Ordering Wine in a Restaurant - The m-sxl Guide
Ordering wine in a restaurant can sometimes be a stressful, baffling experience. Especially when the waiter hands you a leather clad book thicker than War and Peace and as far as you are concerned it may as well be a copy of War and Peace! So here are the m-sxl top tips when ordering wine in a restaurant - they will simplify the whole process so that the wine you end up drinking complements the food and you can impress your date!
Use the Sommelier
The first rule when ordering wine in a restaurant is use the sommelier and ask for suggestions so that you get a wine that you like after all you are paying for it! Not only will the sommelier have a good understanding of wine but more importantly they will know their wine lists and food menus inside out. This will enable them to suggest good combinations for the food you are ordering. If you are on a budget mention this, any good sommeliers will be able to suggest a few wines in different price brackets, allowing you to choose the one that fits your budget. If there is not a sommelier in the restaurant, ask your waiter even if they know nothing about wine they should at least be able to tell you what is popular!
Matching wine with food
If the restuarant does not have a sommelier or you wish to choose your own wine then it is important to choose a wine(s) that will complement your food choices. There are no real hard and fast rules about matching wine with food, it is about experimenting and personal choice. However there are some classic wine, food tips to follow when matching wine with food:
- Red wine and fish generally do not make a good combination. The tannin in the red wine is thought to react with white fish to produce a strikingly unpleasant metallic taste. But Salmon can be a very good partner with red wines, especially Pinot Noir and Shiraz.
- Pay attention to the sauces that the food is served with. A creamy heavy sauce may work better with a sharper wine than a lighter jus.
- A Good idea is to connect your food choice with a wine from the same region, i.e. Rioja with tapas, Chianti with red-sauced Italian dishes, and so on.
- Above all else do try and experiment when faced with a comprehensive wine list. After all wine is about personal taste.
Check the Wine Label
When the wine arrives the sommelier should show you the label confirming your choice. Check to make sure it is actually the wine you ordered, especially the vintage. Some restaurants will run out of a particular vintage and then simply start using the new vintage without updating their lists. Do query this, if you ordered a 2000 Chablis and the waiter brings a 2001, you are well within your rights to ask for an explanation. Most of the wines in the cheaper bracket will be designed to drink after bottling so the vintage may make little difference. However the more expensive wines may have very different characteristics depending on the vintage. For example the difference between a 1996 and 1997 Bordeaux is quite different.
Tasting the Wine at the Table
The actual wine tasting is actually extremely simple. This is not the time to make an impression by studying the wine using the four point system and don't over do it! There is nothing more embarressing in a restaurant than hearing someone taste a wine! Wine tasting at the table is about determining whether the wine is faulty or not. By faulty, we mean tainted in flavour by oxidation or have a faulty cork.
Note: wine tasting should not be carried out as if the wine is a mouthwash, no gargling!
The correct wine tasting procedure is as follows:
- The sommelier will present you the cork of the wine. Inspect the cork and simply make sure it is not dried out and cracked. Note: Sometimes white wines will form white crystals on the cork. This is normal and is not a sign of a fault.
- The sommelier will pour a small amount in your glass. Take the glass with the measure in and swirl it around to aerate it. Take a deep sniff of the wine. It should smell clean and fresh. There should be no musty or unpleasant scents. If it smells clean then you may simply stop there and inform the waiter to go ahead and pour it. However if there is a doubt in your mind about the nose then take a mouthful to confirm.
- When tasting the wine you will quickly be able to tell if the wine is faulty. If 'corked' it will taste/smell something like a cross between damp cardboard and rotting vegetation, if oxidised it will have a sherry like flavour to it, easily distinguishable on tasting. If the wine is faulty ask for a replacement. No drama or argument. If the restaurant is a reputable establishment there should be no fuss, they will bring you a fresh bottle.
Sending Wine Back
It is not good policy to send back a wine that you just don't like unless the sommelier recommended it then you may wish to comment and he may well offer a replacement. If the wine is faulty however ask for a replacement and they should bring you a fresh bottle. Taste the fresh bottle and never be afraid to send it back again. Some restaurants can be in the habit of placing cases of wine in very hot parts of the kitchen, allowing seepage and possible oxidation. It is also perfectly acceptable to ask the sommelier for his opinion. Don't be too worried about them disagreeing with you and letting you drink corked wine all evening. Any sommelier worth their salt will be honest with you as their reputation is in question.
By following these simple guidelines ordering wine in a restaurant doesn't have to be an ordeal, nor does it have to be scary or intimidating, have fun with it and most of all enjoy the wine you choose!
