Sommelier Stephane Colling
The Modern | New York
Biography
Stephane was raised in a small Alsatian village near Strasbourg, France, where the seeds of his future passion for wine were planted early on by his grape-loving parents. Educated at Centre Europeen de Formation Professionnel Part Alternance (CEFPPA) d’Illkirch-Graffenstaden in Alsace, Stephane completed both his Restaurant and Cuisine certifications, and in 1994 he earned a bachelor’s degree, Baccalaureat Profesionel de Restauration, while working at the three-star restaurant Au Crocodile. From 1995-1996, he fulfilled his military duty by serving as the Sommelier for the Minister of Defense.
In 1998, Stephane studied at Oxford University while working at
the Michelin three-star Waterside Inn in Bray, England.
The next year he moved to the United States and became the head
sommelier at The Castle in Tarrytown, New York, where he
designed and built the wine cellar that garnered acclaim from the
James Beard Foundation and Wine Spectator, among others.
In 2002, he was named Wine Director at Compass in New York
City, where under his leadership the restaurant earned the Wine
Spectator “Best of” Award of Excellence. Eventually,
Stephane went to work as Assistant Head Sommelier of Alain Ducasse
at the Essex House, where the wine program won the Wine
Spectator Grand Award.
In 2004, Stephane joined the opening team of The Modern as Wine Director. He has created a list of over 1300 wines to complement the menu of Chef Gabriel Kreuther, a fellow Alsatian. With a collection deep in Alsatian selections, the cellar also includes noteworthy bottles from some of Stephane’s current favorite regions: the North Fork of Long Island, Virginia, Slovenia, and Japan. In 2006, The Modern earned the Wine Spectator “Best of” Award of Excellence. Stephane also consults for the Open Wine School at The Rainbow Room, and he has been published several times in the Guide des Sommeliers.
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Interview
Cont'd
AB: Where have you worked
previously?
SC: I worked
at Au Crocodile, The Waterside Inn in Bray, England,
The Castle at Tarrytown, Compass in New York City,
and Alain Ducasse at the Essex House. I also served as
the Sommelier for France’s Ministry of Defense.
AB: What courses have you taken? Awards won?
SC: I went to Centre European de Formation Professionnel Part Alternance (CEFPPA) d’Illkirch-Graffenstaden in Alsace. This is the best restaurant in France Baccalaureat Profesionel de Restauration, Oxford University. I was also recognized at The Castle by the James Beard Foundation and Wine Spectator, and I won the 2002 Wine Spectator “Best of” Award of Excellence at Compass and Wine Spectator Grand Award at Alain Ducasse.
AB: What is your philosophy on wine and food?
SC: It has to be fun and attractive – nothing should be set in stone. It should be something different, unexpected and intriguing. I taste wines everyday. I like surprises. A great wine should push you forward.
AB: Do you favor Old World or New World wines? Why?
SC: I love Old World in one way and love New World in another. I have no issues with going back and forth between them.
AB: Tell me about a perfect wine and food match that you discovered.
SC: Shiroso Crusted Cod Fish with Cocoa Beans with Pinot Noir is one of my favorite pairings – the texture and flavor together are amazing.
AB: What wines do you favor for your cellar at home?
SC: I’m partial to Alsacian wine because it’s my hometown – I’m so far away from home, so drinking it brings me back to my roots. Otherwise, I’m flexible about where my wine comes from. I’ve tried some great wines from Long Island all the way to Virginia.
AB: What are your ultimate career goals? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years?
SC: I like wine making. This is my second year doing it. I like the life of a sommelier, but wine making is also exciting to me.
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