Water is the new wine at top hotels and restaurants in New York, London and Paris and now the Best Western Monkbar Hotel in York has introduced a watersommelier, the H2O equivalent of a wine waiter, whose job it is to advise customers on the best water to accompany their meal.

He is Darrell Burnham, the hotel's deputy manager, who uses his expertise to choose the water list and to advise on types of water best with different meals.

Wine experts Charles Metcalfe and Fiona Beckett, who happened to be staying at the hotel,decided to taste Darrell's water selections from the hotel's recently-introduced water list and offer their own advice on the role of a sommelier, be it water or wine.

Darrell's suggestions: As an aperitif choose a lightly sparkling water that is not too bloating, such as Gleneagles sparkling, a light and refreshing water that is naturallylow in mineral and salts. A still water such Fiji, the top water to the stars,is a perfect accompaniment with a main meal. With dessert try a more aggressive bubble such as Perrier or Pedras Portugal's number one selling naturally sparkling mineral water, to cleanse the palette.

Darrell said: "We are committed to delivering the best service to ourcustomers and as water is the new wine, it is my job to ensure our guests feel comfortable and confident in their water selections and enjoy it as a complement to our extensive wine choices."

Updated: 13:33 Tuesday, October 05, 2004