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Talk vintage with Chantelle Grilhot, the youngest and first female sommelier at the Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead, Atlanta

If a bottle of wine is a snapshot of the region it comes from, Chantelle Grilhot could be described as curator of Atlanta’s most inspiring gallery of landscape photography. As sommelier at the Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead, Grilhot has access to nearly 25,000 bottles from all over the world. And she can describe the terroir of each wine, using her senses of smell and taste, and knowledge of wine-growing regions from Napa to Barossa.

To some, what’s even more amazing than Grilhot’s expertise, and the depth and detail of the Ritz-Carlton’s wine list, is that the petite sommelier is only 23. This makes her both the youngest and the first female sommelier in the 20-year history of the Mobil Five Star/AAA Five Diamond-rated Dining Room.

She may be young, but she’s no beginner. In her first few years of service, Grilhot trained for the prestigious and rigorous Court of Master Sommelier certification and has since been recognized as one of the best young sommeliers by the Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs.

For the most part in The Dining Room, however, the year that matters is printed on the bottles’ labels—not the sommelier’s birth certificate. The restaurant’s management puts complete faith in Grilhot’s intuitive authority, even if her dewy looks surely get her carded at whatever bar she may visit after work.

“I love it when people come to the room and say, ‘I’ll leave the decision in your hands,’” says Grilhot, who has honed the list of bottles and half bottles at The Dining Room, as well as everything from sake to signature cocktails. “I love to discover what people like and take them all over the world from there.”

Originally from California near Napa Valley, Grilhot has always been curious about wine. And being well traveled—aided by family in aviation— has helped develop her taste for tastings. A particular devotee of the wines of Burgundy, Grilhot has boundless enthusiasm for appellations worldwide—just talking about them almost sends her into giggles.

Grilhot begins her day pairing the quintessential wine regions with a prix fixe menu, created by interim chef Daniel Porubiansky. When diners begin to arrive, she circulates through The Dining Room with maitre d’ Claude Guillaume. To gauge diners’ tastes and figure out how best to relay a wine’s characteristics to them, Grilhot will often encourage them to talk about their travels.

Originally trained by Philippe Buttin (formerly of the Ritz-Carlton and now sommelier at Joël Antunes’ prestigious restaurant, Joël), Grilhot has a poise that exudes European formality and a deep respect for the ancient art of wine making. She strives to present the purest expression of a region and a vintage with each food pairing and cellar selection.

Of course, a bottle of wine is more than just terroir and grape variety—it’s about enjoying the moment and who you’re drinking it with. Grilhot feels equally enthused about sharing that with the Ritz-Carlton’s patrons: “There’s nothing like opening a bottle and remembering when you were in a place, or remembering the place you’re at for evermore,” she says.

“Time at the table with family is so valuable in European culture— having time to slow the pace and enjoy life. I would love to have each wine I serve be so memorable that people slow down to savor it, and always remember the experience.” www.ritzcarlton.com

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