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„ GASTRONOMY & SOMMELLERIE

reality is much more complex. In other words, Let’s take advantage
to each his own! of the post-pandemic period
to restore the sommelier’s
TEACHING
The problem is also on the side of training profession to its true meaning!
where we tend to confuse sommellerie and Jacques Orhon
knowledge of wines, and the amalgam has
insidiously set in over the years. In addition
to the knowledge that must continue to be
appropriated and perfected in sommellerie,
this is also a profession of know-how and sa-
voir-être (behaviour), which is not necessa-
rily taught in a curriculum devoted only to
knowledge and tasting.
However, we have gone, true to our bad
habits, from one extreme to the other. The as-
piring student begins to dream of becoming is not very good under
in the short term the super ambassador of the false pretext of so-
a world-famous brand, and we dangle, in ex- -called notoriety.
change for a fee, paying jobs that will not al- If home catering
ways be there. And this is not sommellerie! services for amateurs
At the international level, recognition of the who own a good ce-
profession could very well go through the di- llar, and who are ti-
ploma issued by the ASI (Association of Inter- red of paying exces-
national Sommellerie). sive prices, are al-
ways more popular,
WINE IN RESTAURANTS it is because some
The current crisis is forcing many restaurants restaurants owners, ob-
to close their doors, and that is very unfortu- sessed by their turnover, which can be under-
nate. Yet economists, accustomed to ignoring stood, still exaggerate with impunity with
sentiment, say that some medium and large- much too high coefficients. As a professional,
-sized cities have far too high a percentage of this is a moral and ethical point of view.
establishments in proportion to the populati-
on, and, coldly insinuating that the crisis will There is no doubt that, after the shock of
clean up this sector of activity, both in practice the pandemic, customers will be even less
and at the level of competence required in the inclined to pay for a lecture or a dubious
future. Are they wrong to say so? choice of wine. But they will return with even
As for the prices of wines practiced in our greater pleasure in restaurants where the staff,
beautiful profession, it is not from yesterday as many already do very well, will welcome
I think that these, wherever we are, are cal- them with deference, tact and humility, the
culated in a way that is not always suitable or qualities expected of a true professional. For all
appropriate. There are, it is true, wine lists that these reasons, we can only hope that after this
still offer attractive prices, but for others, I have terrible pandemic, we will return to the basics
the clear impression that sometimes we are on and fundamentals to give back to the somme-
the wrong track, when we are not, alas, losing lier profession all the tools it deserves, and thus
our minds. It is not honest to sell a wine that allow it to regain its letters of nobility. ƅ

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