The Best Way to Order Wine in a Restaurant
There are a few things that overwhelm me more than the super-long wine list, and I often rely heavily on my waiter or sommelier to guide me in the right direction. Communication is important here, and (luckily for me) Lucky Peach has some tips on how to ask (and get) what you want.
As wine expert Robert Bohr explains in the link below, the trick is to articulate not only what flavors you like, but what kind of night you are aiming for:
It is also important to communicate what kind of experience you want to get. “I’m walking with my college mates and we just want to have a bottle of wine because we want to drink” or “I’m walking with my relatives and I want to show off a little”, or “I am with my relatives and I do NOT want to brag” – all this will require different bottles.
Also, don’t get hung up on the correct jargon. Describe the tastes you like as best you can; simple english is ok. (Personally, I can never taste “forest litter” or “slate” in my glass.) If all you know is that you like Charles Shaw Cabernet, but want to try something more interesting, just say it … A good sommelier can take this information and use it to choose the right bottle and do it without any regard. According to my favorite bartender of all time (Marco of Bern’s Steakhouse), ethanol vendors “make drinks, don’t pass judgment.”
How to order wine in a restaurant | Happy peach