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Red Wine

SINCE 1990

EXPERTISE IN WINE

tasting wine
serving wine and hospitality
ACCREDITATIONS​

  • Approved WSET Educator (2018)

  • President of Sommeliers Australia (2009)

  • Len Evans Tutorial, Scholar (2009)

  • Court of Master Sommeliers (2008), Dux of Introductory and Certified Sommelier Exams, Petaluma Scholarship Winner

  • Working with Wine Fellowship - Runner up and NSW State Winner, Negociants Australia (2008)

  • Wine List of the Year, RCA - Winner (2001, 2002, and 2003)

  • WSET Higher Certificate (1999)

  • Venues: Solotel Group of Hotels and Restaurants, Kinselas, MG Garage, WildFire, Delicado Foods + Wines, Southern Wild Distillery, Shorty’s Liquor

  • Chefs, friends and Restaurateurs: Bruce Solomon, Matt Moran, Janni Kyritsis, Tonci Farac, David Short

INTRODUCTION TO BEN MOECHTAR

The Sommelier

 

Ben Moechtar is one of the most lauded and respected Sommeliers in Sydney.

 

It’s not just about the awards, qualifications, or work experience though, it’s about the person and reaching beyond wine knowledge and restaurant service.

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If you want the work done and you need clarity about your position, then there is no one better suited than Ben Moechtar, to deliver the right outcome.

 

Ben has been working as a professional Sommelier since the late 1990s and is well known in Australia as a leading wine professional and hospitality consultant.

 

As Director of – The Certified Sommelier – Ben Moechtar can provide wine lists, education, training, food pairing, digital content, export consulting and provide the skills to help you become a more successful hospitality professional.

 

Services include restaurant and bar design, building a formidable front of house team, creating and implementing continuing education and training programs, successful service outcome strategies, engaging and retaining clientele.

 

The Certified Sommelier will help you get to where you would like to be.

WHAT WE DO

Wine Lists, Education and  Staff Training

 

There is more to a wine list than simply listing wines and prices. The devil is in the detail.

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As a previous Australian Wine List of the Year judge and 3 times consecutive winner of (RCA) Wine List of the Year Competition, Ben Moechtar knows what should and should not be on a winning wine list.

From short, compact, contemporary lists to classic, encyclopaedic tombs.

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If you have a beverage brief for your venue, Ben can deliver the appropriate wine list, comprehensive staff education and service training.

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By studying your business objectives and financial targets a wine list can be specifically tailored to suit your venues requirements.

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All wine lists require staff training to be effectual, and at The Certified Sommelier we deliver the entire package.

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We can train your staff on how to deliver an unforgettable wine experience.

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By teaching staff how to work the restaurant floor efficiently you can create and direct the customer experience from beginning to end.

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And returning guests are what drive revenue.

wine courses learning about wine
Wine Bottles
Food & Wine Matching

Personal taste is paramount and without a clear understanding of all the subtle nuances of wine, the art of food and wine matching can be extremely daunting. Take the guess work out of food and wine matching and engage the services of The Certified Sommelier.

  • The Science Of Taste, Olfactory Evaluation

  • Degustation: The Flow of Small Food Courses paired with Varying Beverages

  • Tasting Menus

  • Wine Flights

Wine Writing

  • Wine Reviews

  • Digital Content-Production & Editing

  • Tasting Notes-Emotive And Technical

Cellaring Wine

  • How to Build a Wine Cellar

  • How to Choose Wines To Cellar

  • Assessing Old or Mature Wines

  • Serving Old Wines

  • Tools to Open and Serve Mature Wine

  • Cellar Valuations

  • The Secondary Wine Market

Australian Wine Export

  • Choosing which Australian Wines to Export

  • How to distinguish Value and Quality

  • Legislation, Law, Correct Procedures

  • Logistics/ Freight

  • AWRI Requirements/ Analysis/ Accreditation/ Certification

  • Customs Requirements

  • Warehousing

  • Label and Product Integrity

WHAT WE OFFER

Wine Consulting
Service

Wine Education, Training and Events

Wine Cellars

What is a
Sommelier?


A Sommelier is a certified wine professional who:

  • Specializes in the correct and appropriate service of wine and a range of other beverages

  • Can pair food with a range of beverages

  • Has detailed beverage knowledge which is transferable to other staff and to customers, and

  • Is a qualified wine taster and assessor

Image by Mathilde Langevin

What does a

Sommelier do?

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  • The Sommelier is responsible for creating the wine list; its delivery and maintenance

  • The Sommelier liaises directly with the chef to determine appropriate food and wine matching.

  • A Sommelier will attend to staff training to, better sell the wine list, and is thereby directly with the restaurant profitability

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

TimeOut Sydney – Delicado Foods
2014

Ably led by sommelier and wine journalist Ben Moechtar, Delicado deserves attention for its brilliantly focused wine list, superb tapas menu and a smart yet casual ambience… Moechtar seems omnipresent; a warm host who happily takes his wine bar patrons on vinous journeys from the textured whites of Yecla, to spicy reds of Navarra. Atmospheric, fine-tuned yet casual, Delicado is a real asset to wine bar enthusiasts of Sydney.

Teza Thane
Food and Beverage Consultant
2016

I find Benjamin to be of calm, collective, productive, people orientated individual who naturally commanded attention with his neutral approach in all matters he addressed which I think is a great natural asset in our industry.

Samuel Smith
CEO, Like Minded Drinkers
2013

Ben’s knowledge and passion for wine is beyond most in our industry, I have learnt everything I know from him and continue to do so every time we catch up. for those wanting to learn, Ben’s unique way of teaching is inspirational and insightful and always a lot of fun.

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