The documentary SOMM trails four people and the high drama that goes on behind the scenes as they’re preparing to pass the Master Sommelier exam, which by all accounts, is killer.

Take a peek: http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/somm/

SOMM will be in a limited number of theaters on June 21st and also available for download on iTunes.

Geoff Kruth, who works at the Farmhouse Inn in Forestville, is the chief operating officer of the Guild of Sommeliers, and he played the role of advisor in SOMM. First off, Kruth had a strong connection with the four main characters, who were students of his. Kruth knows all too well the onerous task of the test; he’s one of about 200 people worldwide who has passed and has the prestigious MS Master Sommelier title.

About 3 year ago Jason Wise, a young film director from Los Angeles showed Kruth a teaser trailer he put together after being inspired by watching his friend Brian McClintic prepare for the Master Sommelier exam. Kruth said he was “blown away” by the quality of the teaser and offered to help in making his project a reality.

While Kruth doesn’t play a big role on screen, he is interviewed on camera about the topic of blind tasting, which is one of the three parts of the exam. It’s an area of expertise for him.

Kruth’s role – behind the scenes — was to help set up interviews with wine producers and fellow sommeliers. He also had the chance to travel to Europe with the film team to shoot b-roll of classic wine regions which are interspersed throughout the film.

“The most gratifying aspect of the film for me is exposing the wider world to this fascinating microcosm, which is the professional sommelier,” Kruth said. “Hopefully it will increase the recognition and respect of the profession.”

Will SOMM be a hit with anyone other than wine geeks? Who knows? But here’s an interesting nugget — the trailer is one of the most popular on iTunes right now.

 

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