There are 158 master sommeliers in the world—and only 25 of those are women. Even though we feature female sommeliers each week, it’s still a male-driven field in many ways. But Roni Ginach, sommelier of Michael’s Santa Monica, says that’s not where the exclusion ends.
“There are also very few queer sommeliers and even fewer sommeliers of color,” she explains. “I try to support anyone I can coming up in this industry, especially if they happen to be a woman, queer or of color—winemakers, as well. It does feel like a responsibility to represent my community on the floor and to breed collaboration with rather than competition between my colleagues in the field.”
And she has a good-standing in the community, in part, thanks to her work at Michael’s. Founded in 1979, the LA eatery helped build the farm-to-table movement and bring “California Cuisine” to the world. The restaurant—specifically dishes from Chef Miles Thompson—has allowed Roni to stay at the forefront with her wine list: “It keeps me on my toes to say the least!”
Learn more about Ginach and her summer wine recommendation at groknation.com.