Matt Scammell

Freelance Sommelier

Career History

Matt Scammell is a freelance sommelier, originally from Australia’s Hunter Valley region in New South Wales. Having previously worked in the world of business management, Matt’s background has provided him with the perfect foundation for his current role. As a sommelier, he trains staff, conducts wine tastings and creates wine lists for prestigious events, among other things. Travel is an inherent part of Matt’s role and is something he enjoys – especially the opportunities it offers to visit vineyards at destinations such as Chile, Argentina, Portugal, Spain, France and Italy.

Master of Wine

Master of Wine

Matt is currently working towards becoming a Master of Wine (MW). MWs have a comprehensive range of theoretical and practical wine knowledge, enabling them to work across a multitude of disciplines including viticulture, winemaking, writing, retailing and shipping. To become an MW, an individual must first be accepted onto the official programme and then pass both the stage one assessment and the exam, the latter of which comprises a research paper and theory and practical components. Once this has been achieved, they must then sign The Institute of Masters of Wine’s code of conduct to become a fully fledged Master of Wine. The study programme, in total, takes a minimum of three years to complete, with participants sitting the practical and theory exam at the end of the second year.

Freelance Sommelier

In his current role as a freelance sommelier, Matt regularly works with chefs to create wine pairings and wine menus, using his expert knowledge to create menus that not only work well together but also reflect a restaurant’s mission and overarching concept. He also supervises the wine storage and serving processes, completes wine orders, manages cellar stock, and keeps up to date with changing food and wine industry trends. In terms of the latter, this often includes participating in industry events and networking with new producers, distributors and winemakers to learn more about their offerings.

To be a professional sommelier, several key skills are required. As well as extensive knowledge of the wine industry and its history, sommeliers must excel at communication and customer service, have strong sales skills, be great at working in a team and possess a good level of physical stamina – wine serving can involve a lot of standing, while cellar work may require heavy lifting.

Hobbies & Interests

To relax, Matt enjoys travelling, canoeing, cycling, swimming, art (especially abstract art), listening to jazz music and, of course, sampling a wide range of wines and cheeses.

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