Ep 333: Richard Betts, Former Master Somm, Shows What Moral Fortitude REALLY Looks Like

<p>After studying geology and gaining a BS, an MS and nearly a JD, <a href="http://yobetts.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Richard Betts</a> discovered a love of wine. He served as the wine director at The Little Nell in Aspen from 2000 to 2008, and while there, in all his spare time, in 2003, Richard was the 9th person to ever pass the Court of Master Sommeliers’ Masters Exam on the first attempt.</p> <p><img style= "display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src= "https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/show/45638/Betts.png" alt="" width="200" height="302" /></p> <p>Richard co-founded the wine labels Betts & Scholl in 2003 and Scarpetta in 2006 and founded Sombra Mezcal in 2006. Today, Richard runs <a href="https://ckbg.com/brands" target="_blank" rel= "noopener">Komos Tequila</a> and <a href="https://ckbg.com/sprbrd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Superbird Paloma</a> (in a beautiful can), My Essential Wines, and the wine from Barossa in South Australia,  <a href= "https://www.anapproachtorelaxation.com/who-we-are/" target= "_blank" rel="noopener">“An Approach To Relaxation.”</a></p> <p> </p> <p>Richard is the New York Times best-selling author of “<a href= "http://temp.myessentialwine.com/the-book/">The Essential Scratch & Sniff Guide to Becoming a Wine Expert</a>” and <a href= "https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544520608" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“The Essential Scratch & Sniff Guide to Becoming a Whiskey Know-It-All.”</a>  And after nearly two decades as a Master Sommelier, and feeling disillusioned by the lack of evolution in the organization, Richard has altered the wine world forever, <a href= "https://medium.com/@yobetts/my-resignation-from-the-court-of-master-sommeliers-americas-90bbfc8f815d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">by being the first person to resign as a Master Sommelier. He is here to tell us about his journey and his decision.</a></p> <p><img style= "display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src= "https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/show/45638/51wxTH5DSnL._AC_UL60