Becoming a Certified Sommelier: Breakthru South Carolina’s Alison Spivey
Jul. 31, 2017
Part one of a four part series profiling our people who have completed the journey to becoming a certified sommelier.
The world of wine is an industry with an increasing amount of professional avenues for those who are passionate about wine. For Alison Spivey, the love for the grape was always there, and after deciding to do some industry blind tastings and taking – and passing – the intro sommelier exam, she decided it was time to merge the passion and the profession.
Spivey is now fully engrossed in the “life of wine,” and now proudly serves as the On-Premise Sales Representative with the Vine to Table Division at Breakthru South Carolina.
Tell us about how you discovered wine.
Alison Spivey: In 2013, I started working at The Glass Onion, where I met the lovely Sarah O'Kelley [previous owner and avid wine lover], who saw the interest I had in wine and decided to mentor me. She paid for my Introductory Level with the Court of Master Sommeliers. The rest is history.
Becoming a certified sommelier is an intense process. Which part of the process did you find the most challenging?
Yes, becoming certified as a sommelier is very intense to say the least! You have to be completely in love with wine. Completely surround yourself with it. The part that was the most challenging was probably the amount of time that I had to dedicate to studying. I completely became a hermit until I passed.
Which part was your favorite?
Other than the moment after I passed, my favorite part was the history and the romance. I feel like I look at wine like a romance novel – every page of information is intriguing and it truly just amazes me the dedication the world has put into the industry.
Any industry predictions?
I predict that classics are going to make a comeback. I think the newer age somm's get overly obsessive over small production and new age California producers that they lose sight of the ones that paved the way. I think it is important to remind everyone of the Mondavi's, Perrin's and Frescobaldi's of the world. Bring people back down to earth so to speak.
Which varietals are your favorite to enjoy during the summer months?
Hello! rosé of course! Other than the obvious rosé, I love Muscadet in the summer – it pairs well with food but is easy to drink on its own. As far as in the red camp, I love Gamay. Chilled Cru Beaujolais is one of my favorites for the summer. Bubbles are always my go-to as well – Sparkling Ribolla Gialla from Fantinel is a fun way to change up the everyday bubble.
Do you have plans to continue your wine education?
I definitely have plans to further my education. I look forward to diving into more of the WSET and CSW route rather than taking the advanced course through the Court. I believe that the Court is more service-oriented and I have no plans to ever go back to the restaurant world. I recently passed WSET Level 2 with Distinction and have been registered to take the WSET Level 3 course.
What is your favorite part of working in the wine industry?
Recently, my favorite part has been changing people’s minds. I have a motivational motto that I take with me into the market about changing people’s perception on certain producers, styles and grape varietals. Of course, I enjoy the relationships that I have developed with my customers as well. I love teaching others about something I am so passionate about.