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Anne Oberbillig:
The pleasure manager

Anne Oberbillig has a fine little nose. Therefore, former area wine queen Mosel-Saar-Ruwer has not least prescribed in 2001 her professional future for the wine. One of her steps in a successful future: The IHK check to the Sommelière.

The women come! Today even earlier a man's domain, more and more women seize the Sommelierberuf. For instance, Paula Bosch (Tantris, Munich) or Christina Fischer (famously from the COOKING DUEL) already are for a long time famous signboards of this professional group. And also in the Moselle region the wheel of the development does not stand still here.

She is 25 years old and student of the business administration, but the wines of the Moselle, the Saar and Ruwer have stamped her present life. Anne Oberbillig comes from a winegrower's family steeped in tradition in wine part of town Olewig of Trier and was familiar quite early narrowly with the life all around the wine and linked. Nevertheless, smashed you first the way to the bank clerk.

„ First I wanted one„ to decent ones“ Occupation learn, completely without efforts and the stress of the parental vineyard. But the wine has crossed my ways over and over again. And I could not simply avoid this fascination. Quick it was clear that I will remain linked also in future always with the juice of the grape.“

The collecting of experiences was preprogrammed by the life in the parental vineyard German man court in this wine world formally. Connecting of the long tradition of the Olewiger winegrowers, your way led in the matter of„ honorary post“ from the wine princess about the Trierer wine queen to the highlight of this career: In 2001 became Anne Oberbillig Gebietsweinkönigin Mosel-Saar-Ruwer„ nice, exciting, but also exerting time“, thus the likeable young woman who knows how to report about more than 300 appointments and arrangements in this time.

This high office led Anne Oberbillig in many parts of this world, she probably, otherwise, would not have so may experience. Thus she reports, for instance, about a Japan trip which it impresses still today afterwards. And these trips in„ Order of the wine“ sharpened visibly the wine mind and the wine knowledge of the Anne Oberbillig. Why, however, then the education in the Sommelière?

„ This was a logical step, after was clear for me that I will remain linked to the wine. And within the scope of this education from which I graduated beside my study it became clear fast which one must have drunk no 20 or 30 years wine to know a lot in this profession.“

Education in the Sommelière

Differently than in Mount Olympus of the top cooks to which furthermore only few women climb up the interest of the wine experts lies in catering trade and trade, in the meantime, at nearly 40 percent, according to Bernd Glauben, president of the Sommelier union Germany e. V.

The reason: Women are like to experiment with the food and wine combination, search rather the culinary kick. After the motto„ is permitted what likes“, they also already abandon conventions. Since why should one not recommend also a red wine to the fish if he fits to the spices?!

Spontanität is as asked with the wine consultation, as imagination and creativity. In the German wine and Sommelierschule Koblenz which also Anne Oberbillig visited one learns to recognize smells and to describe taste. Since the aroma variety of the wines is nearly inexhaustible. To do wine by words and colors the comprehensive sensuous experience and to find thereby suitable drop for every guest, is the big art of the wine experts. But to the grounding likewise belongs the construction of menus, arrangements about menu results with the chef and a lot other more.

Beside sensorischen and weinkundlichen delicacies business bases and rhetorical abilities are also given in the education. Organization talent and human knowledge are other strengths of a successful Sommelière. If she devotes herself to her guests, the wine expert should exactly know who has ordered which menu with which ingredients, important information to do her job. She is, so to speak, a pleasure manager for drinks. Certainly it is one of the major tasks to confuse the guest not with many possibilities, rules and recommendations on the subject Food and Wine, but to stand with words and deeds successfully aside. Many other points of view in this occupational picture remain whole to the guest or largest concealed: Purchase, camp posture and control of the continuance, support of the Abverkaufs of recumbent wines, planning and organization of parties, events and arrangements.„ A multi-layered occupation with which one never finishes learning.“

To the saying„ If the music starts to play, the dancing bear turns“ after, the subject accompanies wine Anne Oberbillig also in spare time and vacation:„ They can fancy certainly which one spends as a Sommelière the vacation not in Norway, but then already bestrebt is to visit a wine region. And here there is constantly to find out new and interesting facts.“

Wine knowledge is a duty

In the loose conversation with a glass of Riesling it goes„ straight through the garden“. And Anne Oberbillig always knows answer - no matter whether it is about the problems in the wine from the wood business or the advantages of the direct marketing, why red wine can fit to the cigar, or how it behaves with the combination of regional wines and Asian food. Quick becomes clear which is asked here wine knowledge in situations, in which of her„ Wine amateur“ absolutely must fit. Who himself searches once a conversation with a trained Sommelière, those should lead his way once to Trier. Anne Oberbillig is, as already mentioned, in the parental company, the German man court in Trier-Olewig to„ do experience“, thus it admits her study: On week-ends on the terrace or in the wine tavern of the vineyard, on the occasion of the court party or with the wine and gourmet festival.

Now it is quite clear which will extend you in the next time her technical knowledge with a wine importer in London. Afterwards it goes for a year to the study to Bordeaux. And persuasive her tip, also to novices in the matter of wine, as one should find the way with the unbelievable variety of the wine, is easy:
„ probieren, probieren, probieren....“