This sommelier is redefining Atlanta hospitality one story-driven pour at a time.
For sommelier Joon Lim, wine was never the plan. “It was more of a hobby that got out of hand,” he says.
Lim studied accounting at the University of Kentucky, graduated in 2004 and worked briefly as a banker, but the prospect of spending decades behind a desk never felt right. Hospitality did. Once wine entered the picture, it became impossible to shake.
Born in South Korea and raised in Lexington, Kentucky, Lim moved to Georgia nearly 20 years ago to be closer to family and tap into Atlanta’s growing restaurant scene. In 2008, opportunity took shape at Park Cafe, a now-shuttered Southern bistro and wine bar in downtown Duluth. Starting as a barback and then a bartender, Lim began tasting wine seriously for the first time. A manager encouraged him to pursue certification, setting him on the marathon journey of study, blind tasting and service mastery that defines the Court of Master Sommeliers. He became a certified sommelier while working at Rathbun’s in the 2010s where he was grounded in fine wine and exacting service.
His path eventually led to Cherokee Town & Country Club, where he rose to head sommelier, overseeing a 22,000-bottle cellar. This cemented his reputation for deep knowledge and polished service, placing him squarely within Buckhead’s fine dining and private-club ecosystem. But after the COVID-19 pandemic, Lim didn’t want to return to the restaurant world. While exploring his options, he connected with a private collector interested in auctioning off a wine collection. Lim stepped in to set reserve prices, coordinate logistics and align expectations between the client and auction house. The process clicked, and referrals followed.
“It was random and serendipitous,” says Lim, who launched his independent wine consulting business soon after.
Today, he works with private collectors and teams up with chefs for wine dinners in private homes, primarily in Buckhead. The events range from intimate eight-person gatherings to lavish dinners led by chefs such as Freddy Money (Atlas), Philippe Haddad (formerly of Cape Dutch) or Aaron Phillips (formerly of Lazy Betty). For Lim, the appeal runs deep. “I can still be involved in hospitality and service without being on the restaurant floor,” Lim says. “It’s more personal in terms of service.”
Whether consulting on auctions or pouring wine tableside, Lim prioritizes storytelling over technical jargon. To him, wine is both historical and emotional, meant to be shared and understood, not dissected. “A lot of people relate to wine based upon context—the stories behind it,” he explains. His favorites include Barolo, Burgundy, Bordeaux and Barbaresco because of their rich history, elegance and earth-driven nature.
Lim also lends his expertise to charitable events, waiving his consulting and service fees when necessary. He’s worked with organizations such as the Southeastern Sommelier Society and the High Museum of Art and plans to participate in Make-A-Wish Georgia’s Wish Ball this year.
That same service-first mindset carries through the rest of Lim’s work. While he waits for results from the Master Sommelier exam, Lim remains grounded in the work itself: planning, tasting, mentoring and shaping Buckhead’s private wine culture, one bottle at a time.
@joon.lim918
