 Wine
Take a Deep Breath And Consult the Sommelier
by Dennis Sodomka
Have you ever been at a nice restaurant with friends, or a date or even business associates when the waiter comes over and asks if you will be having wine? Usually there is a long pause until someone gets the courage to say yes, knowing that the waiter will now hand them the wine list and expect a decision.
Ordering wine in a restaurant can be intimidating, especially when the restaurant has one of those thick, leather-bound wine lists that looks like it belongs in the Library of Congress. But ordering wine doesn’t have to lead to an anxiety attack.
Armed with a little common sense and the following tips you will be able to order wine anywhere with all the authority of the snootiest wine snob. And you will end up with wine you like.
First, remember the wine steward, or sommelier (som-mel-yay), is your friend. His or her job is to make you happy. He wants to find just the right wine to go with your meal, not necessarily the most expensive wine on the list.
It’s OK not to be an expert. Let the waiter know your level of expertise and your preferences, and he will guide you the rest of the way.
You can tell the waiter what your price range is, or point to a bottle on the list and say, “I’d like something like this. What do you recommend?”
You also can scan the wine list to determine the mid-range of prices. Staying close to this median price likely will get you a bottle at a fair price. The highest mark-ups often are at the top and bottom of the list.
If this is a really important dinner you can stop by the restaurant the day before or even 15 minutes early and let the sommelier lead you to the wines you might like. Then when it’s time to order you won’t fumble through a long list of choices. You can even pre-order a bottle of a lighter white, such as a sauvignon blanc, a pinot grigio, a French Macon or even a sparkling wine (served only in V-shaped flutes) as an aperitif for the table.
In thinking about how you want the wine to match the food, think beyond red and white. In the summer you probably want a lighter wine. Also consider what you will eat. Is the meal going to be heavy or light? The wine should match the food.
If your group is ordering different kinds of food, it might make sense to order wine by the glass, or a split (two-and-half glasses). Then if you find a wine you really like you can order a bottle. But remember, wine by the bottle is cheaper per portion and the selection will be greater.
If you order for the table ask if anyone has a preference. Then turn it over to the sommelier. You can tell him, “We would like a bottle of a light, fruity white,” or “a dry white that goes with this kind of food.” If you show your server you have confidence in him or her, he will do what he can to find wine that pleases.
If you decide to pick the wine yourself, avoid the second cheapest in each category. That’s where restaurants tend to put the wine they want to move.
If you are on a budget, avoid American cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay. These wines usually are not great with food when they’re young and older wines will cost more.
Good choices for a moderate dinner wine are zinfandel and syrah for reds and sauvignon blanc and chenin blanc for whites. For Australian wine, look for shiraz. For French, try Rhone for reds and Alsace, Loire or Viognier for whites. There are many good, inexpensive Spanish wines, particularly Rioja, red and white. Inexpensive Italian wines include Dolcetto or Barberra for red or Vernaccia or Pinot Bianco for white.
If you order white and red at the same time, ask that the red be opened earlier to give it some time to breathe. A good rule of thumb is one bottle for three people.
When the wine arrives the server should show you the bottle before he opens it. Check the label for vineyard and vintage to make sure you get what you ordered.
After removing the cork, the server will present it to you. Ignore the cork, or just look to make sure it’s not dried out or crumbly. The great Chicago newspaperman Mike Royko once famously put a little salt on a cork and pretended to eat it just to see the waiter’s reaction. If you see crystals on the cork, don’t worry. That’s normal.
The server will pour a small amount in your glass. Swirl it, look at the color. It should be clear, not cloudy. Sniff and taste. Don’t make a big production of this. It should only take 30 seconds or so. If there are nasty odors or unpleasant tastes, ask your server what he thinks. If it is a bad bottle, he will take it back and bring you a new one. Typical bad odors include wet cardboard, rubber, vinegar, cooking cabbage and sour milk.
If the wine is good, just say so and the server will pour for the others at the table, finishing with you. If you order a white wine and it is chilled properly—not too cold—you won’t need an ice bucket. That should be used only for sparkling wine.
Now all you have to do is sit back, enjoy the food, the company and the wine that makes it all better. And don’t forget to tip the wine steward.
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