French wine tasters: we want a jab quickly!
Professional French wine tasters, known as oenologists, are asking Minister Macron whether they can be given priority for coronavirus vaccinations. Why? They are afraid of losing their sense of smell, and ‘a wine taster without a sense of smell is like a musician without an instrument,’ is their argument.
Getting coronavirus is unpleasant, but losing your sense of smell as a result is truly a disaster for some people. This is especially true for people whose work depends on their noses, such as professional wine tasters. In the Netherlands, disaster struck Frank Jacobs, chairman of the Wine Academy. After an infection in March last year, he could not smell anything at all for 13 months, and had to step down from his role as chairman in October. Gradually, his sense of smell is returning; last week he reported for the first time that he was able to take part in a wine tasting again.
Subtlety gone, wine smells sour
In France, oenologists, professional wine tasters, are concerned about that nasty symptom of coronavirus, which can linger for months. Charles Philiponnat of the prestigious Philipponat Champagne house even ended up in intensive care after his infection, and his sense of smell is still not back to normal after six months. But Charles urgently needs his sensitive nose when blending the champagnes. So does oenologist Sophie Pallas. She could only smell sourness and alcohol in every wine; all the subtleties of the wine aromas passed her by completely. She cannot work like that.
Priority, s’il vous plaît
In France, the chairman of the Union des oenologues therefore made an urgent appeal to Minister Emmanuel Macron: could his members, some seven thousand professional winemakers and wine tasters, be given priority for vaccinations so that they would not have to fear damage to their sense of smell? Teachers in France can claim priority, and the chairman would like his members to receive the same preferential treatment.
Also read:
- Rice and pasta are big favorites among Corona hoarders
- Eating with your nose plugged: these dishes smell the worst in the world
- 6 bizarre things sommeliers experience
Source: Trouw.nl
