July 26, 2025

Eric Palmer: The Advanced Sommelier

Join Wine Pros on the Go as we sit down with Eric Palmer—Fine Wine Specialist with RNDC, newly minted Advanced Sommelier, and one of the most thoughtful voices in today's wine community. Earning the Advanced Sommelier credential is no small feat. It requires years of relentless study, tasting thousands of wines, mastering service, and developing a deep understanding of the world's most important wine regions. But for Eric, the journey has always been about more than passing an exam. Rooted in curiosity, hospitality, and a genuine love of people, Eric has built his career one conversation, one mentor, and one glass at a time. Guided by the belief that “greatness is in the agency of others,” he approaches wine not as a subject to be mastered, but as a lifelong pursuit of learning and connection. In this episode, we explore Eric's path through the wine industry, the lessons learned along the way, the challenges of preparing for the Advanced Sommelier exam, and the mentors who helped shape his perspective. We discuss hospitality, service, professional growth, and why some of the most important lessons in wine have very little to do with what's in the glass. Thoughtful, insightful, and refreshingly human, this conversation offers a glimpse into the mindset of a wine professional who understands that the best wine stories are ultimately about people. Wine Pros on the Go is produced in Atlanta, Georgia.

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