Do you think you can build your career through your palate?
Do you think you can build your career through your palate? Pick up a glass, look at a wine, sniff its aromas, taste it, and evaluate it. You must process the information beyond your nose and tongue.
I was in a friend of the family’s cellar when I first noticed wine. I drank wine occasionally at my parent’s home and on special occasions but never paused to think about what I had consumed. Then, our family friend poured me a glass of a 1971 German Riesling and the 1968 Beaulieu Vineyard Burgundy. A wine lover in his own right, he spoke about the wine and piqued my interest—that is how wine moved from being just a beverage into a subject with legs. That was in the early 1970s.
When I attend a public wine tasting, I am asked, “Why are you taking notes? While silently thinking to myself, “This is not a cocktail party. Evaluating wine is my work!” I answer that I am in the business, and taking notes is a part of my process. After five decades as a professional wine taster, I can say that my palate is the core of my career and has proven successful. Other professionals often talk with colleagues, munch on snacks, and never take notes. They might as well be not in the business and enjoy the event as a consumer.
Katy Long at SFIWC
I convinced wineries that I could evaluate their wines properly and sell them when few people knew their wines.
Shortly after tasting those two wines, I started revamping my family’s grocery store to become more than just a convenient stop on the corner. I was determined to discover the most exciting new wines in the marketplace. But how could we get the attention of the industry? There were only a handful of fine wine shops in San Francisco, and even the supermarkets had “grocery store wines.” I connected with small brokers, then some of California’s smallest wineries. Many of the vintners were just starting on my Napa Valley and North Coast trips. That was when my tasting ability came into play; I convinced wineries that I could evaluate their wines properly and sell them when few people knew their wines. Soon Ashbury Market became an integral part of the wine scene. That was the 1970s.
While I was not born into a wine family, my parents raised me to become a retailer taking care of both the front and back of the house. My mom, Jane, ran the show; my dad, Walter, was the ultimate front man as he schmoozed customers daily. I had just married Alice (now 48 years later, it is still good) and studied Psychology at the University of California at Berkeley. Without skipping a beat, my parents let me take the reins.
As I took my family business, I used my palate to make our selections. The industry noticed me and invited me to tastings and events. I judged in wine competitions. I was learning what it takes to be a professional wine taster.
One needs not only to have a good palate but also to provide compelling copy for various platforms.
What does it take to be a professional wine taster, and can this lead to a successful career? I worked for our family business (Ashbury Market), a large chain (BevMo!), and the largest e-tailer in the United States (Wine.com), as well as participated in wine competitions worldwide (France, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States). My professional tasting career has served me well. I am Chief Storyteller at Wine.com and a wine critic for The Tasting Panel Magazine.
