Ordering wine in a restaurant is not much different than buying
it in a wine store. The main difference is that you have an
audience. Yet ordering wine in a restaurant can
be intimidating especially if the wine
list is extensive. Experiment or Homework Keep in mind
that even the experts will not be familiar with every selection
on a wine list. If you are a novice and your are going on an
important date, you should do a little homework to get some idea
of what you might want to order. Unless you are feeling
extremely adventurous, a restaurant is usually not the place to
try something new since the mark up can range from 100 to 200%.
The Wine List Today, most restaurants have a wine list,
but expect a myriad of shapes and sizes. Some establishments
might simply offer just a house red or white, while others have
a daily blackboard to outline their rotating selection. Most
wine lists are presented as a printed menu, with the wines
arranged by color; red, white, and rose and the region of
country. Additionally, many establishments will number their
wines on the list, which helps big-time if you do not know how
to pronounce the wine. You can simply say, "I will have the
number 8". Before you order, you are going to want to factor in
what you are going to be eating. Unfortunately, not a lot of
menus give advice on food pairing. If you need some help talk to
the wine steward, or sommelier. They are there to help you make
the best decision for your occasion, and a good one will not try
to take you out of your price range. Getting the Best Wine
for Your Money ? Skip the house wine. Unless you are
familiar with the house wine, don't bother because they
generally carry the highest mark up. ? Scan the wine list too
quickly to get an idea on the average price of a bottle. Try to
stay within this median price range where the mark ups tend to
be average. ? Choose a wine from the same region as the
restaurant's food specialty. A good French restaurant, for
instance, should have a solid selection of French
wines. ? Ask the server for a recommendation. Just ask if they
have any special values currently. ? If two or more at your
table are going to have a few glasses of wine, it is cheaper to
order by the bottle than the glass. Corkage Many
restaurants will open and serve a bottle of wine brought by the
patron. A quick call to the restaurant will confirm if this is
possible, and if so, they will charge a corkage fee. They
usually charge between $5 and $15 per bottle, although some
restaurants will charge a lower fee if the wine brought is not
on their wine list.
About the author:
Contributor: Stuart Glasure, A wine enthusiast and publishing
member of the Wine Learning Center at
title="WineDefinitions.com">http://www.WineDefinitions.com.
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