 If you've read our other wine
primers on reds and whites, you can tell Cabernet Sauvignon from
Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio from Pinot Noir, and can generally
understand which wines go with which foods. You're feeling good,
feeling loose and are ready to pop some wine open at home or at a
restaurant. At this point, you've taken on the most difficult
part–getting familiar with grapes and trying to commit to memory a few
of the more common grapes in which you'll come in contact. The
next part's easyOrdering
So
you're out on the town, either at a business dinner or an intimate
affair with someone with whom you'd like to have an intimate affair,
and you want to apply your newly acquired wine knowledge. Whether
the wine list is 10 wines long or 10 pages long, there are a few basics
to know when ordering wine and coming off as "The Man":
Order a wine that matches well with what the other(s)
at the table plan to order. Pair lighter wine with lighter food,
heavier wine with heavier food. If you're dining at a seafood
restaurant, a big, hearty Cabernet won't fit. Conversely, any
white and probably even some medium-weight reds will get mowed down by
the main course at a steakhouse.
Order
a wine with which you are already familiar. It's definitely OK to
experiment at a restaurant, but going with what you know guarantees
success.
When the wine is presented, check out the label. Just give it a quick glance, make sure it's what you've ordered.
You'll be given the cork. Don't
sniff it, bite it, or ask your date to make goalposts with her hands
and "kick" it through. Feel it, make sure it's not too dry and
crumbly or sopping wet like a washcloth. If the cork
is not nice and firm with a rich color on the end that's been
in the bottle, it could indicate that the wine might taste funky.
Sip the wine sample that will be poured in your glass. Most
times, it will taste like regular wine, in which case you indicate that
you approve and the others will be served by the waiter. The
waiter will fill your glass last, after the others have been served.
If it really tastes funky, like mold, wet cardboard, vinegar or just plain bitter, the wine is bad and it's time to let
the waiter know right away. He or she should bring you a new
bottle at once and only charge for one bottle (or comp it
entirely). However, you cannot return a wine because you "just
didn't like it." You also cannot return a white and exchange for a
red, or vice versa.
When in doubt about what to order, ask your waiter or wine steward (sommelier). They live to make suggestions about wines – use them.
Serving Wine, Part 1:David
approaches the table with confidence, greets the guests, and takes
their food order. He suggests that a bottle of wine would
compliment their dinner. They agree and select a mid-priced
California Cabernet Sauvignon. So far, this is going well—he has
the order done and has up-sold his guests (won't management be proud!)
David returns with the wine, forgets to show the wine to the table,
pops the cork, and pours a golden-green wine for the head of the table
to taste, who promptly asks, "What's this?" David responds, "This
is the California Sauvignon Blanc that you ordered." The guy says, "We
ordered a Cabernet Sauvignon, not a Sauvignon Blanc! Son, how
long you been working here?" David: "About an hour."
ServingThe
temperature at which the wine is served can enhance or detract
from its flavor. Serve a white wine too cold and you only taste
cold, not the flavor of the wine. A red served too warm and you
may get a face-full of alcohol that can overwhelm the
flavor. Without getting fussy with precise temperatures, here's a
quick breakdown:
Serve a white wine @ 50° F. Take
it out of the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving to make sure the
temperature's right. If you forget to put a white in the fridge,
submerge it in an ice/water bucket for 15-20 minutes before opening.
Reds should be served near 60° F. Put a red wine in the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving.
Pour most red wines into a decanter - a glass pitcher for serving wine.
Doing this allows the wine to be exposed to more air and releases more
flavor. You can ask your waiter to decant your red at the table
and they should willingly oblige. It's also a good practice to do
at home to get the most out of your red. Most white wines don't
benefit nearly as much from decanting (we'll explain later).
Serving Wine, Part 2:
Brian convinced a couple to buy a Cabernet Sauvignon to accompany their
steak dinner by telling them how he'd served the wine all the time when
he worked at the Ritz-Carlton. After opening the bottle without a
hitch, Brian spills the bottle all over the table and floor while
trying to serve it. When he goes to replace it, Brian finds out
that the only other bottle in the house has been stored out doors and
it's February. He brings the wine in, presents the bottle, and
serves the cold, red wine. The gentleman noted how the cold the
wine was. Brian nodded, saying "Reds should be served a bit
chilled," with his most authoritative voice. The guy didn't buy
it, so Brian bought him the wine.
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