Ordering wine in a restaurant is a sort of ceremony--a traditional part of fine restaurant dining that, if you've never done it before, can be intimidating. Epic wine lists, featured in some restaurants, are daunting even for wine aficionados. Add to the mix a sommelier--that's a fancy name for a wine steward--who knows enough about wine to embarrass you at will, and who wouldn't be a little nervous? But you can relax. The sommelier is your friend--somebody who's there especially to help you with your wine. And once you know what to expect, and what is expected of you, you'll order wine with ease and confidence.
Instructions
Decide Which Wine to Order
1. Consult the wine list or menu. Some wine lists are extensive and you shouldn't feel bad if you are confused. If you have no idea of the merits of one wine over another, don't spend a lot of time with the wine list. Rely instead on your knowledge of what kind of wine you like, and on the expertise of your sommelier or waiter.
2. Ask your server or sommelier for suggestions, if you are unsure which wine will go well with your and your dinner companions' meals. He should welcome and be flattered by your reliance on his expertise. Describe the type of wine you like, or simply ask for suggestions that go well with your meal.
3. Order your wine.
Behave While Your Wine is Served
4. Look at the label of your wine when your waiter or sommelier shows you the wine bottle. Make certain the wine is the same wine you ordered, including the vintage year.
5. Examine the cork after your waiter or sommelier presents it to you. Check to be sure the cork is moist on the inside end, and that it is intact. A dry cork or a cracked or broken cork may indicate that the wine was improperly stored and that air may have infiltrated the bottle, spoiling the wine. There is no need to smell or perform any other ritual with the cork.
6. Taste the wine. Your server will pour a small amount of wine in your glass. Go ahead and smell the wine first, but don't make a big production of it. Take a sip and decide if it tastes good. You are smelling and tasting for any hints of vinegar flavor or any other flavor that seems wrong. Most the time the wine is fine, but every now and then a bottle of wine is not good. In that event, simply say to your server, “I'm not sure about this. What do you think?” This is your server's cue to smell or sip the wine. If the wine is not good, you'll be brought a new bottle, no questions asked. Of course, once you have hinted that the wine is not to your liking, you should be offered another bottle. If your server feels the wine is good, and that the selection is simply not to your liking, he should offer you another wine choice. However, most experienced wine drinkers do not send a wine back simply because they are unfamiliar with it. Sending the wine back is usually done only when the wine has turned bad.
7. Signal your approval of the wine, assuming it is good. Say, “Very good” or "It's fine." Your server will fill the glasses of your female companions first, then the men, and lastly, the glass of the host—you. Your server will fill your glasses only 1/3 to 1/2 full. This is customary.
8. Enjoy your wine and your meal. You have successfully ordered wine in a restaurant.
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