Can You Send Over The Sommelier? The Water Sommelier, That Is.
We've all outdone ourselves and sprung for that baller bottle while dining out for a special occasion. But have we finally reached a day where we can go through a similar process and, well, turn our wine into water? The Los Angeles Times has written about the increasing number of water menus and water bars opening throughout the country. The story references Martin Riese, the general manager – and recently appointed "chief water sommelier" – of Los Angeles's Ray's and Stark restaurant. The custom H20 menu consists of 20 types of water from 10 countries, including Riese's own 90H20 (you really can't make this stuff up), with bottles ranging in price from $8 to $20. A tasting flight of several waters is also available. We're not even talking about coconut water here, people.
Riese swirls water in a glass between sips, chewing on it slightly before swallowing. He praises certain varieties for their bitterness and recommends food pairings for others (Fiji and its sweet notes, for example, should be consumed with dessert). While we're unabashedly always open to classing up things that have no business being considered classy, we do raise an eyebrow at the required one-week certification course. Have you seen the trailer for Somm? Yeah, we're going to stick to overpriced vino for now.
Check out what else is going on in the water world on Food Republic: