The word Sommelier is a french word which means wine steward. Looking back I can’t help but ask myself, “what did she think a sommelier was? And furthermore, what exactly is the role of the sommelier?” Those guests have since become some of our good friends and regulars. We all had a good laugh and we still talk about it to this day. I will never forget the time I approached a table and one of our guests introduced me, “this is Maurice, he is the sommelier.” Without batting an eye lash and with the most sincerity, one of the guests looked at me and asked, “what part of Somalia are you from?” True story. Oinochoos to Sommelier an evolution of a word for a profession that counts more than 4000 years of history.The Sommelier, what is the role of the sommelier? Posted on MaWhat is the role of the sommelier and why do we even exist? Has in depth knowledge of the world wine and spirit market, s(h)e is an educator, handles the cellar stock and is kept up to date for latest trends for the vast beverage industry. Is the person who works in a restaurant, wine bar, wine bistrot or other premises which serve wine, advise on the individual characteristics of every wine on the establishment’s wine list, on food and wine matching. (S)he is the specialist wine waiter or wine steward. Now, this term refers exclusively to beverages and sometimes cigars. If the sommelier died, his Master would avoid the meal. The sommelier used his tastevin, a silver saucer on a thick silver chain worn around the neck to check his lord’s wine for poison. In the household of a great lord, he was the official who chose the wines, table settings and desserts. From the tavernas the profession evolved more and during the reign of Louis XIV, the sommelier was the official in charge of the transport of baggage when the court moved. The profession developed further and the sommelier started serving guests their wines in the local ‘tavernas’ of Paris. The spelling and meaning slightly shifted again, a sommelier was someone in charge of a specific type of cargo. Sommerier mutated into saumelier, and the meaning slightly shifted, a saumelier (a middle French word) was responsible for transporting supplies. Sommerier was responsible to look after the animals and their cargo of travellers who were resting in inns. The word sommelier has come to us byway of an interesting etymological journey. So literally oinochoos is the person who pours wine and this is the word which delivers the absolute meaning of this noble profession. The word oino – choos (pronounced e no hoos): derives from the word oinos which means wine and choos from the verb cheo (χέω) which means pour. Wine pourers and wine storage keepers were also used in other parts of the Ancient world like Phoenicia and Egypt. Oinochoos was working under the direction given by the appointed head of the sumposia who was called ‘symposiarhes’, and he was actually giving the pace of drinking for the participants. The dilution (1 part of wine 3 parts of water as the most common ‘dosage’) was a nod to moderation in order to lengthen the evening’s pleasure and the depth of their discussions. He was the man who was responsible to mix water to wine and keep up the pace of serving to the attendants in the symposia, making sure that nobody would get drunk. Sommelier – Oinochoos as a profession started in ancient Greece from the symposia. From nektar pourer to wine pourer and the birth of the word “oinochoos” which describes literally the wine steward. Her successor was the beautiful Ganymedes of Troy who was abducted by Zeus and he was appointed as the new cupbearer and nectar pourer. The myth says that after a clumsy fall she had to be replaced. She was appointed to the position by Zeus for serving nektar to the 12 Gods in Mount Olympus. The first cupbearer in Greece was Hebe, daughter of Zeus and Hera. So literally oinochoos is the person who pours wine and this is the word which delivers the absolute meaning of this noble profession.”įrom the Greek symposia to the palaces of France and the art of sommelerie. “The word oino – choos (pronounced e no hoos): derives from the word oinos which means wine and choos from the verb cheo (χέω) which means pour.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |