SOMM The Movie - We FINALLY Watched It!

Courtesy IMDB.com

This movie has been on our radar for a long time.  It originally came out in 2012 on the festival circuit in the US.  Nearly immediately it gained a cult following from wine enthusiasts for a couple of reasons.  First, there are few really strong documentaries about tasting wine out there.  Second, the reputation and mystery surrounding the Court of Master Sommelier exam and how hard it actually is.

If you've never heard of this exam this movie will get you up to speed fast and it delivers a strong explanation of the requirements to take the tests and what it means to truly prepare for all aspects but especially the dreaded/beloved Tasting Exam.  The shear volume of information that needs to be consumed and remembered is astounding.  The theory test covers wine, spirits, beers, and cigars from around the World. There is the tasting exam and finally a formal dinner service to go through.

If you have an interest in tasting wine and have ever tried doing a true blind tasting where you need to determine the wine down to the most specific detail, this will be an interesting watch.  The MS's that put the candidates through their paces are tough but they know what it is like to complete the journey.  You can only take the test once a year so if you fail (and the vast majority do) you need to begin your preparations for the next test immediately.  It's a full time job unto itself.  Unbelievable!

There have been 219 Master Sommeliers since its inception and it is considered one of the hardest tests there is.  The worst part in the tasting exam is that they never tell you what the wines were so you go through it and it is pass/fail,  Terrible.  The pressure leading up to the test must be immense and watching the different personalities go through the process is super cool to watch.

We found the film was able to balance the overview of the test and the drama around it with the discussion of the people taking the test.  There is an element of education that the film had to do for those uninformed about the test but it is reasonable and we found it extremely fascinating as wine people.  Definitely a good watch.

The characters of the test takers was all over the road from Ian the 'A' type personality, to Dustin the 'jock', to Dlynn the 'gentleman'.  They were thick as thieves but each person brought a unique spin on their motivation and preparation for the test.  More curious was the spouses who have to put up with marathon quiz sessions and wine tastings with the requisite spit buckets left behind.  Really very interesting.

The bottom line is if you are interested in wine as a hobby (or as a profession) this movie will entertain.  We're sorry it took us so long to watch it and have heard a follow up is in the works which we would love to watch.  We give it two thumbs up!

Keep on tasting,

Chris & Shannon