Water sommelier Martin Riese is in the business of H2O appreciation. Prepare to become a more discriminating drinker.
For Martin Riese, still or sparkling is just the beginning: Certified as a water sommelier by the German Mineral Water Trade Association, Riese recently created a water menu for Ray’s & Stark Bar in Los Angeles. “Water is not just water,” says Riese, whose 45-page menu features 20 different bottles from ten different countries.
The menu created a splash when it first launched this summer, and Riese says diners appreciate the idea: When guests sit down and page through a list of bottles, they’re thinking more about hydration and less about hangovers. We asked Riese, who approaches H20 with the same passion and attention to detail that an oenophile selects wine, to choose the right bottle of water for every occasion.