Rebecca Murphy

KeeperColl @keepercoll: Welcome to #SommChat everyone! Tell your friends to join us to learn abt #wines from Rebecca Murphy tweeting from @texsomiwa

KeeperColl @keepercoll: We’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Murphy tweeting from @texsomiwa! #SommChat

KeeperColl @keepercoll: We're about ready to dive in w/questions, so shout out to Rebecca Murphy tweeting from @texsomiwa to say hello & so she knows you're here! #WineWednesday #SommChat

KeeperColl @keepercoll: Don't forget that EVERY tweet during this chat should include the #SommChat hashtag in order for everyone to see it!

KeeperColl @keepercoll: As we ask our Qs, you can ask Rebecca your Qs as well! She'll do her best to answer all Qs in the order they come #SommChat

Cathy Huyghe @cathyhuyghe: Rebecca, what would you say are the three best skills for a sommelier to have? And are your answers now any different than your answers would have been when you started in the business? #sommchat @texsomiwa

TEXSOM IWA @texsomiwa: 3 best skills 4 a #Sommelier to have: being someone who loves to be of #service, good listener, & someone who continually strives to learn and keep up with the #wines they work with.... #SommChat

Cathy Huyghe @cathyhuyghe: Rebecca, what have you noticed at @TEXSOM in the past few years that makes you hopeful about the future for sommeliers, and for #wine in general? Any warning signs you've also noticed, that we should pay attention to and address? @texsomiwa #sommchat

TEXSOM IWA @texsomiwa: @TEXSOM It’s so exciting 2 see ppl getting training for the profession in #wine service, which was not available when I started and for many yrs after. I love seeing how much the #somms are interested about learning about #wines from around the world. … #SommChat

TEXSOM IWA @texsomiwa: I see a lot of ppl wanting to be stars and some are, but this is a service industry and it is hard work. There is not room for everyone to be a star, cause then who will do the work? WARNING #SommChat

KeeperColl @keepercoll: W so many participants lots of gr8 Q's R asked! Even if u dont ask 1--give a S/O 2 @texsomiwa & @keepercoll 2 let us know u R here! #SommChat

Cathy Huyghe @cathyhuyghe: Here! And, after meeting Rebecca for the first time on Monday, so happy to be tuning in to #sommchat today. cc @chasingthevine

TEXSOM IWA @texsomiwa: Great to meet you as well. I have been and am an admirer of your work. Thanks for following along on #SommChat today!

KeeperColl @keepercoll: @texsomiwa Rebecca Heard you were 1st female in #Texas to be a #sommelier on the floor? Really - please tell us more #SommChat

TEXSOM IWA @texsomiwa: BTW there were very few #Sommeliers in Dallas in 1972 – I believe @FairmontDallas had one! I expected the owner to hire another #somm but he didn’t so I asked for the job. I said I would come in on my nights off so I could prove I could do it and I DID…. #SommChat

TEXSOM IWA @texsomiwa: In this resto, the owner did not put #wine glasses on the table so I had to learn how to carry a lot of glasses at one time. The glasses were not like they are today- they were libby glasses and I could carry 12 – very carefully...! #SommChat

TEXSOM IWA @texsomiwa: The #wine list was not very big and focused on #Italian wines – maybe 45-50 #wines at most. The owner selected the wines for the list. I stayed there 2+yrs. #SommChat

Fairmont Dallas @FairmontDallas: That's such a fantastic story! Well done!

KeeperColl @keepercoll: @texsomiwa So Rebecca, what happened next after your 1st #Sommelier job in #Dallas ?

TEXSOM IWA @texsomiwa: The mgr of Arthur’s Resto came in as a guest in 1975 and said why don’t you come talk to me about a position? Arthur's at that time had an all American wine list! This was very unusual. So I went there as a #Sommelier…. #SommChat

TEXSOM IWA @texsomiwa: Glasses were already on the table & it was a more contemporary #restaurant. There was a bar and it was a hot place to go. I felt like I was walking into a #NYC spot! #SommChat

TEXSOM IWA @texsomiwa: Ppl did not know much abt #california #wines in mid 70s old world #wines were the benchmark. the Customers were skeptical & sometimes unhappy abt an all #Cali Wine list. I had to overcome this. I asked what they liked and was able to get a #cali #wine they would like #SommChat

TEXSOM IWA @texsomiwa: I was on the floor there another couple of years. I knew nothing about #California #wines so I wore a Tastevin and tasted every bottle I opened so I could learn about it and could sell it! Fortunately my customers did not know anything about the wines either #SommChat

KeeperColl @keepercoll: @texsomiwa Rebacca, how did you come up with the idea of a #wine competition, when was that and why? #SommChat

TEXSOM IWA @texsomiwa: In 81/82 I judged at the #Sonoma country harvest fair. a Couple of fellow judges were Andre Tchelistcheff & Maryann Graf, who here were my peers! This was amazing. This helped me grow as a #wine taster & i wanted to provide this in #Texas! #SommChat

KeeperColl @keepercoll: @texsomiwa Rebecca, What made you choose @winejames and @drewhendricks to take over this competition? #SommChat

TEXSOM IWA @texsomiwa: I started thinking abt what would happen to the #wine competition when I could not do it anymore. I watched @winejames & @drewhendricksms create and build @TEXSOM in their “spare” time - BTW they said they met judging at my #wine competition!... #SommChat

TEXSOM IWA @texsomiwa: I thought that @winejames & @drewhendricksms were the RIGHT ppl to carry on this competition and with their connections and respect they had and have in the industry I believed they could take what I started & build & grow it even more in a quality way. #SommChat

KeeperColl @keepercoll: Q fr #SommChat #Somm @texsomiwa Rebecca,Do you feel you get the credit or the blame for introducing @winejames and @drewhendricksms?

TEXSOM IWA @texsomiwa: BOTH I get blame and credit. enough said #SommChat

Cathy Huyghe @cathyhuyghe: Question of the day right here!! #sommchat

KeeperColl @keepercoll: Q fr #SommChat #somm Rebecca, what #wine publications do you read and why @texsomiwa

TEXSOM IWA @texsomiwa: I avoid publications that only do scores. I subscribe to @JancisRobinson & like @WineBusiness to keep up on biz side and like writing of @Esther_mobley @sfchronicle and others - that’s a start #SommChat

KeeperColl @keepercoll: Q fr #SommChat #Somm Rebecaca @texsomiwa What is something that you want to see from the #wine world?

TEXSOM IWA @texsomiwa: I would like to see all of us do a better job to help those without the #Wine knowledge and training but very enthusiastic to be able to feel comfortable with the #wines they drink. They should not have to apologize. #SommChat

KeeperColl @keepercoll: Time to wrap up! Hope you enjoyed this hour of #wine talk with Rebecca Murphy tweeting from @texsomiwa #WineWednesday #SommChat

KeeperColl @keepercoll: It was great to have Rebecca join us today for #SommChat. We hope everyone learned as much as we did! #WineWednesday

KeeperColl @keepercoll: Please join us in thanking Rebecca Murphy tweeting from @texsomiwa for her time!! #SommChat

TEXSOM IWA @texsomiwa: #SommChat was such great fun and I was honored to be here. It was also great to see the professionals @keepercoll at work!