U.S. Wine Champ's Picks for Turkey Day

NEW YORK, Nov. 26, 2002 — -- With a bit more than a sniff and a swish of the tongue, she can peg the origin of a Tempranillo near Rioja, Spain, and a Zinfandel near Paso Robles, Calif.

She can ferret out a mislabeled 1961 Chateau Mouton Rothschild "grand cru" at the blink of an eye.

And at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel on Park Avenue in New York City last weekend, Virginia Philip of Palm Beach, Fla., used all those powers in winning the title of "Best Sommelier in America."

Philip, 35, the sommelier at The Breakers resort in Palm Beach — one of the toniest resorts in the country — beat 31 other sommeliers to become the third person to take the title in the American Sommelier Association's biennial competition.

A sommelier is different from a wine steward because the job implies more training, experience, and authority in purchasing beverages and constructing wine lists, Philip said, adding, "most sommeliers have traveled the world … and touched the grapes" at the vineyards.

"I was a little surprised; my goal was to make it to the [final four]," said Philip, who admitted initially being slightly intimidated as one of just two women competing with 30 men.

Her win came on the heels of her Nov. 2 certification as a "master sommelier," which according to Philip makes her one of just 10 women among 105 master sommeliers worldwide.

"I think both accomplishments coming within a three-week period, it doesn't get any better than that," said Philip, who is married with no children. "I've accomplished what I want to do, but I won't go back [in 2004] and try to retain my title. … I want to start a family now."

Philip was not the first woman to win. Andrea Immer, who worked at Windows on the World restaurant in New York City, won in 1998. Lawrence O'Brien, who now works at The Palm restaurant in Orlando, Fla., was the defending champ, having won in 2000.

Philip has loved wine since college, and described her path from childhood in Kent, Conn., and Millerton, N.Y., to becoming a sommelier as "pretty straightforward."