- Photo provided / Credit jwkpec.com
- Cappie Peete of McCrady’s
The Court of Master Sommeliers sent out a press release yesterday, announcing the latest slate of advanced sommelier certifications. Out of 39, only 20 passed the exam given this week in Disney. And one of those was Charleston’s very own Cappie Peete, the beverage director at McCrady’s Restaurant.
Her certification gives Charleston yet another advanced sommelier in town. She joins a prestigious group that includes Brad Ball and Christian Broder of Social, Rick Rubel and Andrew Marshall of Charleston Grill, and Patrick Emerson, formerly of Maverick Restaurant Group who has launched his own wine consulting business.
When her mentor Clint Sloan left McCrady’s, he predicted that it was only a matter of time before she passed the test, saying “She has the talent and brain for it.”
Their boss David Howard also stressed the importance of her gaining certification, saying in somewhat ominous tones: “We don’t need someone to just open wine. We need a level of expertise and continued education of our staff. The educational component is a big issue. We need expertise to make wine pairings on a day-to-day basis with Sean [Brock’s] food, with special events, and with visiting chefs.”
Looks like Ms. Peete faced that challenge head on. Congrats to her for the hard work and dedication it took to pass. Now, who will be our first Master Sommelier to join the exclusive club of 197 in the world?
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