Randa Warren was tired of going to restaurants and relying on other people to tell her what wines to order. "They usually recommended an expensive cabernet sauvignon that was too tannic and not a friendly choice for me," she said. "I decided I needed to learn how to navigate the wine list myself." That was almost a decade ago, and Warren did not know then what a life changing and sometimes tortuous road she had mapped out for herself. It also was a road that propelled her to the top tier of the wine world. She has been awarded the title of Master Sommelier from the Court of Master Sommeliers following examinations at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in San Francisco. That put Warren in some rarified air. She is one of only 87 master sommeliers in North America, of which 14 are women.

Her journey started with a home-study course from the International Wine Center in New York. As she advanced through upper levels of the two-year program, she had to travel to New York to take exams. She combined one of those trips with a train ride to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., where she passed the exam to become a sommelier. Sommelier (pronounced sum-el-YAY) is the French term for a steward or server of wine, and has become generally accepted as someone who is a wine expert. "I was so excited when I left that course," she said. "It took me to a different level."

That led to another two years of study to become an advanced sommelier. Exams are given once a year, and participants have to pass three areas -- theory, blind tasting and practical service. Warren accomplished that at Aureole restaurant in Las Vegas. She took a year off from intense study, then received an invitation from the Court of Master Sommeliers to test for master sommelier certification.

Warren hit the road to volunteer her wine-service skills at some of the top restaurants in the country, among them No. VI Chop House in Detroit, Redd in Napa Valley, the Yellowstone Club in Montana and the Breakers Palm Beach Hotel in Florida. At home, she worked gratis many nights at the Polo Grill. "I asked for the people at these places to critique me, and believe me they did," Warren said. The effort paid off when she finally passed the final part of her exam."

During the past decade, Warren also earned a Diploma Wine and Spirits from England and became a certified wine educator through the Society of Wine Educators. She plans to continue writing a monthly wine column for Tulsa People magazine and conduct classes and seminars in the Tulsa area.

Randa conducts approximately 10 private wine classes each month in the evenings in the Tulsa, Oklahoma area. Classes range from 12-20 students each. Also, she conducts custom wine programs at local businesses, clubs, and the homes that include discussions on food and wine pairing, wine and cheese pairings and most often a general overview of the process of tasting and appreciating wine of all quality levels.

Randa is a member of the Society of Wine Educators and holds the Certified Wine Educator title. She also holds the WSET Diploma Wine and Spirits (Wine and Spirit Education Trust in England). She was previously in the Master of Wine program. She is a Chevalier du Tastevin of the Chapitre in Burgundy and also a member of the Chaine des Rotisseurs. Randa has a minor in French and a BA in Journalism/Advertising from the University of Oklahoma. She has one daughter, age 16, who does not enjoy still wine - thankfully.