Somm of the People, All of the Time

Emily Wines MS is not your average sommelier.

While many of her colleagues take pride in popping prestigious bottles for those “in the know”, Wines gets her satisfaction from making wine accessible and approachable to “the 99 percent” of consumers. Through her current role at Cooper’s Hawk, Wines seeks to make wine fun, connect with everyday drinkers, and above all, “democratize the good life”.  

Wines grew up in Washington State though has been a California resident for the past two decades. Despite her love of the vine, she didn’t always foresee herself becoming a Master Sommelier. After working at numerous restaurants in college, Wines serendipitously fell in love with wine and decided to make the career switch.

This change of pace eventually led to a handful of prestigious roles for Wines, including roles as the wine director of  Fifth Floor Restaurant in San Francisco, senior director of beverage and bars for Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants, and vice-president of wine and beverage experience at Cooper’s Hawk, the last of which she currently works at today. Using her platform at Cooper’s Hawk, Master Sommelier title, and network of 400,000-plus wine club members, Wines is bringing the accessibility and enjoyment components of wine back to the people who matter most: the consumers.

What pushed you to pursue the Master Sommelier route?

I knew that I needed further knowledge and education, and this was a format for me to focus my studies. It also gave me a deep connection with the sommelier community, which I think is the greatest reward of pursuing these certifications. I also felt that having a title would confirm to guests and my peers my credibility in the business. Today, I don’t believe that is as critical, as there are several great sommeliers who don’t pursue that path, but at the time it felt necessary.

Now that some time has passed, have your views on organized wine education changed? What do you think has changed for the better/for the worse?

See above. I do think that wine education is important in that it is easy to get in a rut where you are only familiar with a specific range of wines, styles, or regions. Education gives you the broader background to understanding the world of wine. I think employers value certification from the perspective of knowing that their employee is someone who can follow through with a plan and test their mettle. I also believe that not everyone is great at test-taking and that not succeeding in the exam process is not an indication of their skill as a sommelier.

Did you feel that you needed an MS after your name to be taken seriously in the wine world?

One does not need this title and there are several extremely talented members of our community with no title, however, it helps tremendously. With the title, I have an automatic seat at the table when it comes to wine and it has opened many doors for me that may have been difficult in the past – particularly as a woman.

Did the CMS’ handling of the 2018 cheating scandal change your view of the Court?

To be honest, it mostly just broke my heart. There was no real win in the situation, and I had deep empathy for every person involved.

© CMS
| Although she has a Master Sommelier qualification, Wines doesn’t necessarily believe every somm needs one.

Tell us a bit about Cooper’s Hawk and their mission. What inspired you to work with Cooper’s Hawk?

Cooper’s Hawk’s mission is to democratize the good life. We believe that wine culture is something that everyone should have access to and that the wine country experience can be had outside of wine country. I spent many years working with wine as a luxury commodity and I believe that wine is primarily something that is about enjoyment and connection. The fact that most bottles of wine are shared and the ultimate reward of sharing wine is the conviviality of the table is what I love about Cooper’s Hawk. With more than 400,000 wine club members, we have a captive audience that is hungry for wine culture and connections with other wine lovers. It is a total thrill for me!

You’ve mentioned your desire to reach the 99 percent of wine drinkers and not just the 1 percent, which you find sommeliers hone in on. How do you achieve this?

It is all about making wine approachable and fun. It is really easy to lose someone with winespeak and turn off a novice consumer. By validating all levels of wine drinking and delivering the information about the wines in digestible language, it draws in the guests rather than repelling them.

Tell us about some of your current projects at Cooper’s Hawk, including your new wine.

We are working on a lifestyle platform that is more about just taking home wine. Again, with our mission of democratizing the good life, we want to expose our members to great experiences related to food, wine, and entertaining. This year, we are releasing the second Camille wine. Camille is my line of wines for Cooper’s Hawk. It is a more luxury label that celebrates strong women! The first wine was Camille Brave and is a juicy blend of Zinfandel and Syrah. The second is Camille Proud and is a Merlot-Cab Franc blend. The wines are extremely friendly, [in that] they are approachable and meant to accompany food. It has been a really wonderful project to work on.  

How do you think that sommeliers could use their platforms better on and off the floor?

I think sommeliers really are tastemakers. What they like eventually trickles down through the mainstream. Sommeliers need to be the advocate of the guests they serve, not just their own palates. It is important that they champion quality wines and not just fads.

What are some of the most important lessons you’ve learned throughout your career, both on and off the floor?

I have really learned to treat everyone I work with at all levels with extreme kindness. Whether it is vendors, employees, management or guests – what you put out to the world is what you get back and by giving respect and warmth to those I interact with, the result is that I am often rewarded with the same respect and warmth. I also operate with humility. I have found that by remaining humble, I can better relate to those I interact with professionally. I also believe that the higher you put yourself on a pedestal, the harder you fall when you get knocked off! I prefer to stay off the pedestal all together.

What is some advice that you’d give to an aspiring sommelier?

As exciting as wine itself is, pay attention to the other sides of the wine and restaurant business. Learn how to read a P&L, manage your numbers, understand the business needs. These skills will stay with you for life. I also suggest joining a tasting group. Because we don’t go to school for this trade, learning best practices and building camaraderie in the community is essential.

What’s next for Emily Wines MS?

I don’t know! I have really gravitated to the marketing side of wine. I love telling stories, engaging with guests, and making wine fun. I am looking forward to further diving in to this in the next year.