The other day we had a complaint about wine service in one of our hotels, to be honest this is quite rare but I rang the customer to find out what had happened. He told me that the sommelier was opening bottles of wine and then taking and drinking some of the wine, and that it was a disgraceful practice that he had never see anywhere in the world and that he had eaten for years in the best restaurants in the world (you know the type).
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I am very excited to announce the first ever Bistro du Vin in London. This will be the first of many that we hope to create in local neighbourhoods around London. Our first will be close to Farringdon Tube station and Smithfield Market in the site of the old East Side Inn. There is a fantastic space here with a big open plan kitchen and separate cocktail bar area.
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Following the screening of the final episode of Michel Roux Service on BBC2, Sommelier scholarship winner Danielle Meenagh talks about the impact Ronan Sayburn has had on her being awarded the scholarship and how much she is looking forward to working with Ronan in the future.
It is known to most customers that wines, coffee and water are three of the most profitable items sold in a restaurant. What they may not realize is how little profit is made in other areas of the business. The overall costs are huge compared to the final selling price of the dishes on the menu when taking into consideration the staffing costs, depreciation of equipment, gas and electricity, constant refurbishment of front of house areas, replacing glassware, cutlery, linen (items that are often of very high quality) the cost of fresh flowers, business costs – including marketing, printing costs, refuse disposal, etc, etc.
Book Review
‘The Emperor of Wine – The Rise of Robert E Parker and the Reign of American Taste’- Elin McCoy
After reading the rather pompous title to this book, I was expecting gushing adoration about how the wine world was saved by one man!
Maybe you don’t have any grandchildren now, but it’s quite possible that one day you might. So when the time comes – maybe their 18th or 21st birthday, in several decades time – giving them a case of top class Bordeaux from the 2005 will give them either a fabulous gift of wine or a serious return on investment.
Even those not involved in the wine trade may have heard some of the hype surrounding this vintage which the Bordelais are comparing to other great years such as 1982 and 1990. Often French winemakers can be heard proclaiming each year as the ‘vintage of zee century’ but this time it looks pretty genuine. Having been to Bordeaux recently, the quote of the visit was from Frédéric Engerer, the top-man at Château Latour, who told me that after this vintage they might as well all retire as their best work would have been done.
Ronan Sayburn was one of the first true Sommeliers who welcomed me into Sommellerie over 10 years ago, opening his door to share his knowledge and assist in developing my sommelier skills whilst working in Michelin starred establishments. He has been a direct influence in my professional development and wine studies including national and international sommelier competitions. His willingness to assist and support anyone with a true desire to further themselves in the hospitality industry is effortless, and one which echoes across the UK and abroad through world-wide recognition and respect amongst his peers and leading industry figures.
Matt Wilkin M.S., UK Sales and Marketing Director, H2Vin Ltd.