The sommelier’s duty

It seems strange now, but in the North America of the early 1970s, sommeliers were as rare as happy dispositions are in the service industry of southern France in September.

Unlike today’s wine stewards, whose job is to sell wine, the great sommeliers of the past were instrumental in the purchase of the wine for the cellar. In households, the position of sommelier was historically among the tasks of the head steward; in monasteries the task was assigned to the cellarer. The position was not to be taken lightly: several cases of suicide in the houses of French nobles resulted from a shortfall in quantity or inadequate wine selection made by the chamberlain. In the United Kingdom, the position was ably accomplished by the butler, who routinely advised the lord of the manor as to the stocks and the vintages (accessing this treasure by means of the butler’s friend—the cork extractor).

From the mid-1800s, it became more commonplace for dining rooms in the new “Grand Hotels” to have a wine steward as part of their wait staff brigade, to assist the guests in their selection. In that era, wines in the cellar, more often than not, were carefully selected by the either the owner or general manager—usually in consultation with the chef.

From the mid-1920s, North American wine consumption dropped, in favour of cocktails, highballs or neat spirits. Somehow our digestive tracts survived the three-martini lunch or dinner of roast beef with lashings of rye and ginger, with cognac chasers.

Fortunately, as the 1980s arrived, a renaissance in dining and wine consumption occurred. As travel to Europe or California became more commonplace, so did our exposure to wine as companion to food. We were also lucky to have had paladins such as Tony Aspler, who promoted wine in general, and Canadian wine in particular. The first wine courses were organized and attended by a mix of industry professionals and wine enthusiasts. As the demand for wine knowledge expanded, the LCBO began to realize the potential of this untapped market, and modernized its stores and attitudes.

Today, taking a course in wine can demystify a wine list, or explain why you might taste a particular note in a wine—allowing you to converse unabashedly with the restaurant’s sommelier.

THIS WEEK’S PICK
The past week was toasty hot. As I popped ice in the dogs’ water bowl, I decided I really wanted a simple bowl of local vanilla ice cream. Then I decided to add a little dessert wine. ’Twas sublime and ever so cooling in this heat.

We have an excellent selection of dessert wines in the County, be they late harvest or ice wine. Simply select your favourite and enjoy.