Sommelier but also a true disseminator of the values ​​of a winery. We are talking about the Wine Ambassador, a key figure in the world of wine communication.

We continue our insights into the magical world of Wine by bringing to light one of the many important aspects that embellish and transmit the magic of both the product and the Winery: communication.

We have always been used to living Wine as a passion, emotion, conviviality, comfort. However, we are also understanding in an increasingly profound way, how much it represents an essential cultural aspect especially for us Italians (to whom in reality, for History and Tradition, it should rightfully belong in the DNA!) thanks to those who, for years, have spent their professional (and private) life to spread the beauty of the "colors" of Wine.

Bacchus' beloved drink has also become over the years a wonderful heritage that opens the doors to a profession fueled by an overwhelming passion. A profession that in a certain sense sublimates the fundamental role that the Sommelier has in the specific areas in which he is called to act.

Just like in a respectable restaurant, even in the Cellars the presence of a Sommelier becomes essential to guarantee a series of technical aspects, management and presentation of the product that require specific professionalism and skills. The obsession in creation, however, the history, the terroir, the spirit and the values ​​of a Cellar, constitute those traits that complete the tasting experience and increasingly over time, producers are feeling the need to entrust to a designated figure, the image of a reality that must be able to tell and represent even beyond the product itself.

Who is the Wine Ambassador?

Bring an embassy In ancient times it meant “to be in charge of carrying a message” and the Wine Ambassador covers, in a modern key, precisely this role: it is a key figure for those producers who have understood the value of offering an experience that may not necessarily be lived on site, but also be represented in an itinerant manner, without losing the charm of that emotional piece that a visit to a Winery brings as a dowry, but linking itself to the romance of the story, to the magic of the details and to the beauty of the style, told by those who have fully embraced a Winery for their professional “mission”.

The most attentive and modern winemaking companies have begun to move away from the mere classical vision of business, to acquire an awareness that helps it grow by multiplying its potential, and the Wine Ambassador represents in this sense, that lever that allows the company to present itself both with a technical-qualitative and all-round emotional guise.

A “Wine Ambassador” is first and foremost a Sommelier, who however has a single working environment in which he acts and which he takes total care of: the Winery he represents. Being chosen, becoming the chosen one, literally means marrying and representing the brand and the company values, it means involving and positively influencing the audience by making available matured experiences that, together with an image always up to the role that he covers and the company he represents, can trigger and stimulate, consequently, also natural sales processes. After all, wine is not only a taste emotion, but it is also a story that excites and completes what each time wants to represent a new experience.

But how does one become a Wine Ambassador? There is no specific path to fill this role, even if some job offers require a degree (Marketing, Communication and Economics are the most frequent). Without relying too much on educational qualifications, however, companies tend to select Ambassadors for the personal characteristics they demonstrate: proactivity and enthusiasm, ability to involve people and create a community. A very important part of the training of a Wine Ambassador takes place in-house and is aimed at making the distinctive characteristics of the brand known (or rather of the Winery and its products, in this specific case).

The position usually includes some training sessions to allow the Wine Ambassador to carry out his/her job effectively and so, those who personally cultivate a passion for the brand are therefore ideal candidates, at an advantage because they already know the product and its characteristics and are therefore more likely to know how to relate the brand/product to the needs of the public, even from an emotional point of view.

Think about it, fellow Sommeliers or aspiring professionals in the world of Wine: there may be something more stimulating and fulfilling in doing this job that we love (or that you will love), than becoming the chosen one, representing the image of a winery, becoming a reference figure within it and an external recognition, through a role often defined as “key” and absolute guarantee of quality of a product? In addition to improving our lives, the knowledge and culture of Wine also offer us the opportunity to develop a profession in a unique field through the wonderful shades of its colors.

Written by Carlo Attisano for mangiaebevi.it