Ever Wonder? What Should You Do When Offered a Taste of the Bottle of Wine You Ordered at a Restaurant?

The common ritual when you order a bottle of wine is that the server will show you the bottle, open it and pour you a small amount. This can be a bit of a nervous moment if you don’t really know what you are supposed to do. But, it’s actually quite simple. Here’s how to handle it like a pro.

When ordering wine at a restaurant, it’s usually a better value to order a bottle rather than buying individual glasses. Remember, a bottle holds approximately five glasses. So, do the math and you’ll likely come out ahead ordering a bottle.

When the bottle is delivered to the table, the server will show the unopened bottle to the person that ordered it. This is done simply so that you can verify that the bottle that’s been brought to the table is the one that you ordered. And, if you were specifically ordering the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, look closely at the label and confirm that the bottle is indeed the 2012 vintage. Once you’ve identified the bottle as the one you ordered, simply let your server know that it’s the right one.

At this point, your server will extract the cork and place it on the table. This is not done so that you can smell the cork, it’s done to demonstrate that the cork is intact, and that there are no signs of leakage or spoilage. So, you should simply exam the cork and set it back down as long as it looks fine.

Now, your wine server will pour a small amount of wine in the glass of the person that ordered the bottle. This is the opportunity to ensure the wine hasn’t spoiled. Take a look at the color. A brown color will be a giveaway of a wine that’s oxidized. Then give the wine a quick smell. It should smell like wine, not like a wet dog or a cow pasture (yes, I recently experienced a wine that smelled like a cow pasture!). If it smells okay, then take a small sip. Again, this is your opportunity to confirm that the wine hasn’t spoiled. If you get a nutty flavor, your wine has oxidized. Or, if you get a vinegar flavor, you wine has gone bad.

But also realize, this small sip of wine isn’t intended to be for you to determine if you like the wine or not. You don’t get to have bottles of wines opened for you until you find something you like!

So, keep these simple things in mind the next time you are faced with having a bottle of wine severed to you at a restaurant and you’ll do just fine. Cheers!

How to Deal with the Rituals of Ordering a Bottle of Wine

Have you ever just ordered glasses of wine at a restaurant to avoid having to deal with the whole process involved in buying a bottle? It can seem a bit intimidating at first. Dealing with your server for a glass of wine seems to be a lot more expedient.  But ordering a bottle of wine isn't hard if you become comfortable with rituals involved.

First, ordering a bottle can be a great value. A standard 750 ml bottle of wine will yield approximately five to six glasses of wine. This is usually less expensive than ordering five or six individual glasses of wine at your table.  So take a deep breath, order a bottle and you'll quickly learn to deal with the rituals.

Once you've chosen your bottle of wine your server should bring the unopened bottle to your table and present you with the bottle, showing you the label.  This is simply done to ensure they have brought the correct bottle that you ordered. You simply need to take a quick look at the label and then let your server know "That's correct" or "That looks good!"

Next, your server will take out a corkscrew, remove the foil capsule covering the cork, and extract the cork.  Your server will typically place the cork in front of you.  You don't need to smell the cork. But you should do a quick inspection of it. Look to see if there is any evidence of the wine having leaked up any of the sides. This should be obvious for either a white or red wine. A small amount of seepage up the side of the cork is normal in a bottle of wine that has spent some time on its side.  You just don't want to see the entire cork soaked or soggy. And don't be afraid to ask your server about any thing that looks unusual.

Next, your server will pour a small taste for the person who ordered the wine. This is not meant to be your opportunity to sample a bunch of wines before you find the right one. The small taste is simply meant to allow you to confirm that the bottle that you order has not gone bad. And, again, you'll immediately know. If you smell strong obnoxious odors of wet cardboard or the smell of a wet dog, the wine has gone bad. But, assuming the wine is fine, simply let your server know that it's fine.  They will then pour the wine for others at the table and return to pour your glass. Oh, and remember, a properly poured glass of wine is about one-third full, not to the rim.

The bottle will then be left on the table. If you are drinking a bottle of sparkling wine, the server may provide an ice bucket or you may request one. A good server will keep watch on your table and ensure that everyone's glass remains full and offer to bring another bottle, if necessary. But feel free to pick up the bottle and pour more for those at the table and yourself.

And that's it.  It's really quite simple. A wine server should be there to aid you in the process, not make it difficult or intimidating.  Here's to your next bottle. Cheers!