When The Somm Can’t Smell
République's wine director Sam Rethmeier reflects on COVID-19's impact on his health, his senses, and his career.
sommelier sam rethmeier of république
While I was furloughed in April of 2020, I read something to the effect of, “People are losing their sense of taste and smell as a result of COVID-19.”
As you might imagine, the loss of either would be the end of my career. I was terrified. I masked up. I washed my hands. I kept my distance. And despite all the precautions, on February 11, 2021, I tested positive. The day after, while waiting for the tea my wife made me to cool down, my kids started asking if she had made cookies. What cookies? I asked absentmindedly, “Could it be the tea?”
I suddenly realized I couldn’t smell the tea. I assumed it was the tea, but I was guessing. Panicked, I ran to the kid’s fish tank and opened the gag-inducing fish food. I breathed in deeply. Nothing. I ran (so much running) to the refrigerator, poured a 2.5-ounce shot of hot sauce. And seriously. Nothing. Like water. My kids started chanting, “GHOST PEPPERS! GHOST PEPPERS!”
Imagine waking up and not being able to physically feel anything. It’s like that. Cue depression. Panic. Anxiety. Despair. Oh, and warm vodka for a little self-medication. No point in wasting the good stuff.
I feel lucky. It only took eight weeks after recovering from COVID-19 to get it all back. And of course, everything seems to smell better. To taste better. And I have learned to slow down and enjoy it all.
Tips on building a wine list that works for everyone from Sommelier Thibaut Idenn of Alla Vita and Boka