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After sitting down to chat with Michelin’s Sommelier of the Year 2021, one thing became strikingly apparent: expecting the unexpected can lead to one heck of a ride…and career!

Also named Netherlands’ Sommelier of the Year in 2019, Edgaras Razminas is a modern-day wine expert who introduces his customers to the wonderful world of wine, incredibly rich with its own vocabulary, culture, and history. Bermar recently caught up with him to chat about his unexpected, experimental, and wonderful career in hospitality, how he initially became interested in wine, the importance of wine by the glass, and building a wine list that appeals to customers.

Based in the Netherlands and ready to take the wine game at De Rozario’s in Helmond to a whole new level, read our full interview with the very talented and knowledgeable Edgaras below, learn about his experience & career as a well-renowned Sommelier, and hear his insightful take on the exciting future of wine and hospitality! 

Thank you for joining us today and having a sit-down chat! Let’s get right into it; the first thing our readers would definitely want to know is: how did you get into wine?

ER: During my younger years, I had a keen interest in exploring different types of alcohol, and I would often purchase Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc and drink it straight from the bottle! While many of my peers were content with drinking beer from a can, I found myself drawn to the flavours and complexities of wine. I had to rely on a fake ID at the time, but my curiosity for exploring new beverages continued to drive my passion for the industry. I began to read the labels and learn about the different types of wine, which only further sparked my curiosity.

This interest then led me to pursue an internship in a hotel where I could learn more about wine and whiskey. Then, while working at a restaurant in the Netherlands, I bluffed my way into a wine-related conversation with the chef, and after some quick Googling, I was able to impress him with my knowledge. This led to more opportunities and eventually landed me a job in the industry. Overall, my passion for wine and spirits started as a personal interest and has since grown into a career.

Right, so you’ve gone from Googling the wine menu in the back kitchen to being named Sommelier of the Year on multiple occasions – what does that mean to you?

ER: When I started out, I never imagined that I would receive an award like this! If someone had shown me my social media presence five years ago, I would have thought that person was crazy. But as time went by, I began to realise that there was a market for standing out, and I leaned into my unique style more and more. 

When I first found out that I had been named Somm of the Year, I thought they had made a mistake! But when it sank in, I felt a sense of pride and accomplishment. Being the first Lithuanian and non-native Dutch speaker to receive the award was amazing. I still feel grateful for the recognition – that was quite cool. 

Well, you are clearly a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the wonderful world of wine, so tell us a little bit about how you go about building your wine menu? 

ER: My main priority has and always will be the customer; I always keep them in mind and try to understand what they look for as best I can. At the moment, my main interest lies in creating a Champagne as well as Côteaux Champenois list that is comprehensive and priced appropriately. I really enjoy selling Champagne and aim to provide a variety of options that cater to different tastes. 

When it comes to other wine regions, I try to cover as many countries as possible and offer a mix of classic and new wines. For instance, when it comes to Germany, I make it a point to introduce at least two cuvées per region and at least three or four different wine houses with two different styles of wines. Overall, I strive to provide a wine list that is diverse and caters to different preferences. 

So, your wine list has a diverse mix of old and new world wines, classic options, and newer selections that customers may not have tried before. How do you ease the intimidation that some customers may feel when they encounter a wine list?

ER: By creating a list that is clear and easy to navigate.

I myself have encountered wine lists with names that are difficult to pronounce and descriptions that are overly complex. That isn’t going to put customers at ease. I want my wine list to be more straightforward; I want it to have a clear layout that is relatable to customers without overwhelming them with too much information.

You can make the unknown more accessible by breaking it down into ways they are familiar with, for example, region, year, vintage, and notes. I aim to explain the wines in a way that is approachable and easy to understand.

So if you are gonna make a list, and obviously you’re making it quite open and quite easy for people, how important is [serving wine] by the glass for you?

ER: Having a variety of options at different price points is crucial, as it caters to customers with varying budgets. A diverse and clear wine list can make a big difference in the customer’s overall experience and the success of the restaurant.

It’s important to consider the type of restaurant and location when thinking about the wine list. When I work with other restaurants, I notice that some use little menu cards to present their wine by the glass options in a more accessible and clear manner. By doing so, it allows customers to see the variety of wines available and make a more informed decision. Offering more wines per glass is also essential to increase the opportunity for customers to explore new options, which will lead to more sales.

As I mentioned earlier, by making a wine list clear and easy to navigate, wine by the glass helps ease customers into new wines they might be unfamiliar with. So overall, it is crucial.

You mentioned your current passion for Champagnes, do you believe that offering Champagne by the glass can encourage customers to step out of their comfort zone and experience new options?

ER: No doubt, offering Champagne by the glass definitely allows customers to try a wider variety that they might not have considered before. Sometimes they may only want a glass rather than a whole bottle. By offering a range of options at different price points, it gives customers the opportunity to explore and enjoy new Champagnes without having to commit to a whole bottle. Maybe they want to try something from the ‘Cuvée de Prestige’ list…serving by the glass allows them to do so at a more affordable level, which, in turn, actually allows the venue to make more sales. 

