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Our Mission
 The US Sommelier Association is a Florida non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion and teaching of the wine culture to wine lovers and industry professionals.
We offer Sommelier Certificate and Advanced Sommelier Certificate Wine Course programs. The courses are given at Le Cordon Bleu - College of Culinary Arts in Miramar, FL, Miami Beach, FL, Aspen, CO, San Francisco, CA, Belgrade, Serbia, Zegrab, Croatia.
Our Spring 2010 classes are available for registration - check the schedules best for you.
Our Wine School focuses on the practical aspects of enjoying wine. A selection of at least eight wines will be tasted at each session, offering a broad introduction to all wines. Many wines are tasted blind to make learning both interactive and fun. We also look at matching wine with food, deciphering wine labels and explain serving tips and techniques.
Sommelier
 n, pl [f, FR, MF ,[Early 20th century. Via a variant of French sommerier , sommier , "officer in charge of provisions"] Wine steward in a restaurant, hotel, or other establishment, whosupervises the ordering, storing, and serving of wine. (Evaluates wines and offers suggestions on the occasion that each is suitable for.)
A position in a food and beverage operation that specializes in the service of wines, spirits and cigars.
10 Wine Tips from a Certified Sommelier |
 Have a budget in mind and stick to it!
So many shoppers do not have a budget in mind and over spend on wine they no very little about or purchase too many bottles.
What's for dinner or what is the occasion for buying wine?
Are you shopping to lay down the wines? Are you shopping for wines for dinner? How many courses and what is the menu? Do you need both a red and a white?
Who is coming for dinner?
If your guests are not wine savvy, buying expensive bottles will be lost on them. What are their preferences? Do they drink wine at all? Would they prefer White Zinfandel?
Utilize the Store Employees for assistance.
That is what they are there for. Develop a relationship with them, and they will call you with specials, sales and tastings.
Does the store or Wine Shop offer discounts on case purchases?
You can save between 10%-20% on a case of wine if the store discounts. Does the store have a particular day where they offer a discount? For example, one of our local stores always offers an additional discount on Mondays.
Does the Store or Wine Shop offer tastings?
This is a great way to educate yourself on wine and selections and it is usually free. The better stores will offer these tastings on Saturdays a few times per month. You can taste the wine and decide for yourself if you like it and want to purchase it. There may be a wine that is similar to it that is not as expensive. Maybe the wine has too much oak. Maybe the wine doesn't have enough oak. Again, the employee will be able to assist you with a selection you are more comfortable with.
Save the Label!
You've finally found the wine you like to drink and you cannot remember what it is! Write it down or save the label. Wine Enthusiast and IWA both sell wine label removers and diaries to take notes on wine.
Does the vintage matter?
90% of all wines are made to be consumed within the first year. It is a very small percentage of wine that is made to be stored for future enjoyment. If you are buying wine to consume for tonight's dinner, you may not care that the 1998 is not as good or as highly rated as the 1999. Save the money and buy the wine that is right for you.
Values can be found from all countries.
Contrary to popular belief, French wine can be inexpensive too. In today's wine world, it is difficult to get a bad bottle of wine with all the modern technology out there. Ask your sales person for a great value wine under $10 or under $8. You will find great, everyday drinking wines this way. Expand your horizons. Do not be afraid to try wines and grape varietals you've never heard of. You might surprise yourself.
Learn to understand wine labels.
There is a lot of information on them. Did you know that a white Burgundy or Chablis is made from Chardonnay? Did you know that a red Burgundy is Pinot Noir? Were you aware that Chianti is a region - not the grape. Sangiovese is the grape. In Bordeaux, wines labeled with the wine regions St.-Emilion, Pomerol and Fronsac are mostly Merlot based. Countries such as the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Chile simply put the grape varietal right on the bottle. Italy, Spain and France (except Alsace) may not. If you learn which grapes are allowed to be grown where, you will understand more about the wine. It can be a lot of work, but you can pick a region each month and expand from there.
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