How Do I Buy Wine In A Restaurant?

December 8th, 2011

When you go to buy wine, you are, in some ways making an informed decision about yourself, or the way you’re going to come off to others. This is just the common outcome of buying wine: judgement.

People have all sorts of tastes, whether they’re going to be so specific as how wine is matched with what foods, or what temperature it’s served at, or even what sort of vessel it’s served from. The point is, people have all sorts of tastes, and wine is nothing but a gleaming example of this habit.

Say you go out to a nice restaurant for a dinner celebration. You’ve taken along your significant other and you’re looking to commemorate with a fine wine. Well, there are plenty of ways one can go about ordering that wine. Depending on the number of people you can order by the individual glass, or by a half bottle, or full bottle. Just to note, should you find yourself at a traditional French bistro, you’ll find that rather than “bottle” options, you’ll have “pichets.” They’re closely related options. Whatever the case, one needs to be prepared about exactly how to order.

In selecting wine by the glass, you’ll appreciate the way the wallet isn’t immediately sacrificed. One should also be aware of the way it’s brought out to you already filled, and not filled before you and the table.

If one is looking to have a half bottle, and definitely a full bottle, then he or she is taking a step into wine culture. The first routine that will change is the type of service associated with a bottle order.

The waiter or waitress will bring the table a set of glasses, and in front of you will uncork the bottle. After doing so they’ll offer you the cork as a gesture to smell the aroma of the wine, or even as a keepsake.

Once the bottle is uncorked, the server will remove the glass of the wine’s chooser, and their glass only, and administer a small sip. Once there, the taster will take this sip, checking to see if it isn’t going to be an appropriate wine for the diner’s meals.

Should the wine pass the taste test, it is divided among the patrons. Should it not, it is sent back into the kitchen in exchange for a new bottle to try. Of course, don’t be fooled into thinking these are just free flights of wine. Restaurants come with policies that will soon charge you the full amount of the second bottle you turn away, or, at the very least, an uncorking fee. If you’re budgeting, don’t get persnickety.

Once this process of having the wine poured is through, you’re welcome to enjoy the night how you’d intended. Granted, if you are the kind to buy wine in a restaurant, it’s a good heads up to know just how it will be coming for you. After all, many a time etiquette is a difficult fault to make up for when in a group.

Tiffany is a wine afficionado who prefers to buy wine online. You may also be interested in reading more information about the best wine clubs.