Ms. Sommelier
Local wine professional has won global recognition for her work
By Katie Reetz, Greensboro News & Record, December 7, 2007 (See PDF of feature)
 
Julia Schiavone’s first taste of Grand Cru Chablis lingers years after she first swirled the glass.  She was a sophomore at the College of Charleston, majoring in Psychology and moonlighting at McCrady’s, one of the city’s finest eateries.  “It was after work one evening, and I was enthralled listening to the general manager speaks about the wine, and when I tasted it, everything made sense,” says Schiavone, now wine director for the Green Valley Grill, Lucky 32, and Print Works Bistro. “I could smell and taste everything he was saying and more, and a bulb just went off.  I got it.”
 
 In a few short years she’s parlayed that first sip into a lighting streak of a career.  Now, at 31, a string awards and honors have brought her international recognition in the tight-knit and male-dominated wine community.  But she won’t bring that up unless you ask her.  To her, the awards are a professional by-product.  There’s always something new to learn about wine-theories to study, changing laws and regulations, blind taste and smell tests to sharpen skills.

Schiavone is a Certified Wine Educator with the Society of Wine Educators.  For two years running, she has won the Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs Young Sommelier Competition in the South Central Region.  She’s bested sommeliers from seven states, and was one of only two women in the 10-person national contest this year.

That’s on top of earning a Court of Sommelier certificate in 2006.  Now she’s preparing to test for the professional zenith: Master Sommelier, a distinction earned by only 66 people in North America, 13 of whom are women.

For Schiavone, the real challenge is one she faces every day working as wine director for Quaintance Weaver’s restaurants, hotels, and special events:  Finding the perfect chardonnay for a young couple celebrating an anniversary.  The best cabernet for a new employee trying to impress the boss.  A pinot noir for friends enjoying a college reunion.  The right wine for the right price to create the perfect memory.

Schiavone tumbled into the world of wine by accident.  A sorority sister working at McCrady’s recruited her for a part-time job.  She came in expecting an interview, and was immediately put to work.  She was there a year and a half, climbing the restaurant’s ranks to become a cocktail server and then a server.  It wasn’t easy.  She had to prove herself.  A good palate and thoughtful recommendations weren’t enough.

Schiavone was a college kid in a world of wine professionals, so she dug into the theory work to demonstrate her commitment.  In the meantime, she used the extra money to further her education.  “I spent my money exploring the world of wine, purchasing bottles on a regular basis that would be truly special occasion for me now,” she says.

In 1997 she took her psychology degree and moved to Greensboro.  She accepted a job at the Village Tavern to wait out 12 months before qualifying for in-state tuition.  Then it was on to UNCG for a master’s degree in mathematics, and she thought, a career with numbers and equations.  Three weeks later she was done with it.  She wasn’t sure what she wanted to do, but another degree wasn’t it. 

As Schiavone continued to work on Village tavern Wine’s program, she heard whispers Quaintance- Weaver was looking for a beverage director.  Those whispers turned into requests as friends and colleagues urged her to apply.  Jimmy Tasio, an owner of American Premium Beverage, pushed her to make the change.  “This was going to be good for them, but also for yourself,” he says. 

Finally, she gave the company a call.  They wanted to hire her.  She wanted to work there.  For the past eight years she’s happily developed all the beverage training for the restaurants and hotels, writing all the wine, beer, and martini lists.

It’s not easy being a professional sommelier in central North Carolina.  In New York or L.A., you’re surrounded by like-minded peers courting the Master Sommelier distinction, but Schiavone is pretty much alone here, says Fred Dame, a mentor.  Dame is a bit of a celebrity in the wine world.  He was the first American to serve as President of the Court of Master Sommeliers Worldwide, and among other honors, is the President of the Guild of Sommeliers Education Foundation.  “It says a lot about her that we’ve never discussed her location being an obstacle,” he says.  Dame, who lives in California, met Schiavone as she was coming through the Court of Master Sommeliers ranks.  The group’s guiding mission is to improve beverage knowledge and service.  They’ve communicated over the phone and via email for several years, talking about practice questions, study tactics and mental preparation for the various certification exams.  “Julia doesn’t fluster easily,” Dame says.  “She’s a hard worker, she’s talented.  I tend to get a feel early on for people, and she’s someone I earmarked right away.”

Schiavone earned her Advanced Sommelier certificate in 2006 and hopes to sit for the Master exam in a few months.  Entrants take theory exams on production, law, viticulture, and vinification, and must have an extensive understanding of spirits, beers, and cigars.  A practical skills section focuses on service, and can include decanting, glassware selection, and a blind identification of spirits by nose.  Blind taste tests of six wines in 25 minutes round out the competition.  At a recent conference Schiavone worked to identify 12 clear spirits by smell.  “I just thought, “Do I even know 12 clear spirits?” she says.  “You almost have to stop your brain from working too much and go with your senses.” 

To be a sommelier is to enter an old school profession adjusting to a generation of grocery store connoisseurs.  Competitions require evening attire for entrants, and a command of a decent French accent.  “If you can recite from memory facts such as Grands Crus of the Cote de Nuits, the satellites of St. Emilion, the districts of Chiante, the AVAs of Sonoma County, or the Bereiche  of the Rheinhessen,” reads an excerpt for the Court of Master Sommeliers Web site, you’re probably prepared to take the advanced exam.

Converting the rolling “r” and accent marks into useful recommendations is Schiavone’s territory.  “I have my job because of White Zinfandel;   most of have our jobs because of White Zinfandel, she says.

“Wine can’t be snobby because if it is it doesn’t attract everybody.”  Glasses sizes at Lucky 32 start at 3 ounces so patrons can sample Merlot, Bordeaux, and Beaujolais without sacrificing their savings.  “At $50, $60, or $100 should taste good, that’s a given,” she says.  “But helping a young couple find a $20 bottle, that’s what I really love, helping them create a memory.”  She also loves all the people she’s met along the way-at conferences across the country and around the world, and in Greensboro dining room and fundraisers. “Plenty of people get to the level where she is, and get snobby-think they know it all, ya know?” Tasio says.  “Not Julia.  We’ll sit around tasting wines, and she always wants to hear what everyone thinks.”

Between the three restaurants, all of which maintain Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence, Schiavone is responsible for crafting beverage lists that will include nearly 700 wines by the end of the year.  What’s her preferred bottle of choice?  She thrills at a good German Riesling, loves Burgundy.  Pairing wine and food is a passion, but if she’s just going to have a glass, simplicity is key.  A Spanish white wine such as a Rueda or a Chacoli’, a vinegary green wine from the Basque region. 

“At the end of the day, this job is about enriching, “she says.  Enriching a dining experience, savoring memorable occasions and finding a wine that complements both the food and the conversation are priorities.  She tries to make each bottle memorable, to find the perfect taste for each occasion so diners will remember their evening the way she remembers that first sip of Chablis on Charleston night all those years ago