The Road To Becoming A Sommelier: Q&A With Chris Trendler
Written by Tony Gorick, Sales & Marketing Manager at Decades (and a top fan of Chris Trendler)
“The sommelier process was really me growing up,” said Chris as he began to reflect on his time working towards the prestigious title. “It opened my eyes to a kind of learning that I think will continue for the rest of my life.”
Chris Trendler, current Partner and Operations Manager at Decades in Lancaster, PA, grew up in the food and beverage industry as he carved out his own path in the field. In 2007, he began his journey to become a certified wine expert and ventured into a complex world of unique flavor matching, global vineyard identification, ingredient discernment, and more, to conquer the challenge and become, at the time, the youngest sommelier in Pennsylvania.
“I got into the position of buying and tasting wine to drive a wine program in my early career,” said Chris. “When you’re self taught and picking things up along the way, I thought it was hard to feel the validation of the knowledge I wanted to explore. It was at that time I made the decision to become a sommelier.”
This massive achievement fascinated me and I wanted to learn more. So I sat down with Chris to discuss the extensive sommelier certification process–a transformative experience that solidified his approach to both work and life that continues to influence him today.
Grab a glass of wine (or two) and explore the story below!
Chris at Decades in Lancaster, PA.
What’s A Sommelier?
A sommelier (pronounced “some-mall-lee-yay”) is considered a ‘’wine expert” due to the incredible amount of knowledge one has to have about the industry to achieve that title. These individuals are often sought out to help people identify their own flavor explorations within the world of wine.
“I really enjoy helping people evolve in their personal wine journeys,” said Chris. “Getting them to a point where they know more and learn more about wine is rewarding. As a sommelier, you can really help people find new things or things that they didn’t realize how much they already love.”
Chris collected a variety of books helpful to exploring the world of wine
There are two specific directions someone can take in working towards becoming an expert in the wine industry. A Master Sommelier is very service-focused (serving people wine, recommending bottles, educating others on certain aspects of flavor profiles, and more) while a Master of Wine focuses a bit more on the agriculture and chemistry elements of the wine industry.
For Chris, he knew he wanted to focus on the service aspect–a passion of his throughout his career.
“I take pride in that I can relate to anyone's interests,” said Chris. “I always recommend that people try different wine types and not let the label scare them. And if you don’t know, how will you learn if you don’t ask?”
It was this drive for knowledge and service that pushed Chris onto the first steps of his sommelier path.
The Beginning Of A Journey
When Chris was 25 he started as a young restaurant manager at the Harrisburg Pike Gibraltar location after growing up bussing tables, serving tables, being a bartender, and experiencing a variety of pivotal roles in the industry.
“One of my former restaurant managers, when I was a bartender, helped me realize how much passion I had for wine,” said Chris. “My parents drank wine and it was always part of my life. I always viewed it as something social and enjoyable to do with others–and I think I was just at the age where my palette was growing and I wanted to experience new things with it.”
Chris found that the local wine representatives in the area were often the most knowledgeable about wine and he would ask them questions to learn as much as he could.
“At the time, some of my customers were more knowledgeable about wine than I was,” said Chris. “I wanted to know my knowledge was sound and the best way to do that was to learn more through the Court of Master Sommeliers.”
The Court of Master Sommeliers is globally recognized as a certification avenue for wine expertise, and, after researching the program, it was something Chris realized he needed to achieve.
“I knew right away it was what I wanted to do,” said Chris. “I was so immersed by the culture of restaurants and wine that it felt natural to pursue.”
Studying included reviewing this flavor wheel and an array of tasting information that was full of robust, granular options to remember and practice
After previously dropping out of college, Chris was even more focused and determined to conquer this challenge ahead of him. A lot of preparation had to be done. He took the research and learning very seriously, creating a variety of grids, flavor wheels, study guides, and more.
“I subscribed to the Sommelier Journal and read every issue cover to cover,” Chris added. “I would read them religiously and would constantly ask my wine reps to pepper me with questions about what I was trying and tasting to practice whenever I could.”
Chris studied many Sommelier Journals, reading them cover-to-cover to learn all he could in the lead up to tests and exams.
His obsession with testing and practicing followed him everywhere.
“It literally kind of leaked into every aspect of my life—like at the grocery store, I’d smell different fruits just for reference points,” said Chris. “Even to this day I’ll say ‘it smells like lemon Pez in here’’--not just ‘lemon.’ Because sure, it smells like lemon–but it could be lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon brine, candied lemon, sugary lemonade. There are meanings and flavor identifiers behind each one of those things.”
The stage was set and the milestone daunting, but Chris felt prepared after months of research and registered for the two-day intensive class plus written exam in Manhattan, New York–a test that he had to pass just to get a shot at signing up for the actual sommelier exam.
“I was nervous but ready,” said Chris. “I successfully passed that test and I immediately signed up to take the Sommelier exam that would happen six months later.”
The true test was just ahead.
The Big Moment: Achieving Sommelier Status
After 6 more months passed, and additional studying commenced, Chris traveled back to New York City to take the big test to try and become a sommelier in August of 2009.
“That morning I didn’t even brush my teeth because I didn’t want the mint taste to throw off my pallet,” said Chris. “I didn’t want anything to throw off my taste buds!”
To successfully achieve the certification individuals needed to pass a test that’s a mix of practical, written, and blind tasting elements–all of which are very secretive in content. The course was managed by Master Sommeliers–the highest ranking of any sommelier in the world.
First in the process is a written test with about 100 questions about the entire world of beverage, not just wine.
