Scott Thomas, alumnus UNISG, Certified Wine Educator and Italian Wine Ambassador in the USA

Where does your passion for Wine come from and why did you decide to study at the Master in Wine culture and Communication?
My passion for wine began as a result of years of working in restaurants. I was fortunate to be exposed to numerous varieties, styles, and producers from around the world, and the more I learned, the thirstier I became. My passion is still reinforced today because, with an open mind, you can discover something new in every bottle, whether it’s a new vintage, a new producer, or a new indigenous grape variety. My decision to attend UNISG was based on this promise of discovery. I had been working in wine sales, a position that I took great pleasure in, but it was easy to stray away from why I fell in love with wine in the first place. The cultural aspect of the wine master was what attracted my interest (oh, and that my wife and I could attend UNISG at the same time in parallel programs). And not to mention, UNISG provides unlimited access to the world-class wine regions of the Langhe and Roero.

What was your path like after graduating from UNISG and what values do you still carry in your everyday life and job?
I remained in Bra for most of the 2020, year following graduation. Covid came through, which allowed ample time to digest everything we’d learned during the Wine Master. Towards the end of 20’, I moved to the Chianti Classico area to work with Monte Bernardi for harvest, but ended up staying for over 3 months. This was a critical point in my wine career because I was able to have my hands in everything from harvest, production, and even olive oil. I’ll never forget this beautiful experience. I moved back to the United States as a winery sales director, and today I’m an independent consultant and wine educator. Thanks to UNISG, I’m constantly working towards cultivating creative space in everything I tackle. UNISG allowed the freedom to explore wine, not keeping it in a structured box. There’s no one way to experience, interpret or communicate about wine, thus my approach is quite open when I’m educating people today. I try to convey the importance of culture, history, and native grapes without being too pedantic, keeping it fun.

What are the most relevant steps of your career and what advice would you give to someone who wishes to work in the wine world?
My advice: if you are at all interested in the subject, dive straight in. There are hundreds of ways to learn about wine, but structured courses are a great way to begin, such as CSW or WSET. CSW was my springboard. I credit my career formation to this early deep dive which built a foundation of knowledge and added depth to my resume. Coupled with theory, I’d suggest tasting as many wines as possible. Learn how to describe wines with your own voice. Join or create a tasting group, or find a job that allows you to sample a wide array of wines from across the globe. Then you’ll be able to see what you are passionate about and how you can apply your skills to the many wine industry career options. For me, cross-industry exposure was key: from restaurants to sales, from sales to the classroom...all the while studying to keep sharp and relevant. I constantly expose myself to new methods of learning, whether it's podcasts or books...helps keep me engaged.

What was it like for you to come back to the Master's you attended as a student to teach and share your knowledge?I had a unique situation where I actually created and taught an entire course before I even graduated. Because my thesis was a comparative study of wine education, my motive was to hone my skills as an educator, thus I proposed to UNISG as part of my independent study I would develop and teach a course to the 2-year graduate degree. This experience was extremely valuable to my pedagogy method and integral to reinforcing my core value of teaching wine in an approachable way. Thereafter I led several wine seminars for the 2020 Wine Masters. It was humbling knowing I was sitting in their seats just a year before. Every time I'm in front of students, they end up teaching me more than I do to them. I'll always be grateful to the UNISG community and hope I can return to teach a new wave of passionate gastronomes soon.