By Rick Riozza
I guess it’s the sign of the times, but have you noticed how many lawsuits have been filed lately against sommeliers and wine stewards? The stats are in: over two thousand causes of action are currently pending in our local, state, and even Federal District courts.
In layman terms, these causes of action have to do with damages suffered as a direct result or a consequence of receiving and relying on the somm/wine steward’s bad advice in recommending a wine.
Below are a couple examples of some of the actions:
Case#1—Supermarket Blues: A lady customer was shopping in the market’s wine aisle looking to purchase some nice bottles for a dinner party she was preparing for that evening. She found the wine attendant rather engaging and felt comfortable with his impressive knowledge of wine.
The customer was looking forward to impressing her dinner guests and was preparing Duck a l’Orange. Also, she wanted the perfect wine to pair with the meal. The steward properly recommended three bottles of Pinot Noir—a classic wine pairing with Duck.
The lady, in her suit for damages, claims that the wine steward was too engaging. With all of his incessant talking she became distracted and didn’t think of the consequences of her actions; she took the 3 bottles of wine and placed them not in the main carriage of the shopping cart, but she placed them in the area where young children are seated.
Unfortunately for her, she did not cover the leg holes with the provided plastic flap. As a result, as soon as she began to push the cart, the three bottles fell right onto her exposed toes, breaking three of them. Each bottle broke a different toe.
Her damage claim included $600 for the medical bill she incurred at Urgent Care; and $1000 for emotional distress because her dinner party had to settle for Spaghetti Factory
takeout.; and, she wants the cost of the duck, which she overpaid for, at $187, which had to be thrown out three days later.
Case#2—Restaurant Wars: A wealthy couple were treating some prospective clients to an expensive dinner at one of our valley’s best steakhouse restaurants. The guests came dressed to the nines. Indeed, one buxom lady was dressed in an elegant but somewhat revealing outfit—perhaps not the best choice for this meeting, but she had such a great personality she pulled-off that fashion statement without much fanfare.
The restaurant’s sommelier introduced himself, and after assessing the table he recommended to the party of six an expensive magnum of Champagne for an apero.
Upon the magnum’s arrival, he proceeded with Champagne service but unfortunately while the somm was overly admiring the lady’s demeanor, he took his eye off the emerging cork, allowing it to pop-off with such great gusto, it rammed up against the ceiling and ricocheted onto an adjoining dinner table, striking an elderly gentlemen in his left eye causing temporary blindness as he was slicing his steak resulting in his missing the steak but onto slicing his wrists.
Back at our original table, besides the shock of the loud noise interruption, the ensuing wild froth and bubbles from the large wine bottle sprayed right on the Lady’s elegant dress and demeanor.
It was no doubt time for the restaurant’s errors & ommissions policy to kick in. Is the Somm liable for the hefty deductible?
So what are your April Fool’s Day plans?
