GOLDEN TRIANGLE: Sommelier David Metz Joins Hospitality Team at Michelin-starred Plume at The Jefferson Hotel

David Bueno, General Manger of The Jefferson, Washington, DC has announced the appointment of David Metz as the new Sommelier and Wine Director at critically-acclaimed Plume restaurant located within the prestigious and award-winning Jefferson hotel in Washington DC. Metz brings almost two decades of experience along with him as he begins his next chapter working alongside the talented hospitality team at Plume including Restaurant Manager Sean Mulligan, Executive Chef Ralf Schlagel, and Pastry Chef Fabrice Leray, amongst others.

Born in NYC, and raised in New Jersey, Metz attended college in Indiana studying music education, but after realizing he no longer desired to pursue a career in that field, he found himself working in restaurants in the intermediary. It was while working at a steakhouse situated on the north side of Indianapolis that he first discovered his passion for wine. He quickly became friends with the Sommelier there and after service the duo would venture to the local grocery store and cook together often surrounded by good friends. During the dinner gatherings, Metz would come back from his cellar and enjoyed pairing wines with whatever the duo were cooking up. It was then that Metz truly began to understand wine’s place at the table and embraced the idea of pairing wine as 1+1=3. From there Metz began to study and pursue a career in wine.

In 2008, while working as a representative for Frederick Wildman out of NJ the market plummeted, a window of opportunity to relocate and work in Washington DC presented itself, and considering the District to be somewhat recession-resilient, not to mention a thriving albeit then somewhat nascent food and beverage scene, Metz decided to make the move. In 2009, David secured a position as a server at Bourbon Steak located within The Four Seasons Hotel in Washington DC and spent the next seven years working his way up from a Server, to a Captain, and finally to the Sommelier.

“In my new role at Plume, I look forward to expanding the scope of our wine program to appeal to a wider array of wine drinkers while continuing in the vein of my predecessors – both of whom I hold in very high regards”, says Sommelier David Metz. “There are some wines on our list that are very rare, and yes indeed expensive, so we’ll keep that going while looking to add additional wines that are meant to be enjoyed at more modest prices. I plan on shedding more of a spotlight on our Madeira program as this was one of Jefferson’s favorite beverages – again all the while making it more accessible. I would like to expand our selection of wines from Virginia whose presence never made it to the world’s stage like it has now in our namesake’s lifetime. I would also like to showcase off-the-beaten-path wines through our tasting/pairing menus. It’s one of the best ways to get something in front of someone that they may not have, or chose not to have experienced before.”

Through his continued commitment to the study of beverage and the practice of hospitality, David has earned the distinction of Advanced Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommelier’s American chapter. And looking to the future, Metz is currently in pursuit of the Master Sommelier Diploma.

PLUME WINE LIST: http://www.plumedc.com/wine-list/

 The Jefferson Hotel / Plume Restaurant is located at

 1200 16th St NW

(202) 448-2300; www.JeffersonDC.com