The first generation of American Masters
From the chapter: Think like a somm
When I was kid I was fascinated by the story of the initial conquest of Mount Everest. It took about a dozen failed expeditions between 1922 and 1953 before Hillary and Norgay finally made their first agonizing climb to the summit. Since then, thousands of people have made the climb; at last count, in well over 5,000 expeditions.
So it must have seemed to the first American Master Sommeliers, who not only had to pass the daunting three-part examination administered by the Court of Master Sommeliers (i.e., CMS), but also had to overcome the disadvantage of preparing for the exams entirely by their lonesome, traveling all the way to the U.K. on their own dime to do it.
As of this date, over 270 individuals in the world have earned the title of Master Sommelier, or MS, since the Court was established in 1977. Although there is now an American Chapter—which since 1986 has successfully elevated over 165 Americans to MS—the CMS was originally founded as an institution for the British trade, and was jointly sponsored by the Vintners Company, The Institute of Masters of Wine, The British Hotels & Restaurants Association, The Wine & Spirit Association of Great Britain, and The Wholesale Tobacco Trade Association.
For a Sommelier Journal article published in August 2013, I asked three of the first six American Master Sommeliers to share their stories in a virtual roundtable discussion. Although their experience is slightly different from the four-level path followed by today’s aspiring sommeliers, in many ways it is not: Becoming an MS is as much a feat of mental, and in many ways physical, endurance as it ever was. Yet still, like Hillary and Norgay, you have to say that the first American Masters had it harder. For them, there were no lower steps providing an initial boost, and virtually no mentors to lend coaching and encouragement. They went into the examinations cold, their efforts amounting to hell-bent, go-for-broke assaults on the notoriously grueling three-part examination, which were designed primarily for the British trade, not for Americans.
The first two Americans had Hawaiian connections: Edmund A. Osterland (better known as Eddie) and Richard Dean were both working as tastevin and leather apron-wearing sommeliers in Honolulu when they first heard about the Court of Master Sommeliers. After extensive travels and working as a sommelier in Europe, in 1973 Osterland became the first American to attain an MS (making him among the first 25 in the world), passing the exams in London on his first try. Afterwards, Osterland enjoyed most of his long, successful career as an educator and colorful speaker—primarily as principal of his La Jolla, California based OSTERLAND ENTERPRISES.
Mr. Dean had to make no less than three long journeys between Honolulu and London before finally passing all three parts in 1975, at the then unheard-of young age of 26. What’s also amazing is that Dean remained a walking, talking restaurant sommelier for over four decades. He spent most of his career working in Hawaiian hotels before taking positions at The Mark and Tavern on the Green in New York. In 2007 he took his last position at Taj Campton Place in San Francisco.
Ronn Wiegand, who is also a Master of Wine (since 1991), became America’s fifth Master Sommelier in 1986 (52nd in the world), nailing all three parts in London with his first shot. Wiegand also earned the Krug Cup, awarded to the highest score among those taking the examinations. There are also Hawaii ties—in the late 1970s Wiegand operated the Grape Escape wine school in partnership with Osterland. Eventually moving to Napa Valley, he began publishing the influential Restaurant Wine magazine in 1988, which he continues to do even while now living in Tokaji, Hungary (where he is married to the proprietor of the Erzsebet Pince wine estate).
Wiegand has always contended that his original mentor, Raoul Sofer of San Francisco's Clift Hotel, should technically be considered the first Master Sommelier in the United States. Sofer attained his title in 1971, but his membership was always “claimed” by the British Court of Master Sommeliers because of his British citizenship, which is why he was never counted among the ranks of the American Chapter. Therefore Osterland remains on record as the first American Master Sommelier.
Since our conversations in 2013, both Dean (in 2020) and Osterland (2023) have sadly passed away. The fourth American to become a Master Sommelier, San Francisco’s David O’Connor (in 1985), is also deceased. The third American to achieve an MS, Fred Dame (1984), was expelled from the Court in 2021.
Here is what three of the first-generation Masters⏤Osterland, Dean and Wiegand⏤had to say about their climb to the top:
When and how did you first hear about the Court of Master Sommeliers?
Osterland: I heard about the MS diploma in the Wine Butler, which in the late ‘60s was the newsletter for the Guild of Sommeliers in London. While I was attending grad school I was working as a sommelier at the Ilikai Hotel in Honolulu. I liked the idea of attaining the highest level of the profession so much that I set a personal goal of going all the way London, and doing whatever it takes to pass the exam.
Dean: Like Eddie, I first read about the Court in the Wine Butler. It was a very colorful pamphlet, or more like a brochure, carrying ads for things like Dry Sack Sherry and Blue Nun. In 1971 the two of us were sharing a house near a beach in Hawaii. The Wine Butler was directed at the restaurant and hotel wine trade in England, not in the U.S., but that wasn’t going to stop us.
