Max Hauser wrote:
When challenged on this detail, somm asserted that one must not decant Burgundy that has some age.
It was bizarre, and I don't think I've ever gotten a clear explanation.
The Secret Society of Non-Decanting Sommeliers (SSNDS) is notorious for not decanting Burgs.
Actually there is some general disagreement in the wine geek community about the wisdom of decanting Burgundy. Some think it destroys the wine's evolution, while others are much more concerned about the effect of sediment. If one is going to just pour the bottle around the table in one swoop (while carefully not letting it stand back upright) then the point is mostly moot. Of course this never happens.
Anyway I think your story is more about philosophical disgareement overcoming service to the customer's wishes than ineptitude.