Her thirst for knowledge in wines and spirits has helped Lu Shujun excel in her job as a Fine Wine Sales Consultant with Berry Bros. & Rudd, Britain’s oldest wine and spirit merchant with a history that stretches back to the 17th century
She has tried more than a hundred of the finest wines and spirits in the world. She hobnobs with the glamour set at hotels and restaurants. She travels the globe and has been privy to the inner workings of some of the best wineries. What others consider an expensive hobby – wine tasting and appreciation – she gets paid to do, regularly. As jobs go, Lu Shujun, 31, has one of the better ones as a Fine Wine Sales Consultant with Berry Bros. & Rudd, Britain’s oldest wine and spirit merchant with a history that stretches back to the 17th century.
But when she was first hired to be an Accounts Manager by a wine merchant, this Hospitality Management graduate from Temasek Polytechnic knew nothing about the world of wines and spirits.
Finding Her Feet
“I knew little beyond red wine goes with red meat. I didn’t even drink wine,” she laughs.
Unfazed, Shujun set about learning on the job.
“When I talked to sommeliers, or F&B managers and directors, I would be very honest, admit that I was new, and asked them to slow down so I could catch what they were saying. They were all very kind to me.”
She also relied on her boss to teach her.
“He was very patient. When we had wine tastings in the office, he would highlight certain aromas like: this is vanilla or this is oak-aged Chardonnay, and I would memorise it. It was very important because you actually have to taste it to understand,” she says.
(Left) Shujun at the Certified Specialist of Wines (Society of Wine Educators) course which gave her a deeper understanding of wine regions and wine production
But wanting to go beyond informal lessons, Shujun signed up for the Certified Specialist of Wines (Society of Wine Educators) course in 2010. The American wine education organisation offers internationally recognised accreditations.
“I wanted to stand out from the crowd and be more than a wine-seller,” she explains.
The course gave her a comprehensive knowledge of the wine regions of the world, an understanding of how climate and topography affected wines, and an overview of the types of wines, fermentation processes, and variety of grapes.
“We also had a lot of tasting sessions and my course mates and I would organise wine dinners on our own so we could learn even more,” says Shujun.
After two months and a rigorous examination which tested her wine knowledge and mastery of key elements within the worlds of viticulture and wine production, she emerged with an industry-recognised certification.
Establishing Her Place
The CSW course spurred Shujun to seek out more training opportunities.
“Every time I upgrade myself, I gain more confidence because of my better understanding of the industry. Then I can be better and am more professional at work because I am backed by my knowledge,” she shares.
Shujun at the French Wine Scholar (French Wine Society) graduation ceremony
She has since earned certification as a Sakae Professional (Level 1); gotten through Level 3 of the Britain-based WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust), one of the world’s leading providers of wine education; and added the French Wine Scholar (French Wine Society) to her credentials.
“I am not a bookworm but I enjoy learning,” confesses Shujun.
And she certainly enjoys being on top of her game. As a challenge to herself, Shunjun applied for the World Gourmet Summit Awards of Excellence Scholarships in 2012.
“It is a basically like a competition. There was a theory paper we had to sit for. After that, candidates were shortlisted for a panel interview in which we were quizzed on anything related to wine. Then, there was a blind tasting session. Finally, we had a mock-up service in a restaurant where we had to pair the food on the menu with wines, all of which we had not seen before hand,” says Shunjun, counting off each gruelling round.
She walked away with the Torres Wine Scholarship, a mark of the industry’s belief that she had the potential to grow in her chosen profession and was given a three-week apprenticeship at the Bodegas Torres Winery in Spain. There, she was inducted into the fine art of wine-making.
Her hunger to improve herself in an industry she had previously no knowledge or experience in caught the eye of Berry Bros. & Rudd. In 2012, she was headhunted for a position with them.
“I love my job and I love this industry. It is so vibrant and it is continually growing.”
Dreaming of MoreShujun in Bordeaux, France (left) and at Margaret River, Australia (right) learning the fine art of wine production
Yet, she is dreaming of more.
“I want to be in the forefront of the industry and to learn more. One day, I hope to be a wine educator, to share my knowledge with people in the industry,” she says.
“This could be my second career.”
On the horizon are plans to earn a WSET Diploma and be accredited as a Certified Wines Educator.
“In my current company, we have eight wine masters out of only 320 in the world. One day, I hope to be a wine master myself.”
Her desire to improve her craft has brought her so far in less than seven years. Without a doubt, when this lady sets her sights on something, she will surely succeed. A toast to this spirit of learning!