Wiegand: I was in San Francisco when I first heard about Master Sommeliers in the early ‘70s. It was through Raoul Sofer, the first Master Sommelier working in the U.S.—he became an MS in 1971, at the age of 49. I met him when he was at The Carnelian Room in the Clift Hotel, San Francisco’s leading luxury hotel at the time, and he ran probably the best wine program in the city. At the time, I didn’t have a full idea of what being a Master Sommelier was about—only that in the fine dining world an MS was considered tops in the profession, and because of the unique title, a little bit of a celebrity.
In 1975, when I went to work at the Clift as a server, Sofer found out I had an intense interest in wine, and immediately offered me the position of Assistant Sommelier, which I accepted. I worked with him for a full year. During that time he explained to me about the exam and the Guild of Sommeliers, and he encouraged me to become a full-time sommelier. It was also through Sofer that I was first introduced to Eddie, who came to the hotel to visit Sofer while passing through California.
How did you prepare for your exams?
Osterland: I saved money for about a year and moved to France—went to the Université de Poitiers to learn French for about a year and then enrolled at the Université de Bordeaux, Ecole d’Oenologie to attain their D.U.A.D [Diplôme Universitaire D'Aptitude à la Dégustation des Vins] degree. When I graduated, I took the position of head sommelier at Hôtel de la Poste in Beaune. During my three years in Europe, I visited every region in France, Germany, Italy and Spain. Finally I went to London to sit for the exam, and passed all three parts in 1973. Like every other Master, it took a few days to peel myself off of the ceiling!
Dean: In the early ‘70s I was working as a sommelier while attending University of Hawaii in Honolulu. Learning about wine, especially in Hawaii, was not an easy thing back then—no Google, of course no computer, and no books to help you prepare for tastings. I had some advantages working in a restaurant—however, the selection of wine back then was nothing like what we have today. We did have some wine clubs, and some other interested Hawaiian sommeliers. The only real way to learn, though, was to travel to Europe and visit the chateaux and estates, meet winemakers and taste as many wines as you can.
After Eddie and I read about Master Sommeliers in the Wine Butler, I took a copy to show my G.M. at the hotel I worked at, The Hawaiian Regent Hotel. He loved it, and offered to help me with my expenses. The plan was to go to Europe, spend a month studying in the vineyards, and go to London to take the exams. I also got a lot of help from wine importers, who arranged visits for me. When I got to Burgundy in 1973 I met up with Eddie again, who was working as a sommelier at the Hôtel de la Poste in Beaune. After only a year and a half in France, Eddie was already speaking fluent French!
In October 1973 I sat for the MS at Vintners Hall in London, and passed Restaurant Service, called Practical today. But I had to go back to Hawaii and tell my friends and people I worked for that I did not pass the other two parts. One thing for sure, I spent the next year avoiding the G.M. who had so much faith in me in the beginning. The next year I went back to Europe, spent two more months in vineyards, and in October 1974 I got back to London and passed Theory but I still didn’t pass the tasting. I had to go back the following year, in October 1975, before I finally aced it.
Wiegand: My exams were held in 1985 and 1986, nearly a decade after I left the Clift Hotel. During those intervening years, I visited more than 300 wineries in California and Europe at my own expense, worked as Assistant Manager at a company that ran some of London’s leading wine bars, and joined Eddie Osterland at the Grape Escape [wine school] in Hawaii. I had also published dozens of articles on wine—in publications like Decanter, Wine Spectator, and Wine Country—and in 1980 I moved to Napa Valley.
What was tricky about the preparation for my MS was that it was held only a month after my Advanced, which didn’t give me a lot of time to prepare. Complicating the issue was the fact that during the same month between the two exams, my wife and I closed escrow on our first house, and we had to move out of our apartment into the new house. Plus, during my “preparation period,” I had deadlines for several wine articles I was writing. On top of that, there were serious time zone adjustments: Both exams were held in England, so I made two round trip flights from California to London in a one month period. That may not seem like much today, but back then it was a bit of an adventure, and highly unusual for an aspiring Master.
After all these years, is there a memorable moment that stands out from when you took your exams?
Wiegand: For me, it was moving into that first house in late December 1985—studying upstairs for the Master’s, which was to be held less than two weeks later, while my wife was watching over our two toddlers and setting up our new household downstairs.
Dean: What I remember is the hardest part for me, which was the tasting—same as today, six glasses of wine, totally unknown, blind. The second time I sat for the tasting, in 1974, I thought I knew most of the wines they put in front of me, but I was a nervous wreck. I remember flying into London the night before. Big mistake—the change in time zones and climate was too much to overcome with an exam like that. The following October, in 1975, I spent an entire week in London before the tasting, acclimating myself. This time I knew I would nail any wine they put in front of me, and I did. I was also told that I was the youngest Master Sommelier [26 years old] in the world, at that time.
Osterland: My most memorable moment was in 1975, dashing out of service at Hotel de la Poste to a Post Office to send a telegram to Mr. Dean in London, wishing him luck. Richard had taken the exam two years in a row, and was back for his third try. My message [see photo of telex]: “TIME FOR ANOTHER U.S. MASTER.” When he finally passed, I was so happy for Richard, and happy to see another American Master Sommelier.
