Freelance sommelier Matt Scammell is originally from Australia’s Hunter Valley region and is working towards becoming a Master of Wine. Matt formerly worked in the world of business management, before leaving to pursue his passion. His business background has given him the perfect foundation for his new career, as his former responsibilities included creating wine lists for prestigious events, conducting wine tastings and training staff.
Masters of Wine are renowned tasters and comprise a unique wine community. Regularly asked to judge at wine competitions worldwide, members can also often be found leading tastings, lecturing on wine courses and assessing private cellars. To become a Master of Wine, an individual must join the official programme, upon which they’ll be assigned a mentor. Subsequently, they will have plenty of opportunities to meet fellow students, other Masters of Wine and industry leaders during course days and residential seminars.
As a sommelier, Matt is a knowledgeable and trained wine professional, often working with restaurants to help them choose wines and suggest which will pair best with each item on a menu. His role also involves managing cellars to keep track of wine stock levels, storage and deliveries and providing wine training to staff.
Travelling is an inherent part of Matt’s job, which is something he embraces. Some of his favourite places to visit are Spain, France, Italy, Chile, Portugal and Argentina, all destinations replete with vineyards. To relax, Matt enjoys a range of hobbies including listening to jazz music, abstract art, cycling, canoeing, swimming and – of course – wine and cheese sampling.
