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ORDERING WINE
By Jill Bremer, AICI, CIP
Bremer Communications
Have you ever felt intimated when ordering
wine in a restaurant? Do you feel unsure of how to handle the presentation
of the bottle and the tasting that follows? Dining out should be a relaxing
occasion, not one that causes anxiety. Here are some tips that will help you
feel more confident when ordering wine.
SELECTING WINE
Option 1 - Ask your server or the sommelier
for their advice. In upscale restaurants, servers should be fairly
knowledgeable about the wines they offer and how they complement various
dishes. Tell him or her your preferences, what you’re planning to eat, and
how much you want to spend. Sommeliers, the restaurant’s staff wine expert,
will be happy to select a wine for you. Let them know your preferences and,
to silently communicate your price limit, point to an appropriately priced
wine on the list and say, “Something like this.”
Option 2 – If you have a wine lover in your
group, let them make the choice.
Option 3 – Forget the wine list. Order 1-2
bottles of the house white and/or red. This can be a good choice for almost
every occasion. Restaurants choose those wines to match its food.
Option 4 – Order wines by the glass. This is
a good way to try several different wines with a meal and accommodate the
varying preferences of the group.
PRESENTATION OF THE
BOTTLE
The ritual begins when the unopened bottle of
wine is brought to your table and shown to you. This is so you can check
that the wine they have brought is the one you ordered. Look at the label
and confirm it is the bottle - and vintage - you ordered. Simply nod to the
server to show that you approve.
INSPECTION OF THE
CORK
The server will remove the cork and place it
in front of you to inspect. Don’t sniff the cork; just look at it, then nod.
The cork should be neither wet all the way through nor dry. Either condition
indicates that the wine was stored improperly. Corks should be moist.
Presenting the cork is a tradition that began
in the days before bottles were labeled. Wineries began branding their corks
to identify their wines so that devious restaurateurs couldn’t pass off
ordinary wine to their unsuspecting diners. Servers began presenting the
cork to verify the wine’s origination.
TASTING THE WINE
A small amount of wine will be poured into
your glass. This amount is intended to be sniffed and tasted. You are to
determine if the wine has gone bad, not if you like it or not. It is only
appropriate to reject wine when it has turned, not because you don’t like
it.
Look at the color; the wine should be clear
and lights should sparkle in it. With the glass resting on the table, rotate
the glass gently so the wine swirls around. This will release the bouquet.
Raise the glass and smell it. If it smells good, you can accept it at this
point, as the sense of smell is more acute than taste. If you choose to
taste it as well, do that as the last step. If the wine meets with your
approval, nod and the server will pour for everyone else.
Jill Bremer, AICI, CIP, owner of Bremer Communications, offers
training, consulting and coaching in professional image development and
presentation skills. Her clients include
Oracle, Abbott Labs, W.W. Grainger, U.S. Department
of Energy and the National Association of Realtors. She can be reached at
708-848-5945 or at
www.bremercommunications.com
Copyright © 2004 Bremer Communications All
Rights Reserved
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