How has becoming a Master Sommelier opened doors for you?
Dean: There is no substitute for the credibility and reputation you earn when you become a Master Sommelier.
Osterland: I have had the good fortune to author two books—Wine & the Bottom Line for the National Restaurant Association, and recently [2013], Power Entertaining published by John Wiley & Sons. There is no question in my mind that being an MS brought these kind of opportunities to me. It is the greatest club I could imagine being a member of.
Wiegand: It has opened many doors by providing an ever-expanding community of talented professionals as peers. It has definitely boosted my efforts as a journalist, consultant, taster, and lecturer. Most importantly, over the years, as the Court has grown in stature and reputation, so, too, has the professional value of the Master Sommelier diploma. Consequently, many more doors have been opened to me now, three decades later, than in my first years following the exam.
That said, we also need to acknowledge the time and effort of dozens of other Masters who have invested in the program—especially Nunzio Alioto and Fred Dame, who literally founded, organized, and oversaw the U.S. Court of Master Sommeliers, and have done a superb job. There is also Brian Julyan in the U.K., who has been the bedrock of the Court for years.
What are major differences between the sommelier profession in the 1970s through 1980s and the sommelier profession today?
Wiegand: Back then sommeliers were extremely rare, and found only in the most high-end restaurants. Sommeliers managed the wine list, worked the floor, and reported to a Beverage Manager. It was an exclusive position. Today, wine is a restaurant staple, and more wine is sold on-premise in the U.S.A. than ever before. And the sommelier position has gone mainstream, because wine sales have increased so dramatically and vastly more restaurants have excellent wine programs. I would estimate that there are now about 40 to 50 times more active sommeliers in American restaurants than there were 40 years ago.
Osterland: Back in the ‘70s the sommelier position was usually a 5-hour a night job, where people who had no idea about wine would allow the sommelier to sample their wines to verify their viability—tasting customers’ bottles used to be the norm, if you can believe it. In France, though, sommeliers worked as long as 12, 13-hour days. I have seen it all over the past 50 years, but today’s sommeliers are still the ones customers look to get to know real well, because they can add magic to the experience.
Dean: In the 1970s and earlier, sommeliers were usually called “wine stewards,” probably because it was easier to pronounce. There wasn’t much more to the job than waiting for servers to take food orders and then approaching guests to suggest appropriate wines. A sommelier’s shift was similar to a server’s, no more than 6 hours a day, which I think is good enough for restaurant service because it keeps you polite and rested. Today the sommelier is more likely to be responsible for an entire beverage program as well as purchasing, and sometimes the scheduling and management of an entire staff of sommeliers, on top of waiters. Each hotel or restaurant is different. After all these years I still hold the position of a working sommelier, but now it’s at least 10 to 12 hours a day!
What are some of the things you’d like to see today’s Master Sommeliers do more of?
Wiegand: I have to say, today’s Master Sommeliers are already doing an outstanding job all around. Those who enter our ranks tend to be extremely conscientious, proficient, and dedicated.
Osterland: Every year I try to raise the awareness of how much pleasure can be shared with those who haven’t learned to enjoy wine thoroughly. I have done blind tastings at the Society for the Blind, for example, showing them how they can develop tasting skills that few others possess. I enjoy speaking to seniors in their eighties, showing them fun ways to entertain friends—they are many more appreciative audiences we can bring the pleasure of wine to.
Dean: I would like to see Master Sommeliers do more giving back to the community in the form of charity events. With the MS title, you have access to other Master Sommeliers and many top chefs, and a lot of good can be done with that. Chuck Furuya MS in Hawaii, for instance, organizes a yearly event to help out the Lupus Foundation. Of course, this goes for myself as well—I’d like to do more than what I’ve done in the past.
Can you give examples of Master Sommeliers today who you think should be emulated?
Dean: I like that Masters like Tim Gaiser have been helping out so many young people with tastings, by being generous with his knowledge. Recently I spoke to some younger sommeliers invited by Tim to taste in his home. They were so excited—just a simple invitation makes a huge impact on them. Another MS who constantly helps out sommeliers working through their courses and exams is Catherine Fallis.
Osterland: I think Christopher Miller at Spago is doing great job, epitomizing what a Master Sommelier is all about.
Wiegand: There are so many who are doing great things. Among recent Masters, one name would dismiss ten others who should be included, and congratulated.
Any advice for today’s working sommeliers⏤particularly those aspiring to the Court of Master Sommeliers?
Dean: Everyone should think long term, especially if you plan to work restaurants another five, six decades—better get to the gym often and stretch those hamstrings!
Wiegand: The sommelier profession is a great one, and it’s been an honor and a pleasure to be part of it. I would simply say: Keep tasting, keep learning, keep sharing, be humble, be generous, be respectful, and always appreciative of your good fortune.
Thank you very much for such incredible memories from some of our sommelier “forefathers”. Touching piece.
Richard Dean was a wonderful man. I met him in his later years, in NYC, before he moved back to SF. He was so supportive and generous with his time. Thank you for the reviving the memories.