The Eagle Has Crash Landed

     We recently had the sommelier from a very fancy Los Angeles restaurant come in and tell us about a customer who was loudly proclaiming the subtle qualities of his bottle of Screaming Eagle ($1200/btl). But all the qualities he was describing for his date and the rest of the restaurant to hear were odd. So the sommelier asked to check the bottle and he realized it was corked beyond belief.....it was like smelling spoiled garbage. They drank down the whole thing happily. Do you tell them that they're not tasting what they're supposed to? Does it really matter if they like it? Is it the sommelier's responsibility to replace the bottle and risk embarrassing the customer?

 anon said:
it is probably the sommelier's job to swap the bottle and only comment on the swap if they notice. I was leaning towards doing nothing as someone who can afford $1200 bottle of wine should know better. But it is better to be kind, i suppose. Plus they might get ill and sue :)
July 27, 2007 4:30 AM

 Rebecca said:
I don't know... I've always gone for the 'wine isn't math, what makes a wine good is the fact that you like it' school of thought - regardless of price. It's a little harder to stick to that when a bottle has truly gone bad, and when it's presented by a sommalier whose reputation is attached to what s/he pours... Maybe the best course would be to voice some suspicion that the bottle is off and offer to replace it, and if the customer refuses, let 'em have at it.
July 27, 2007 1:40 PM

 Bootsmonsta said:
The guy is clearly a fool, the date is going out with the fool at least in part because he's a Big Spender, they drank the wine not for the taste but for the prestige of the experience.  They won't get sick, they won't sue, the restaurant won't be out several hundred dollars for the wine and, most of all, the nouveau riche guy doubtless does not want to be outed for having no palate.  If the sommelier somehow wants to be nice to the guy, he/she can compliment him for deciding to order the Screaming Eagle and offer them after dinner drinks that he tells them will complete their dining extravaganza
July 28, 2007 1:51 AM

 snideways said:
The sommelier just needs to shut the f* up and thank his lucky stars that someone bought a $1200 bottle of wine.  (Unless we're talking about the Water Grill and thats the cheapest bottle on the list...)
September 14, 2007 6:32 PM

 Wedding Locations said:
Well, look, if they liked it, they liked it.  The new research that just came out suggested that the cost of wine can influence how it tastes to some people.  It's true - their brains register the taste as being better than if it was cheaper.  And, $1200 is a lot of influence.  Also, I read in the LA Times that a corked bottle of wine can be remedied pouring it into a carafe into which is placed some Saran Wrap.  The plastic wrap actually absorbs the bad taste of being corked.  So, it's not going to hurt the people.  But, if the sommelier embarrasses the diner that might hurt his chances for a big tip.  Great blog and great store. 
January 30, 2008 3:54 PM

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