Laurentiu Bulprich, restaurant manager at Kysty in Ambleside, has begun his quest to join the prestigious Court of Master Sommeliers, having completed his Certified Sommelier Exam earlier this week.
Laurentiu, along with 22 other applicants, took his exam on Tuesday 10th January at London’s Hilton Canary Wharf, which he passed, one of just 14 on the day.
The Certified Sommelier accreditation is the leading certification for wine and beverage specialists in the hospitality business, and it honours beverage professionals whose knowledge, talents, and attitude are deserving of the term.
The Certified Sommelier test is divided into three parts: a blind tasting exam, a theoretical exam, and a service exam.
Laurentiu had previously completed and passed his Introductory Sommelier Certificate, the prerequisite for sitting this examination with the Court of Master Sommeliers, but the pressure was on as he still needed to achieve a 60% pass mark in each section to be able to achieve the title of Certified Sommelier.
The first portion of the exam asked Laurentiu to demonstrate his restaurant service expertise in areas such as menu matching, wine presentation and preparation for service, appropriate glassware to use with certain beverages, and so on.
The second level asked him to demonstrate his academic knowledge, which included topics like wine-producing areas, grape varietals, the proper handling and storage of various beverages, the practical procedures involved in various distillation forms, and even international wine legislation.
Laurentiu had to be able to clearly and properly describe six distinct wines sampled blind, three white and three red, during the final 25-minute tasting portion of the exam. Describing the look, fragrance, and structural components of each wine sampled, as well as distinguishing the grape varietals utilised, country of origin, district of origin, and vintage.
“We’re incredibly proud of Laurentiu’s hard work and dedication in attaining his Certified Sommelier qualification,” said Chef Patron Ryan Blackburn. This renowned accolade honours his dedication and ability, and I’m forward to see him continue to share his passion for the world of wine with our guests at Kysty as his path as a sommelier develops.”
“One more fell from a great mood…” Chris writes for numerous online publications, having studied at The University College of North Wales, Bangor. He is regularly in The Lake District and enjoys wild camping, hiking and watersports. His favourite location? Muncaster Castle…
