What is a Wine Somalie?
April 2, 2008
Hey Wine Virgin, what is a wine somalie? I’m really curious about starting my adventure in wine, thanks for the help. - Lynn in Douglas, WY
Consider a wine somalie aka wine sommelier to be your go to person at a restaurant where they will help you select the best wines to choose from. The word sommelier is a French term that basically translates into wine steward. They will pair together and suggest wines that are best suited for a particular food and they are especially keen on helping out with selecting a specific wine varietal.
The sommelier is responsible for taking into consideration the tastes of the patron and will work accordingly around what a person is willing to spend on a bottle. Sommeliers also decant wines, when necessary. Decanting, is the process of pouring the wine into a decanter before serving it. This allows the wine to breathe and will help any sediment that’s in the to settle at the bottom of the decanter.
Travel is usually part of a professional sommelier’s career. Many travel to select different wine varietals for their restaurant. So when you go to enjoy a nice dinner, sit back and relax. Allow the wine sommelier to handle all your needs and take pleasure in their knowledge and experience. Cheers!!
Unctuous Wine
March 27, 2008
A quick question that’s been on my mind since lunch - I over heard a sommelier describing what he said was an unctuous wine. What did he mean by that? - Brandy in Frankfort, IN
So you want to know what unctuous wine is? Pretty easy wine tasting term to describe really, and you seem smart enough to ask before forming an opinion about something.
Mostly the term is used in a positive manner to describe a mellow wine that takes on the soft and full character from the residual sugar left over of the wine fermentation process. However, it’s possible to have too much of a good thing. Sometimes unctuous wine can be perceived as heavy, or even oily.
Very simply, this term can point towards a range of experiences from a rich and full texture to soft tannins that will take your tongue on a deep and interesting trip. But then again, you were very nosey to have even have heard about this term by listening to other peoples conversations… Tell me what else are you curious about? Cheers!!
Le Tastevin
March 10, 2008
Will you please explain what a “le tastevin” is? Recently, I went to a very nice restaurant and I noticed what seemed to be a silver cup like ash tray thing hanging around the sommelier’s neck. I asked him what it was and he simply pointed at it with a look of pride and said le tastevin! What the hell is it and what is it used for? Thanks. - Katie in Lake Charles, LA
Wow, I have never quite heard a tastevin or “le tastevin” as your sommelier calls it, described in such a straight forward way. You’re right, come to think of it, it does look sort of like a strange ash tray or how about a miniature urn? The “bling” in which he so proudly pointed to was actually a curious bit of history.
Wine trivia can be so captivating… you see Katie, a tastevin is simply a wine-tasting cup. Long ago, cellar masters created this to sample wines deep down in a cellar, where it was dark and lit only by candle light. As far as the odd shape of the cup itself, it was designed to catch and reflect the little light that was available to make it easier to check the color and clarity of the wine.
Nowadays, there is really no practical use for the tastevin and it is mainly seen as a badge of honor among many sommeliers. If you’re curious to pick one up, look online because a number of wine shops will actually carry them and if you happen to go back to that restaurant and encounter the same guy… look at his cup and give him a knowing smile. Cheers!!