Selections by Master Sommelier Brett Zimmerman.
One of roughly 285 Master Sommeliers in the world. Owner of Boulder Wine Merchant since 2010. Founder of the Boulder Burgundy Festival. Founder of Sustainable Somm.
The path
A Colorado kid who took the long way to the Master title.
Born and raised in Colorado, Brett discovered wine while working through the University of Colorado. After graduation he was accepted as a sommelier at Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago and continued his education in San Francisco as the sommelier for Aqua.
He returned to Colorado to open his own restaurant, Mateo, in Boulder. In the spring of 2007 he passed his Masters Examination and earned the distinction of Master Sommelier.
In 2010, Brett purchased Boulder Wine Merchant from fellow Master Sommeliers Wayne Belding and Sally Mohr, keeping the city’s oldest wine retailer in Master Sommelier hands.
Why the title matters
“Master Sommelier” is not a marketing word.
The Master Sommelier diploma is the highest distinction in the profession. The exam tests theory, blind tasting, and service. Most candidates need years of preparation across multiple attempts.
As of today there are roughly 285 Master Sommeliers in the world, and 168 in the Americas since the Court was founded in 1969. Brett is among very few Master Sommeliers in the country who own and operate an independent retail wine shop.
For a wine shop, the practical translation is simple: every bottle on these shelves is here because someone with that level of training picked it personally.
Work with Brett
Cellar consulting, sourcing, and private tastings.
A small number of clients work directly with Brett on building cellars, sourcing rare bottles, designing private tastings, and curating gifting at scale.
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