Laura Maniec Fiorvanti, the owner of Corkbuzz in SouthPark, will be in the third Somm film when it premieres this fall. Maniec also owns two Corkbuzz locations in New York City. The newest movie in the wine-focused series, titled Somm III, will be released to streaming devices this fall.

Somm is a documentary series launched in 2013 that follows the lives of sommeliers, certified wine professionals. The first film, which followed a class of hopefuls as they studied for and took the sommelier exam, became popular with wine lovers who were awed by the inside look at what it takes to become a sommelier. The test is rigorous, and requires a blind tasting as well as a written exam.

There are four levels of sommelier, and Maniec is one the few female sommeliers in the world to have earned the Master Sommelier designation, the most prestigious. In the United States, there are 182 Master Somms, and 29 of them are women.

From the previews, Somm’s third film appears to focus on blind tastings, and whether knowing the prestige behind a wine label impacts what we think of the wine. It revisits the famed Judgment of Paris, when Napa wines were shockingly named as the world’s best after a blind tasting. Here’s the official description: “Three of the greatest legends in wine meet to drink the rarest bottles of their careers, while the best blind tasters of today gather to settle an age-old argument. The results could change the world of wine forever.”

Somm III has an anticipated release date of Nov. 30; you pre-order it now from the Apple store. To celebrate, Maniec is hosting a viewing party at Corkbuzz on October 23, where guests can watch the film with her while sipping Champagne, then try a blind tasting of their own with eight wines. There will be passed hors d’oeuvres, and Maniec will also discuss her experience on the show and answer questions.

Tickets are $150, and include unlimited wine and canapés, and includes gratuity. Buy yours here. There will also be screenings at the New York locations of Corkbuzz. See the full trailer for Somm III below. —Kristen Wile

 

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