Tips on How to Order Wine in a Restaurant

Imagine having invited people over for dinner in one of the best fine dining restaurants in your place. Imagine struggling over the wine menu. This can be embarrassing and this can ruin a good evening for you. A good wine choice can mean a lot of difference to your food. Wine connoisseurs know that there are wines that compliment certain kinds of foods. Basically, if you are served a chicken dish paired with a glass of white wine, you will certainly enjoy your meal more. Now, it is easy to remember which wines go with what kind of food, you just have to know how to order wine in a restaurant.

Unraveling the Wine Ordering Mystery

Indeed, knowing how to order wine in a restaurant is an art. Knowing which wine goes with what dish is a great skill. If you have seen a wine menu or a wine list, you would know that ordering wine can be daunting especially if a restaurant offers a wide selection of wines. You can’t be blamed if you’d end up confused.

If you have no idea at all what to get, you should always seek assistance. It’s always better to admit ignorance then to commit mistake by pretending that you know what you are doing. Most restaurants offering haute cuisines have sommeliers to help out their customers. These are wine “experts” who would be willing to help you if you don’t know how to order wine in a restaurant.

Choosing the Perfect Wines

A good wine menu has all kinds of information about every wine listed. You would find the name, manufacturer, country of origin, wine description, vintage and meal suggestions. If you have guests, it is a good idea to get their wine preference. Courtesy dictates that you should let your guests choose their meal and wine combination. There are people who have particular taste for wines. Their choice may not suit a particular dish but let them enjoy their wine and meal.

However, if you are asked to order the food and the wine, it is good to know how to order wine in a restaurant. Red and white wines are perfect for main courses. When choosing a white wine or red wine, it is best to get a heavy white wine or a light red wine. Now, if you are not familiar with how a wine’s name is pronounced, it is best to leave it to the sommelier. Do not attempt to guess its pronunciation or you could end up embarrassing yourself.

Learning how to order wine in a restaurant does not end with learning how to match wines with meals. You should also learn how to choose the right wine that is within your budget. A good bottle of wine can cost you as much as $500 a bottle.

Going Through the Wine Serving Process

Usually, before a wine is served, you will have to go through the wine approval process. The sommelier will bring your wine to your table. If you don’t know what to do with the wine, you would likely just stare at it and nod your head. What you are expected to do, however, is to get the wine and check it. You need to check the label and see if you are being served the right wine. You should also check its content. You also need to check if the cork is intact, so you would know if you are being served a properly stored wine.

The server will then give you a wine sample. Do not just drink it. What you should do it to check the color of the wine. Vintage wine should look brown. This is the wine’s clarity. You should also check the smell and check for a vinegar-like or a rusty-like smell. If your wine smells like vinegar or rust, you should request for another bottle. Chances are your wine has undergone oxidation due to bad storage or cork problems. Now, if all these things are okay, you can then taste the wine. If the taste is up to your liking, you can then give your approval. The server will then bring out the wine and the rest of your meal. The whole wine approval process can take about half a minute or more depending on you.

Ordering wine can be intimidating if you don’t know what to get. It is best, therefore, that you learn how to order wine in a restaurant. Once you have learned this art, you will enjoy its benefits time and time again.