Hospitality and beverage service
Hospitality and beverage service tests the operational side of the sommelier role: preparing the room, serving wine correctly, pairing food, selling well and resolving problems.
Service standards
- Mise en place: polished, inspected glassware, correct temperatures, wine list, decanting equipment, spittoons.
- Temperature: sparkling 6–8 °C, crisp whites 8–10 °C, rich whites 10–13 °C, light reds 13–16 °C, full reds 16–18 °C, sweet and fortified wines 6–12 °C by style.
- Opening sparkling: hold the bottle at about 45°, loosen the cage, turn the bottle rather than the cork, ease it out with a whisper.
- Decanting: stand the bottle upright first; decant over a light source for sediment. Old fragile wines need minimal aeration; young tannic wines tolerate more.
- Pouring: present the label, show the cork to the host, pour a small taste, then serve clockwise; fill still wine to about one-third.
Pairing
Match weight to weight. Acidity cuts fat; sweetness balances heat and salt; tannin binds protein; salt and acid contrast with richness. High-tannin, high-alcohol reds clash with delicate fish and vinegar dressings.
Worked example
A guest orders oysters then a young, tannic Cabernet Sauvignon. Reasoning: oysters are saline and delicate; tannin with salt reads metallic and bitter, and alcohol overwhelms the texture. Recommend Muscadet, Chablis or a dry sparkling wine instead.
Traps
Serving reds too warm and whites too cold. Over-decanting an old Burgundy. Filling glasses to the brim. Ignoring guests who are not drinking, and forgetting responsible-service obligations.