Yu Chen always works on enhancing his wine knowledge and tasting skills. In an interview, he shares insights on wine trends, customer interactions and wine list.
Yu Chen is a passionate, professional sommelier and a member of Court of Master Sommelier. In an exclusive interview with CWC, he speaks about wine trends, wine lists, customer interactions and much more.
What really drives you when it comes to wine?
The passion and love for wines from the heart. I like to share my wine knowledge to the customer and seeing the acceptance from them will be my most happy time.
What food and wine trends are you seeing at the moment?
In China, the food and wine trends will be the small snacks from the bistro style restaurant and nature wine or biodynamic wine from a different country
What you look for when you plan to buy wine for your business?
Normally looking for good quality but small production wine or atypical wine(but still with good quality) in order to impress the hotel customers.
What are some challenges you face as a sommelier?
The biggest challenge will be the customers do not know what they want to drink or do not know which style they like, because you have to convince them to trust your recommendation.
What do you think is the most important element of a good wine list?
Diversification will be the most important element of a good wine list.
How has the role of the sommelier evolved in the last 20years?
Getting more professional, knowledgeable and well educated more and more.
Which varietals or countries are in demand these days for your business?
In my hotel, the California wines are the still the most demand, however, the customer starts to look at Bourgogne or Biodynamic Wines no matter the country or grapes.
Describe your experience interacting with customers on a daily basis.
Starting with: Good Evening, Ladies and Gentlemen. My name is Alexander, the hotel head sommelier in here. How could I help you with the wine tonight? Do you have any preference for the wine or specific grape varietal that you like?
Then according to the answer to recommend the most suitable wine for customers.
How you define a good sommelier?
Making combination with food by recommending a suitable wine to the customer and also making the biggest satisfaction.
What does your typical day really look like?
Checking the wine storage room, wine fridge, deciding the small promotion base on the food daily recommendation or slow moving wine list.
Small training to the hotel staff.
Making the food and wine suggestions to the customer during the daily operation time.
Making new purchasing order after the operation in order to make sure the hotel has the right par level for each wine.
About 2019 China Wine Competition
2019 China Wine Competition is an annual wine competition in Shanghai that will rate wines by quality, value and package. It looks to recognise, reward and help promote wine brands that have successfully been created to identify with and target a specific wine drinker.
Enter your wines before 28 February 2019 to get super early bird pricing.