“Imagine coming up with a test knowing that if someone passes they should have a total knowledge of the beverage world,” said Chris. “Sommeliers need to have a base of knowledge around all beverage services–even things like cigar service, cocktail preparation, champagne, after-dinner drinks, cordials, and all that stuff. So studying for this was extremely challenging.”
With so much to remember, Chris would fill many sheets with notes on everything ranging from grape varieties to different regions around the world known for an array of unique flavors. To this day he still kept his study guides!
There were questions about the regions where different wine originates, producers of certain brands, grape varieties, vintage/dates of certain bottles, vineyard notes, and many more queries prompting the test taker to know very specific, granular, and extensive information.
Next was the blind tasting–where individuals had to fill out a tasting grid as they sampled varieties of wine.
“The tasting part was like a math equation–if you show your work, you will at least get partial credit even if you may get the answer wrong,” said Chris. “They required you to note different ways you were evaluating taste, flavor, smell, and everything else.
The third and final aspect of the test–and easily the most difficult and scary–was the practical service exam.
“As someone who had been always working on the floor, selling wine, opening bottles, engaging with VIP customers in my career–I was not too nervous,” said Chris. “But when Doug Frost–the only person in the world who was a Master Sommelier and Master of Wine–and Laura Menniac–one of the world’s first women Master Sommeliers–were at my table for the exam I felt my knees knocking. I was absolutely terrified.”
It’s a very intense challenge where the test taker has to be focused on serving the ‘’guests’’ all while being prepared for whatever is thrown at them.
“As you're pouring they are firing off questions like ‘If I was having a creamy pasta what wine would you recommend?’”, said Chris. “They expected you to name the brand, the vineyard, the flavor profile, everything–and if they didn’t like the suggestion you offered you’d then have to be prepared to give another one.”
After the daunting task, Chris had to wait two and a half hours to get the results as he and the rest of the hopeful individuals crowded into a room (a little drunk and a lot nervous after spending the previous hour relaxing a bit at a local bar) to hear the news.
“It was intimidating–they’d call out your name and you’d go up and immediately get the certificate,” said Chris. “If your name wasn’t called, you just stood there and watched others celebrate with champagne.”
Thankfully all of the hard work, dedication, studying, researching, and tasting truly paid off in a moment Chris will always remember.
“I passed my first time and was so excited,” said Chris. “I was hugging people and high-fiving others who passed. After I left the room I Immediately called my mom, and then my boss, and finally my now-wife, Kayla, to share the news.”
The official certificate showcasing sommelier status
It was a major milestone that he often reflects on.
“I celebrated for a good two weeks,” laughed Chris. “For me, it was college. It was this huge achievement.”
At that time Chris was the youngest sommelier in the state of Pennsylvania, and the only one in the region that was certified from the Court of Masters. He returned to Lancaster to continue working at Gibraltar for a number of years–hosting wine dinners and further getting involved with the wine community.
Afterwards, he left to go to the Lancaster County Convention Center to run Penn Square Grille, now Plough, in 2011 and had the opportunity to shape the beverage program there. Then in 2014, Chris brought the first-ever beverage program to Willow Valley Retirement Communities and lended his expertise in the field to create something special for the organization.
“For ten years I’ve also been the consulting sommelier for the Wine Heart Gala that benefits Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health,” said Chris. “The event raises money to provide AEDs for schools, police officers, and other critical places.”
The next event is happening on October 18, 2024, at the Lancaster County Country Club. You can learn more about the gala here.
Chris also started Lancaster City Restaurant Week (the next event is happening September 9 - 15, 2024) and helped create the Lancaster Craft Beerfest (happening on Saturday, August 24, 2024).
“Then in 2019 I helped to open Decades and just recently celebrated the five year anniversary of the business with the other Partners,” said Chris. “It has been fun to add what I’ve learned into this business now.”
Chris and his monogrammed wine opener–one he’s had since he achieved sommelier status in 2009.
What’s Next?
“I don’t know that I have a tremendous future in wine,” said Chris. “But it taught me a lot about how I learn, how I progress through things. I’ve applied the same kind of tenacity that I learned through the process of becoming a sommelier to everything I do now.”
It was more than a certification–it was a reset in how Chris approaches his worldview.
“Now I like to make sure I am informed–I do not like to not know what I’m talking about,” said Chris. “If I don’t know what I am talking about, I like to listen to people that do and learn.”
This learning has been a key part in how Chris navigates everything from work, to life, to problem-solving. Now, he enjoys continuing to share his knowledge of wine so others can navigate their own journeys.
“There are so many types and kinds of wine that can be relatively friendly to your wallet,” said Chris. “Just try different shit and see what happens. There is zero reason to drink the same wine more than once. There are so many different types to try–why would you choose the same thing twice?”
He also noted the importance of having an open mind–and to not take it all too seriously.
“Don’t be snobby–it’s an agricultural product in a bottle,” added Chris. “It’s meant to drink together with people you like. Who cares about what you know and what you don’t? You’re supposed to be enjoying it with others and that’s the best part.”
Chris now gets to enjoy wine in a different way and trying new varieties. While it’s more casual than it was before, he still often helps people find exactly what they are looking for in the wine landscape.
“I am definitely still tremendously helpful for recommendations for my family and friends,” Chris added, laughing. “Like when I get a text from my brother saying ‘Chris, wine emergency. How the hell do they make this?”
Chris achieved more than a title when he became a sommelier. His focused dedication in carving out that unique path altered the way he viewed life and helped to shape who he is as a person–someone who is eager for unique experiences, determined to conquer & problem-solve, and who is always seeking to learn about the world around him.
Written by Tony Gorick, Sales & Marketing Manager at Decades (and a top fan of Chris Trendler).
