How to Order Wine in a Restaurant

MAIN Entertaining Wine Restaurant Ordering How To's

A wine steward's job is to know the contents of the cellar and to match the wines with a great meal.

Simple? Sadly, many sommeliers think of their customers as ignorant rubes, and themselves as elite connoisseurs.

Knowing wine is what a wine steward or sommelier gets paid for - it's their job. Sure, being a good wine steward is something to be proud of... but no more so than a plumber being proud of installing a new kitchen sink.

You certainly wouldn't expect the plumber to sneer at you for not knowing as much about plumbing. So a wine steward who is snobby is just another way of describing downright rude. Making the customer comfortable is as much a part of the job as knowing which wines go with which foods.

If you encounter any unpleasant service... complain to the manager.

On the other hand, learning a bit about ordering the right wine, or boning up on the finer points of food and wine pairing may be a more pleasant way to handle wine stewards behaving badly.

Here are some expert pointers...

Tips and tricks for ordering wine

Disarming the Snotty Wine Steward - A former wine steward and wine educator offers a few easy tips for getting a good wine with your meal. Includes everything from which wines on the wine list are worth ordering, to what to do with the cork (nothing!).

Tame your Sommelier when Ordering Wine - Some great tips offered here. Did you know that the second cheapest wine on the list is the one the restaurant is trying to push? Find out more in this clever article.

I've Got a Little List... - This is an excellent article on what to order, with suggestions on matching wine with specific dishes.

Ordering Wine in a Restaurant - Good overview with a step-by-step guide to the pouring and tasting ritual, plus advice on wine and food pairing, how to reject a bad bottle of wine, and related tips from 2beasnob.com.

How to Order Wine for a Business Dinner - Etiquette guide for business meetings, but offering helpful tips on food pairings and otherwise impressing your table mates with the help of the sommelier,plus Top Ten Tips for Ordering Wine in pictures, from Forbes.com.

How to Order Wine at Restaurants - eHow guide with step-by-step instructions and tips on how to get comfortable ordering wines, with a little homework beforehand, and help from the sommelier.

also related feature -> Business Lunch Etiquette