Wine Girl by Victoria James

Wine Girl: The Obstacles, Humiliations, and Triumphs of America's Youngest Sommelier by Victoria James
My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Book Blurb: An affecting memoir from the country’s youngest sommelier, tracing her path through the glamorous but famously toxic restaurant world

At just twenty-one, the age when most people are starting to drink (well, legally at least), Victoria James became the country’s youngest sommelier at a Michelin-starred restaurant. Even as Victoria was selling bottles worth hundreds and thousands of dollars during the day, passing sommelier certification exams with flying colors, and receiving distinction from all kinds of press, there were still groping patrons, bosses who abused their role and status, and a trip to the hospital emergency room.

It would take hitting bottom at a new restaurant and restorative trips to the vineyards where she could feel closest to the wine she loved for Victoria to re-emerge, clear-eyed and passionate, and a proud “wine girl” of her own Michelin-starred restaurant.


Exhilarating and inspiring, Wine Girl is the memoir of a young woman breaking free from an abusive and traumatic childhood on her own terms; an ethnography of the glittering, high-octane, but notoriously corrosive restaurant industry; and above all, a love letter to the restorative and life-changing effects of good wine and good hospitality. Read as an audio book. Narrated by the author.

Trigger warning - descriptions of child abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and rape are described in this autobiography.

This book has a dual personality - one aspect is Victoria's trials, tribulations, humiliations, triumphs and successes from childhood to adulthood. It is very much an autobiography. And the other aspect is an in depth review of working in the hospitality industry in New York as well as the world of a sommelier.
Both aspects were appalling. Both aspects were moderately interesting.

I have heard from other avenues of the prevalent sexual abuse in the restaurant industry, especially in New York City. It despicable that this degradation of staff is allowed to persist, where those with money and power can and do take advantage of those without money simply because they can. Honestly, if I ever make it back to NYC (or any large city) I would be very hard pressed to even consider dining in a "starred" or "fancy" restaurant.

The journey to become a sommelier was fascinating, that it's an unregulated industry of white male privileged. I probably shouldn't have been surprised by that. Mostly what I realized as I read this, is that the industry seems to focus solely on French wines, South American wines and California wines, and if you dare drink anything else, you are a plebe. Which is a shame, because there are some wonderful wine growing regions in the States. What I learned - drink what *I* enjoy.

The book was organized into time frames spanning certain ages in Victoria's life, sub-threads (family, work, wine, personal tribulations, etc) seemed to come and go without consistency or cohesiveness. There were several topics that were brought up, then left dangling without conclusion or resolution later.

Ultimately, what Victoria achieved and the obstacles she overcame are amazing and commendable. Someone needs to stand up and tell the world about the crap under the surface and this autobiography certainly does that. I recommend this book with some definite reservations. It's not a comfortable story to read.

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Read as an audio book. Narrated by the author.

Trigger warning - descriptions of child abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and rape are described in this autobiography.

This book has a dual personality - one aspect is Victoria's trials, tribulations, humiliations, triumphs and successes from childhood to adulthood. It is very much an autobiography. And the other aspect is an indepth review of working in the hospitatlity industry in New York as well as the world of a sommiler.
Both aspects were appaling. Both aspects were moderately interesting.

I have heard from other avenues of the prevelent sexual abuse in the restaurant industry, espeically in New York City. It despicable that this degredation of staff is allowed to persist, where those with money and power can and do take advantage of those without money simply because they can. Honestly, if I ever make it back to NYC (or any large city) I would be very hard pressed to even consider dining in a "starred" restaurant.

The journey to become a sommiler was facinating, that it's an unregulated industry of white male privledge. I probably shouldn't have been surprised by that. Mostly what I realized as I read this, is that the industry seems to focus soley on French wines, South American wines and California wines, and if you dare drink anything else, you are a pleeb. Which is a shame, because there are some wonderful wine growing regions in the States. What I learned - drink what *I* enjoy.

The book was organized into timeframes spanning certain ages in Victoria's life, sub-threads (family, work, wine, personal tribulations, etc) seemed to come and go without consistency or cohesiveness. There were several topics that were brought up, then left dangling without conclusion or resolution later.

Ultimately, what Victoria achieved and the obstacles she overcame are amazing and commendable. Sometimes someone needs to stand up and tell the world about the crap under the surface and this autobiography certainly does that. I recommend this book with some definite reservations. It's not a comfortable story to read.