Learn from a MASTER

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Matthew Citriglia, Master Sommelier

by: Brian Fry

Matthew Citriglia lives a life many in the wine world would love to have. He travels the world lecturing, tasting wines, and helping people gain a better understanding of what they are drinking. In fact, Citriglia and I conducted the interview for this article while he was lecturing in Brazil.

When he’s not abroad, he spends a lot of time in the Buckeye state as the director of wine education for a Solon based vintage wine distributor. He was the lead instructor for my introductory sommelier course, which I completed in March of 2015. There are few people in the world as qualified as Citriglia to guide people on their wine education journey.

He will bring knowledge and enthusiasm to our Valley on July 21 as he hosts two events designed to enlighten local wine lovers. The first event is a wine education and tasting seminar, followed by a Wine Academy featuring five wines hand-picked by Citriglia, each paired with appetizers.

While Citriglia has ascended to great heights in the wine world, his start was far from glamorous. “I started working at my father’s beverage store and gas station at age 14 stocking beer, wine and soda. At the time, I was unaware of what Grand Cru Burgundy or classified growth Bordeaux was, but they were all around me. At age 17, I read my first “non-teacher” assigned book. I discovered all of the wines in the book were also on my dad’s shelves.

Citriglia then began tasting the wines with his dad and the wine sales reps who called on the store, thus beginning his wine adventure. He worked in restaurants and owned his own retail business, honing his wine palate and expanding his wine knowledge. Then he took a big step in his career.

“My friend Larry O’Brien, master sommelier, introduced me to the Court of Master Sommelier program when I was about 30. I walked in to the advanced course (there was no introductory or certified level then) and I suddenly felt at home. There were 30 people as geeky about beverage knowledge and service as I was. I was hooked immediately.”

Citriglia and O’Brien have forged a friendship as the only Ohio-based master sommeliers.

The process of becoming a master sommelier can be grueling and often requires one to dedicate much of their life achieving the master diploma. Citriglia embraced the challenge. “The process was enlightening. The more I knew, the more I realized how little I knew. It was more a test of self-discipline and dedication than anything else.

Traveling the world provides incredible opportunity to taste wines and cuisine not found in the United States. On his recent trip to Sao Paulo, Brazil, Citriglia was pleasantly surprised by the quality of their sparkling wines and the exotic traditional cuisine. The most unusual pairing included a large roasted ant that tasted like lemon grass and ginger.”

One of the primary roles of the sommelier is helping people find the wines that are best for them. The Courts of Master Sommeliers help teach wine professionals how to conduct this process.

“I teach people how to use their senses and tune into their personal tastes. Sommeliers are to make people comfortable with their beverage selection and gently push them to step outside their comfort zone and experience new things.”