ai and the somm
a neo-luddite mini-rant.
Lately, there have been an influx of articles written about how AI is taking over the wine world, whether it be on the restaurant floor or in the cellars. Two that have stood out to me lately are Sedale McCall’s article:
And Eric Asimov’s article titled “AI Is Coming for the Sommeliers”. A bit of a daunting title, but it did its job by getting me to read it.
Long story incredibly generalised and short, AI advocates tout its usefulness in the typical restaurant interaction between guest and sommelier. Guests can upload pictures of a wine list to an AI platform and ask it to recommend options based on the guest’s preferences. Guests can ask the platform a number of questions to get them to the bottle or glass that they would likely enjoy, easily skirting the potentially awkward conversation with the somm who could try to sell something more expensive or push their tastes.
As a somm and someone who has worked in wine for the past six years, I’m here to say one thing:
put the damn phone down and speak to a human.
We’re in a world filled with screens. Zoom meetings and TikToks and FaceTimes and streaming TV and and and and
We’re getting further away from real face-to-face interactions with each other with each technological innovation. Everything is HERE and NOW and IN YOUR FACE and LOUD and BRIGHT and DISTRACTING. All the while convincing you that the supercomputer in your pocket knows the wine list just as well as the person who built it.
Some probably think this is my desperate grasp at staying relevant in the midst of rapid innovation that threatens to make me and my years of dedication irrelevant. That’s fair to think that - it’s not the case, but everyone is entitled to their opinions. This is more of a desperate plea for people to move technology aside to have genuine interactions with others. To connect with a stranger and allow conversation to naturally flow, however uncomfortable it may be. We’re so connected that we’re disconnected. To me, wine asks you to slow down and be present.
I can only speak for myself. I always encourage people to use the vocabulary they have. I don’t expect (nor want) everyone to wax poetic about a cru Beaujolais and rattle off a list of highly specific tasting notes (tart dark red fruit, peppery spice, bright finish blah blah blah). You want a chillable red? Check out this refreshing red Vinho Verde. You want a crispy white wine? Check out this blend of Italian varieties from California’s North Coast. That’s it. That’s how it’s done. My goal as a sommelier is the pair the guest with the wine. And we get there by having a conversation.
Surely AI can do the same thing without the human interaction. However, it can’t tell you why I chose to put a wine on our wine list. It can’t tell you why this particular producer resonated with me. It certainly won’t tell you that the winemaker is a friend of mine and I’m super proud of the amazing work they’re doing in the vineyard and in the cellar. And one can argue that AI is results-driven, not hospitality-driven.
Here’s to having more conversations,
-j
"And one can argue that AI is results-driven, not hospitality-driven." Love this line. It's exactly what AI experts who have limited/no floor experience (<---) miss.
AI tools can deliver recommendations (results) that are academically useful, but not an experience in the real world. It's a really good reminder for those of us behind the computers!
Yes to put the phone and speak to a human!