Additionally, this approach creates a more social atmosphere, where customers can share and enjoy the Champagne with friends or family. Ultimately, offering Champagne by the glass is a win-win situation for both the customer & the restaurant.

So, if you are opening quite expensive and rare bottles, surely you can’t really do that confidently [and serve them by the glass] unless you’ve got preservation to hand? 

ER: In my experience throughout the years, I have come across [your] Bermar preservation system and it’s been a game-changer for the restaurants that I have worked with. While I have never been a big fan of other preservation methods or machines on the market, Bermar’s machine is really impressive.

I remember working with a restaurant that initially had a limited wine selection, but introducing their team to a Bermar system then allowed the venue to expand its offerings. I advised them to increase their wine list options and provide their customers with a wider variety of choices by the glass. They did, and it was an instant success! Customers could now choose from a broad selection of wines at different price points. As I said with Champagne, this was a win-win situation for everyone – the Sommelier, customers, and owners of the restaurant! 

I still remember introducing your system to my colleague, aka my Chef, Jermain, who was blown away by it! He was excited to sell expensive wines, especially Champagnes, and expand the selection for his customers. And what’s cool about a Bermar machine is that it allows Sommeliers to flex their skills and expertise while customers get to enjoy an extensive selection of wines at different prices without the intimidation of a whole bottle. It’s a great investment for venues, and it really helps create an exciting and unique experience for the customers.

What do you see are the trends going forward? What do you think is becoming more (and less) important with wine?

ER: The price and availability of wine are huge factors – it can be quite difficult to get your hands on certain types of wine, and even when you do find them, they can be rudely expensive. Also, you know how the economy keeps changing all the time? It makes it really tough to figure out how much a particular wine is actually worth, so it’s hard to say what a fair price would be…

So, here’s the thing: offering wine by the glass is a great way to solve these problems. It means that venues can serve up top-quality wines without making customers feel like they have to splash out on a whole bottle. By letting guests try a glass first, they can feel more confident about the investment and maybe even be tempted to buy a whole bottle later on.

Now, this sounds like you’re forcing me to say this, but it really isn’t the case; using something like Bermar to preserve wine can make the whole wine-buying experience way more chill. You don’t have to worry about blowing all your cash or drinking too much, plus you can try out fancy wines without having to buy a whole bottle. That all adds up to happy & loyal customers who keep coming back for more! So a trend will certainly be to keep giving customers new and interesting experiences with wine. Customers want to come out & enjoy something good, so we need to make sure as Sommeliers, we are there to do just that and not just roll out the same boring bottles.

Speaking of happy customers, tell us what you have learned about customer experience over the years – do you have any advice or tips for readers?

ER: People really love it when you bring the wine to the table. It makes the whole thing feel fancy and exciting, you know? Plus, there’s still that traditional and romantic feel when you see the cork pop out and have the ability to smell the wine, right? Customers have said it’s that classic or romantic touch that makes the wine experience even better. I feel restaurants should always try and serve at the table to help connect with the customer and add to their experience with you.

I believe you need to treat the guests how you would like to be treated, yet not all guests are alike; you need to feel their energy and their needs. When you have this figured out, the rest is easy – it’s even easier to push their buttons.

Completely changing gears now for the last and final question – talk to us about your new venue, De Rozario! Tell us about the concept. Should we be watching out for anything?

ER: The real vision for De Rozario is to transform it into a hot spot for food enthusiasts. The location of the restaurant, in the south of the Netherlands, not too far from both the Belgium and German borders, provides a unique opportunity to showcase our culinary skills, especially with the abundance of Michelin-star restaurants in the region.

We’re not interested in conforming to traditional notions of fine dining. Our goal is to challenge those conventions & create dishes and trends that emphasise individuality and inclusivity; we want our customers to indulge in caviar & feel comfortable enough to wear Gucci flip-flops if they choose to! With that, we also want to be able to sell a large majority of our drinks menu by the glass because it’s important that we provide that variety – something cool, something different.

I’m grateful to the owner for giving me the space to explore my creativity. The restaurant is now generating revenue, and we’re experimenting with new ideas to make the dining experience more interesting & engaging. Our ultimate goal is, of course, to climb the rankings & be recognised among the top five or top fifty restaurants; we’re confident that with our approach, we’ll be able to achieve this.

Saying that, we also believe that there are more important things out there than fame and stars, so we do focus on our place, ourselves and our team. Whilst it’s up to God to bless us even further, we want to make sure that we are happy and healthy and that we can provide for our families, too, not just financial support but be there for them when they are in need. Stars and fame come and go, but family stays there with you till the end of the time.

De Rozario is a place where we push boundaries and encourage our guests to think differently about what ‘Michelin dining’ means…

…so keep an eye out as some crazy things are coming!

 

All photos credited to @sommelye.edgaras

 

If you would like to learn more about De Rozario, visit their website here.

You can also follow Edgaras’ journey on Instagram here and Jermain de Rozario (Owner & Chef) on Instagram here.

Should you wish to visit De Rozario, they can be found here: