One table, $50,000 in wine. Happens monthly at the French Laundry.

Campton Place sommelier Michael Scaffidi this month revealed that when he was a somm at the French Laundry from 2004-2007, he would personally serve at least one diner per month dropping $50,000 on wine in one meal.

That nugget of information comes from a package on sommeliers from this past week's Business Times, assembled by editor Emily Fancher.

Also from that issue, here's a handful of stats on what portion of sales is from wine at various restaurants. I hope to update that table from time to time. If you work for a restaurant, send me your wine sales percentage!

Here are the stories from the sommelier package:

• A nose for good wine / Wine culture is broadening, and so is the task of the sommelier (free link)
• Shelley Lindgren: Years of study to bring right wine to the table (A16 somm) (free link)
• Andrew Green: Fine skills can't be faked (Village Pub somm) (subscriber-only link until July 2007)
• Cezar Kusik: There are no shortcuts to knowing wine (Rubicon somm) (subscriber-only link until July 2007)
• Michael Scaffidi: Sommeliers teach and also entertain (Campton place somm, former French Laundry) (subscriber-only link until July 2007)