Elite Cool

The man approaches with an accessible smile.  He exudes an aura of casual elegance, despite the presence of a shell-shaped sippy-spoon that hangs from a gold chain about his neck. After a brief bit of conversation he excuses himself, returning to our table shortly thereafter bearing a bottle of wine. Making small talk that is somehow both engaging and interesting, he opens the wine with a smooth grace and pours a diminutive measure into the sippy shell. He sips. A moment's contemplation, a brief nod. Our bottle is free of evil spirits; he pours. The wine... fits. Of itself, it is delicious. It richly compliments our meal. Expensive enough that I will brag to friends about it later, but not  so expensive as to provide distraction from the rest of the evening.

Real-life story from 20 years ago. The man's name is Jon, and he was (and for all I know still is) the sommelier at Hugo's Cellar, the gourmet room at the Four Queens in old Las Vegas. To this day when I think back on that meal and others we had there, I smile. I didn't realize at the time that those experiences would take their place among my warmest memories. That those meals were superlative owes much to the elite cool of a capable sommelier.

This is my step-niece, Lesley. She works at Hodges Bend, in Tulsa. She recently became a Certified Sommelier.

The title of Certified Sommelier is bestowed by an organization called the Court of Master Sommeliers. A rather grandiose title to be sure, but hey, sommelier. The designation of Master Sommelier is the fourth and final stage in a certification process that is considered by at least this article to be one of the ten most difficult in the world to attain. Since 1969, only a little over 200 people have been awarded a Master Sommelier diploma. The title of Certified Sommmelier - that which Lesley just scored - is the second level of certification along that path.

It's clear why Lesley would pursue these courses and certifications. She's in the trade. But plainly, there are a number of advantages to be had, some of which come from The Court's own website:

• The Master Sommelier distinction is the only internationally recognized credential for individuals in the beverage sales and service fields.
• Sommeliers tend to have more friends than most people, and those friends tend to be of above-average quality.
• It is a testament that the indvidual posesses outstanding tasting and evaluation skills, wine knowledge and outstanding abilities in service and beverage department management.
• You earn the right to use the phrase, "and besides, I'm a sommelier." Use of this phrase is capable of instantly winning a wide variety of arguments.

For all of these reasons, when I heard of Lesley's achievement, I began wondering if I might want to do this myself, or at least the first step: the Introductory Sommelier Course and Exam. I would kind of like to have some of that cool for myself. However, it's not cheap. The Court charges $525 for the course materials and exam. You have to want it bad, and I don't truly inhabit that space. However, The Court also provides a list of recommended study materials for the Introductory Course. I have only one of the items on the list - Kevin Zraly's Windows on the World Complete Wine Course, various editions of which have been my go-to wine knowledge resource for years. I think if there were someone who seriously wanted to learn about wine, this list could keep them occupied for quite a while.

In the meantime, if you happen to be in Tulsa and crave a good glass, consider stopping into Hodges Bend. Lesley will set you up right.