The Court of Master Sommeliers has always carried an air of prestige. This group is comprised of the most skilled wine tasters in the world, all of whom have undergone rigorous training and testing to earn the title of master sommelier. Since its founding in 1997, only 155 people have achieved this status. Of those, 24 were women.
Recently, this elite group's image has been marred by rampant allegations of sexual harassment, sexual abuse and rape. Seven of the Court's members, Robert Bath, Matthew Citriglia, Fred Dame, Eric Entrikin, Greg Harrington, Drew Hendricks, and Matt Stamp have been suspended until the allegations can be fully evaluated through an external investigation. Dame is one of the group's co-founders.