and wine match?"

NB: "There’s a wine for almost every food.  Vegetables like asparagus and artichokes can be challenging, as can foods with a lot of spice and fermented foods.  In this case, I often open up the wine category to include ciders."

MF: "What is the most overrated wine on the market right now?  The most underrated?"

NB: "I never want to name names for the most part.  At least not in print.  I also genuinely think people should drink what they like, and you know, who I am to say?  I think the style of almost flat, cookie-cutter, sweet reds with little soul is a bit overrated."
"Some wines from other states are underrated.  I was disappointed recently to see that Wine Enthusiast magazine has chosen to only review wines from five states and dropped all others.  Some great wines come from places that you might not expect, such as Maryland, Texas, and Michigan, to name a few.  I think it’s really important to support these regions and these families so that American wine continues to improve for centuries to come.

MF: "What wines are you buying to enjoy personally during your time off?"  

NB: "I’ve been educating myself on natural wines, low intervention wines, and wines from less familiar areas such as Jura and the Azores, as well as exciting wines from wherever—like Maryland Albariño, and Beaujolais."

Niki Lang, Realtor & Wine Consultant

Miranda Franco (MF): "How did you get started as a sommelier?"

Niki Lang (NL): "I blame my Abuela from Spain for my love of wine.  My professional path started with blind tasting classes led by David Kurka while I worked at The Butcher’s Block [part of Brabo at the time], then bartended at Cork Wine Bar and passed intro CMS."

MF: "What are the most important characteristics that go into making a good sommelier?"

NL: "Organization and determination."

MF: "How do you build a balanced wine list?"

NL: "Have something for everyone and make people happy by providing all different styles.  Lateral wines to classic styles are a fun way to expand and connect with guests."

MF: "What is the best way to interact with a sommelier?"

NL: "Ask questions!  Know how to articulate what you like so you can communicate it effectively.  Sommeliers love to help with that process."

MF: "What should a customer do if they don’t like what the ordered after they’ve tasted it, even if there’s nothing technically wrong with it?"

NL: "Same answer as the previous question – ask questions!  Know how to articulate what you like so you can communicate it effectively.  Seriously, sommeliers love to help with that process."

MF: "What are the biggest faux pas that customers tend to make when ordering and drinking wine?"

NL: "My favorite:  “I’ll take the house wine.”

MF: "Does the shape of your wine glass really matter?"

NL: "Yes.  Somewhere between 75% and 95% of what we commonly think of as taste actually comes from the sense of smell.  For example, Champagne flutes or coupes are the WORST.  Use a white wine glass."

MF: "How should we taste wine when the sommelier pours a bit in our glass for sampling?"

NL: "Swirl…Sniff…Sip."

MF: "What wines are most frequently ordered?"

NL: "Depends if you are at a white tablecloth dinner or a local wine bar with rotating themes."

MF: "Is the wine list theory