One: you are dining in a fabulous restaurant, one you have waited to try for a long time! The wine list is extensive, yet contains only unfamiliar selections. You order what you believe will be a delicious dry red to accompany your steak, but the wine your ordered is a sweet red and you are absolutely not a fan of sweet wine; or
Two: you are dining at any restaurant and you order a glass of wine - familiar or not - and it just doesn't taste right. It has a vinegar-like or cardboard-like taste and you are sure the wine is past its prime; or
Three: you are in a restaurant that, by design, has a heavy focus on wine (maybe even has "wine" in its name?). You order a chardonnay to go with your seafood pasta, but instead of having a nice chill, the wine is warm.
What do you do when your wine experience does not meet your expectations or, worse, the wine is just plain bad!? This blog post will discuss suggestions to handle the situation and your rights as a "wine customer".
Situation one is when the wine you choose doesn't turn out to be what you wanted. First, ask yourself, "who suggested the wine?" Are you in the type of restaurant that offers sommelier service? Did the som or the waiter suggest the wine after discussing what entree you were ordering? Or, did you take the risk of ordering a glass or bottle that you ended up not liking? The Urban Etiquette Handbook from New York Guides suggests that if you take the risk, you don't get to send it back. If the waiter or som suggests a wine that is completely opposite from what you wanted, it is their fault. (Side note, some restaurants offer a small taste of the wine prior to ordering).
Situation two is when the wine simply tastes or smells bad. You don't always have to be an expert to tell if a wine is bad. Does it taste like vinegar or cardboard? According to etiquettescholar.com, simply call the waiter or sommelier over and tell him you believe the wine is bad. They should replace the bottle without incident, and they will, in turn, receive a free replacement from the distributor. This holds true even if you are the only person who notices the flaw. You absolutely do not have to, nor should you, drink a bottle of wine that tastes like there is something wrong with it.
(rmwineschool.com)
Situation three is one I have found myself in a time or two. You go to a restaurant that claims to have a strong wine list, yet the wine is served at an inappropriate temperature or is not decanted, when, in fact, it should have been. If you have ordered a hefty red wine, it is proper to ask the waiter to decant the wine for you. Remember, these wines need a little time to open up prior to drinking.
(vinofied.blogspot.com)
As far as temperature, this is a must. Temperature of wine can completely change your enjoyment. Whites should not be "iced" and reds should not be hot. A red served too warm can lose its aroma and flavors, as well as losing freshness. According to basic-wine-knowledge.com, you should not serve your red above 60 to 65 degrees, depending on the wine. A pinot noir, chianti or zinfandel may be served with a chill on it (60 degrees), but cabernet sauvignon, bordeaux, merlot and shiraz are best served a bit warmer than that (63 to 65 degrees). In spite of common belief, it is not best to serve red wine at room temperature.
For white wine (45 to 55 degrees), a riesling is best colder than a pinot gris or chardonnay. If the chardonnay is in the refrigerator, pull it out for about 30 minutes before drinking. If at room temperature, place the wine in an ice bucket for 30 to 60 minutes prior to drinking.
Ultimately, if you order a glass or bottle of wine and the temperature is off, politely tell the staff and allow them to correct the problem. You are spending money on this wine, you deserve to get the most enjoyment out of it.
Even if you are not a wine expert, don't be shy about practicing your skills when ordering wine in a restaurant. You are paying for it, don't let anyone intimidate you! Also, take advantage of the sommelier service if offered. These are the experts, learn from them! (side note: if you utilize a sommelier, it is proper etiquette to tip them 10 to 20% of the price of the wine.)
Cellarraiders.com gives the following tips when ordering a bottle of wine at a restaurant:
1. Observe the label and be sure that it is the bottle and vintage that you ordered.
2. Taste the small amount that the server pours into your glass. (Feel free to swirl, observe the nose, then taste.)
3. Observe the cork (the server should place it next to your place setting) to be sure there is no mold, that it is not too dry and that it has consistent color.
Finally, one option you have is to bring your own favorite bottle of wine to a restaurant. Few, if any, restaurants do not allow a patron to bring their own wine. Be prepared, however, to pay a corkage fee when you bring your own. Typically, this fee is around $20, however, I recently dined at Spago in Beverly Hills, California and the corkage fee was a whopping $50! It was worth it, though, as it was a 2009 Turley Zinfandel which was absolutely amazing!
(cellartracker.com)
Now, you are armed with your wine drinking rights! Drink on, Friends!
Cheers!
Mary Jo
Wine Word of the Week
Aeration - the process of exposing wine to oxygen. During winemaking this occurs when the wine is transferred from barrel to barrel. At the time of serving, wine is aerated when poured from the bottle into a decanter, carafe, or even into a wine glass. Just the act of pouring wine into a wine glass and swirling the wine will help to aerate or "open up" your wine.
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