he word "Sommelier" is used in Italy and many other countries to describe a professional wine steward or waiter. It is a French adaptation of the old Italian term somigliere.
The 18th century Edicts of the Dukes of Savoy in Piedmont declared the Somigliere di Bocca e di Corte as a public official in charge of selecting the duchy's finest wines for the court. His duties included research and evaluation of the wines and determining the correct manner of serving them. In the mid 19th century the term sommelier came into use in France. But the occupation of selecting, bottling and serving wine was recognized long before the somigliere was appointed by the Dukes of Savoy.
The Greek "symposium", an ancient version of a wine-drinking society, was directed by the symposiarch. Wines were selected and served to the Roman emperors by the rex bibendi. In Renaissance times, the coppiere (literally cupbearer) held an important position in Italy's royal courts, with a well-defined set of rituals to follow in selecting and serving wine.
Today, the Italian Association of Sommeliers has more than 7,500 members involved with wine in a professional way. The association offers a wide selection of pratical courses on buying, storing and serving wine: you will find such information summarized in the following pages.
