From the olden days, when a saumalier managed the pack animals for French lords, to the present, when the sommelier often acts as wine salesman, manager, food runner, busser, waiter, and more, the occupation has been constantly evolving.
A sommelier’s role is not simply to serve wine in a vacuum but to maintain the table. If a guest at the table asks the sommelier about the menu, one needs to describe it accurately. If the table requires water, the sommelier should pour it. If the kitchen needs help running food, if the host needs help seating guests, if the back-waiters need help clearing a course… if the sommelier has time, they should be on hand. Today’s sommelier needs to be intimately connected to the dining room, and he or she must demonstrate mastery over all aspects of food and wine service. In addition, guests expect today’s sommeliers to have a grasp on a larger number of the world’s wines than ever before, to speak in volumes about vintages and producers, and to make the steps of service appear effortless. In a great restaurant, where an elaborate meal may develop across many courses, the choreography of wine and food service resembles an art form. Amidst all of this movement and bustle, the shouting from the kitchen, and the pressure to sell, the real goal—happy, contented guests—is sometimes forgotten.
Ultimately, a restaurant is selling an experience, not a plate of food or a bottle of wine. The sommelier’s job is to balance their role as a salesman with the satisfaction of the guest. But we are salespeople: restaurant owners do not employ sommeliers to ruminate poetically on our favorites; they employ us to run profitable
Interesting. Thank you!
Hey Keehong! Per the UMC, "One thing that doesn’t really matter is the angle of the bottle. Unlike still wine, Champagne can be stored on its side or upright since the pressure inside the bottle will keep the cork moist and the seal intact in either case. While horizontal storage is generally recommended, some producers disagree, arguing that upright storage keeps the wine away from the cork so reducing the risk of cork taint."
Quick question, I want to know the reason behind the sentence 'Champagne may stand upright during long-term storage, a practice advocated by the CIVC.' Any particular reason behind it? Won't the vertical position certainly dry up the cork and accelerate the oxidation of the wine?
At the Advanced Course this past August, I was told that now the Court does gender-neutral service regardless of party size. Host is presented with the taste and if approved, service goes clockwise to the guest of honor (if any), then clockwise to each guest irrespective of gender with the host served last. This was later confirmed to me by Melissa Monosoff, MS.
clear and concise. now I have to practice.