|
Historical origin of the brotherhood
The Conseil des Echansons de France , owner of the Wine Museum of Paris, was created in 1954 for the advocacy and promotion of the best wines coming from French soil. Among the founders of the Conseil figured famous art restorers and Parisian wine merchants. Today the Conseil numbers over a thousand. Its members include professionals and amateurs alike who represent the brotherhood across the globe.
According to an ancient tradition, the echanson , or cupbearer, is he who pours the beverage. At the king court, this the position of echanson was deemed one of the highest honours from very early on. This position was reserved only for trustworthy men of the nobility. The Grand Echanson de France , or simply, Echanson de France , served the king personally at four annual celebrations: Spring, Whitsunday, All Saints’ Day, and Christmas. With the help of his assistants, the grand echanson managed the king’s wine cellars in addition to overseeing more ordinary services. Caretakers of the tradition, the members of the Conseil des Echansons embody the knowledge and experience of their illustrious predecessors. Its mission is to maintain a certain savoir-faire and to preserve the quality that accounts for the universal renown of French wines.
“Good wine gladdens a person’s heart”
“Bonum Vinum laetificat cor hominum”
|
