The Master Sommelier Exam Was Never About the Wine. — Alexander Powell, MS
From Tasting Notes Toronto by Insider Wine · 1:05:57
Show by Alex Abbott Boyd
Is the hardest part of becoming a Master Sommelier the wine or your own head?Alexander Powell is a Master Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers, the former Executive Wine Director of Harbour Sixty in Toronto, and spent nearly two decades on restaurant floors from Susur Lee's to Grill 23 in Boston. This is the first podcast he has ever done.We talk about the nine months' notice he gave Don Alfonso so he could study wine eight to ten hours a day, the hungover tasting where he got one wine out of six and the talk from Brahm Callahan that made everything click, and the difference between knowledge and understanding. Plus: the mantra he says under his breath before every blind tasting.If you work a floor, are studying for any exam, or just want to know what the sommelier is actually doing with that first sip of your bottle, this episode is a must-listen.The Master Sommelier Exam Was Never About the Wine. — Alexander Powell, MSTimestamps:00:00 "Stop being a freaking donkey"00:51 Quitting to study wine 8–10 hours a day04:14 Knowledge vs understanding: let go of the fear06:13 Accept no failure: never whether, only when08:39 One out of six, hungover: the Brahm Callahan talk12:09 The two-month routine and the pre-tasting mantra16:39 Wine six: "Alex, aren't you happy?"20:24 Susur Lee: "Do you think or do you know?"24:21 Newfoundland busboy to the Hell's Kitchen of Toronto30:00 A $700 Bordeaux and the word "afford"36:17 Selling wine without ever saying the number41:59 The one-ounce tax and drinking on the job47:29 Who should get the tips51:37 A 400-pound deadlift and a herniated disc58:37 After the pin: the secret to happiness62:32 The Loire shopping list🎧 Enjoyed the episode? Follow, rate, and review Tasting Notes Toronto on your favourite podcast platform — it really helps others discover the show. And don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode.Links:Alexander Powell — @alexanderpowellmsTasting Notes Toronto — @tastingnotestorontohttps://www.youtube.com/@TheTastingNotesPodcastIf this episode was worth your time, the best thank-you is sharing it with one person who'd love it.Hosted and produced by Alex Abbott Boyd · Recorded in Toronto · © 2026 Tasting Notes Toronto.
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