Scott originally planned to be a French teacher after getting his BA in French from Penn State. However, after moving to France to teach English in a high school after graduation, he had the good fortune of being placed at the Lycée Hotelier de Tain l’Hermitage, that happened to train sommeliers, along with other restaurant positions. He had a knack for helping the sommelier students describe wines in English, and quickly fell in love with learning as much as possible about wine and spirits.
After his visa ran out two years later, he returned home to Philadelphia in 2003 to begin his wine career as a Commis Sommelier at Le Bec-Fin, as the Chef Sommelier was a former student of the Lycée where he taught. Scott then spent the next 10 years in the wine industry leading wine programs in Philadelphia at Le Bec-Fin, Striped Bass, and The Fountain at the Four Seasons Hotel, (with a year spent at Seeger’s in Atlanta), before moving to the Napa Valley in 2012 to take over the program at Solage Calistoga. This was followed by joining the wine team at the Restaurant at Meadowood in 2018 for two happy years, before the Restaurant was claimed by the Glass Fire in 2020.
Scott then spent two years with Winebow in Broad Market Sales, before joining Vinfolio as Director of Private Clients in 2023. He passed the Theory and Service portions of the MS exam in 2019, (before practicing Tasting for two years as a result of the pandemic), then passing the final portion of the exam to achieve the MS title in 2022.
Where are you working currently and how has being a MS supported you in your current role?
My current position is Director of Private Clients for Vinfolio, which allows me to help curate collections and search for wines (both for short and long term storage) for our clientele. As opposed to only having an evening (or several with return visits) to build an experience and turn guests on to new wines, I now have an opportunity to help build cellar depth, which will hopefully yield years of enjoyment. The company is based in London, with outposts in Napa, Milan, Budapest, Singapore, and Hong Kong, so we have amazing reach and access to both the best and most obscure wines the world has to offer.
Where were you working when you passed?
I was working in Broad Market Sales for Winebow Fine Wines and Spirits in the Napa Valley. Sadly, I had to leave the celebration luncheon early in order to catch my flight back so that I could be back at work the next day!
What made you want to become an MS?
When I first started my journey, I was in awe of the recall and depth of knowledge that I saw in Master Sommeliers. Being able to have so many details at your fingertips, while being personable and friendly seemed like the most fun challenge. I also think the work “fun” is key here – MSes always seemed to be having the best time when presenting courses or answering questions. Now that I have achieved the title, I want to be as friendly and inclusive as the MSes who helped to teach me when I was just beginning.
What advice do you give those who are pursuing certification?
Having a study group is key to success. It’s hard to excel in a vacuum, and having many different points of view helps to highlight what you may have missed (and keeps you on point)! This applies to everything – I could not have passed without my study and tasting groups, and found that crowd-sourcing solutions made the mountain we were climbing together seem a little more manageable.
What is your desert island wine, or what wines/beverages are you currently excited about?
Like many others, I love high acid whites and Champagne, but I especially love wines kissed by the sea, like an Assyrtiko from Domaine Sigalas or a Manzanilla from Hidalgo or Valdespino. In addition to wine, I have a deep love of Pastis (via which I cosplay my hoped for future as an old petanques-playing Frenchman) and Gin (where my WASPy heritage can fully show itself).
