Technically, a sommelier is a trained wine professional. They work in restaurants, pairing wines with food. But that’s a job title, not just a hobbyist.
If your uncle Bob has a garage full of cheap Merlot and a lot of opinions, he’s not a sommelier. He’s a wine enthusiast. Or, as I call him, "The Guy Who Brings Boxed Wine to Thanksgiving." So, a true expert on wine is called a sommelier, but only if they passed the exam.
The other fancy names you’ll hear
There’s also the oenologist. Sounds like a dinosaur, doesn’t it? Oenologist is the science expert. They study the chemistry of wine. They know why grapes rot and why fermentation works. They’re the lab coats of the wine world.
Then you have a winemaker. That’s the person who actually gets their hands dirty. They stomp the grapes (or use machines, but stomping is more romantic). And a vintner? That’s just a fancy word for someone who owns the vineyard or makes the wine. All these terms! It’s exhausting, honestly.
Premium Photo | Wine expert examining bottle label in vineyard
But here’s the thing I never knew until I Googled it: an expert on wine is called a wine connoisseur if they just drink a lot and have opinions. The word "connoisseur" just means "one who knows." So, if you drink two bottles a week and have a favorite vintage, congratulations. You’re a connoisseur. It’s not a high bar.
