One of my most embarrassing moments (and I have a few) occurred during a wonderful dinner party long ago at a very high-end restaurant. I noticed that the sommelier--disarmingly polite yet aloof in the way that only the French can be--had the most charming small silver dish hung by a chain around his neck. I was well into my third glass of Latricières-Chambertin when I complimented the man for the fact that he carried such a sophisticated ashtray around with him.
"Madame," he sniffed. "This is no ashtray. This is a tastevin."
Chastened and slightly hungover the next day, I did my research. A tastevin is a small silver saucer originally used by winemakers in Burgundy to taste their wines. In dark cellars lit by candles or lanterns, the silvery dimpled or faceted interior of the tastevin reflected light, allowing the winemaker to judge the color and clarity of the wine.
Although tastevins are rarely used today, some sommeliers still wear them around their necks as a matter of tradition.
If you have a wine fancier in your life, perhaps you may want to consider giving them a piece of--literally--vintage history in the form of one of our wonderful antique tastevins.
This circa 1900 tastevin is decorated with an applied swag and bow motif along its outer border. A French Napoleonic silver coin is embedded in the bottom of the bowl and is surrounded by an applied leaf design. On the underside of the bowl the coin is again visible and is surrounded by a figural rope border. The handle is an intricate design of crisscrossing swords and leaf detailing. The tastevin is engraved with a unicorn and crown crest and the words “Epopee Militaire 1810”. It is fully hallmarked with stamps to the right of the handle and on the bottom of the handle. At 9 troy ounces, it is extremely heavy. It measures4 ½ in. in diameter and the handle is an additional 1 ½ in. in width. It stands 1 5/8 in. high. It is in excellent condition a has a beautiful patina.
This circa 1900 tastevin has the requisite wave edge and concave circle design with a large raised center circle. A simple circular handle is adorned with a plain silver thumb rest. It is fully hallmarked with stamps on the bottom of the handle. It measures 3 ¼ in. in diameter and the handle is an additional 1 ¼ in. in width. It stands 1 in. high.
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