How to Handle the Wine Steward Like an Expert
You managed to select what you hope will be a good wine from the wine list. Now you want to deal with the wine steward like a pro when he starts the official "Ceremonial Presentation of the Wine" at your table. This is a very public ceremony; your guests and even those at other tables will be watching. You don't want to make a mis-step that will reveal you don't have any idea what you're doing!
It's not that hard if you understand what the server, the wine steward or the sommelier (fancy French word for the guy in charge of the wine) are doing, and why.
Here's How the Ceremony Should Proceed:
1. With proper deference to the nobility of whatever bottle you ordered, the wine steward will present the unopened bottle to you for inspection, so that you can be assured that this is truly the wine that you ordered. This means you must keep a reasonable facscimile of the actual name of the wine in your memory long enough to verify that this is, indeed, the very wine you specified.
More often than you would expect, the waiter actually does bring the wrong bottle. If you aren't sure that this is what you ordered, ask to see the wine list again. Compare what's printed in the wine list to what you see in front of you.
Don't worry about making a fool of yourself. Your guests will be impressed by your knowledge.
When you're sure that the label matches what you ordered, you may also feel the bottle to see if it's the right temperature. Unless your white wine is warm or your red is ice cold, this is usually a minor issue.
2. The sommelier will extract the cork from the bottle and offer it to you. You will take the cork and give it a thorough, but not too lengthy, inspection. Better wines will have the winery name, and sometimes the vintage (year) on the cork. If marked, the cork should mirror what's on the label. Not all corks are marked.
You should inspect the cork for any evidence that the seal was broken. A cork that has become excessively dry will permit air to enter the bottle, as will a "rotten" cork that is wet and slimy. A very badly deteriorated cork may smell "off" or unpleasant. This is rare, but it does happen.
3. If you indicate that all seems to be well with the cork, the wine steward will pour a small amount into your glass and step back expectantly.
This is your signal to take a sniff to check the aroma of the wine, and to swirl the wine in your glass (to mix it with some air) before taking a considered sip.
If the wine doesn't smell or taste "right" to you, this is the time to speak up. The sommelier won't argue with you. He will either bring another bottle or he will suggest that perhaps you would prefer to choose another wine. Whichever decision you make, when the new bottle arrives you start the whole thing all over again.
4. If the wine smells like you think it should, and if it tastes fine, then you nod gravely to the sommelier, who will then proceed to fill all your guests' glasses before filling yours. At this point the ceremony is complete, the pressure is off, and you may relax and enjoy the rest of your dinner.
It's not that hard if you understand what the server, the wine steward or the sommelier (fancy French word for the guy in charge of the wine) are doing, and why.
Here's How the Ceremony Should Proceed:
1. With proper deference to the nobility of whatever bottle you ordered, the wine steward will present the unopened bottle to you for inspection, so that you can be assured that this is truly the wine that you ordered. This means you must keep a reasonable facscimile of the actual name of the wine in your memory long enough to verify that this is, indeed, the very wine you specified.
More often than you would expect, the waiter actually does bring the wrong bottle. If you aren't sure that this is what you ordered, ask to see the wine list again. Compare what's printed in the wine list to what you see in front of you.
Don't worry about making a fool of yourself. Your guests will be impressed by your knowledge.
When you're sure that the label matches what you ordered, you may also feel the bottle to see if it's the right temperature. Unless your white wine is warm or your red is ice cold, this is usually a minor issue.
2. The sommelier will extract the cork from the bottle and offer it to you. You will take the cork and give it a thorough, but not too lengthy, inspection. Better wines will have the winery name, and sometimes the vintage (year) on the cork. If marked, the cork should mirror what's on the label. Not all corks are marked.
You should inspect the cork for any evidence that the seal was broken. A cork that has become excessively dry will permit air to enter the bottle, as will a "rotten" cork that is wet and slimy. A very badly deteriorated cork may smell "off" or unpleasant. This is rare, but it does happen.
3. If you indicate that all seems to be well with the cork, the wine steward will pour a small amount into your glass and step back expectantly.
This is your signal to take a sniff to check the aroma of the wine, and to swirl the wine in your glass (to mix it with some air) before taking a considered sip.
If the wine doesn't smell or taste "right" to you, this is the time to speak up. The sommelier won't argue with you. He will either bring another bottle or he will suggest that perhaps you would prefer to choose another wine. Whichever decision you make, when the new bottle arrives you start the whole thing all over again.
4. If the wine smells like you think it should, and if it tastes fine, then you nod gravely to the sommelier, who will then proceed to fill all your guests' glasses before filling yours. At this point the ceremony is complete, the pressure is off, and you may relax and enjoy the rest of your dinner.
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