Drinks disasters: Three top tips to avoid being a wine wally
Don’t be a wine wally. A lot of drinks etiquette seems antiquated but there are certain things that immediately show you up as being clueless. Here are three mistakes I often see people making in restaurants when ordering wine.
1) How you hold your glass says everything about how comfortable you are around wine, and it is very simple. Wine glasses should always be held by the stem, or if you are feeling especially debonair the base, but never by the bowl. Yes, it can leave unsightly smudges across the glass but mainly your hands warm and negatively impact the wine. It is not a cognac to be swirled in an open palm, reach for the stem.
2) When the waiter opens the bottle and pours you a “taste” of the wine, you don’t actually have to try it because what you are doing here is checking to see if it smells “off”. Swirl the glass (in the air or on the table, whichever is easier) to get some air into the wine and release its aroma and give it a sniff. If it smells like damp cardboard, wet dog or nail polish remover ask the waiter to please check the bottle themselves.
This is not about preference but about detecting a fault. Once a wine is ordered it is yours whether you like it or not. However, a good tip is that if venues serve a wine by the glass the bottle will already be open, so you can ask for a little taste to check you like it before ordering a full glass or bottle.
3) If a waiter presents you with the cork, for the love of Dionysus do not smell it. That was already covered with the above taster pour. There are some things you can spot from a cork, for example if the winery stamp on the cork does not match the bottle’s label this is a sign of wine fraud. But it is mostly a sign of respect nowadays, with corks predominantly presented in high-end establishments. Simply leave it where it is, or pocket it as a keepsake.
Three safe wine bets
The White: Bruce Jack Chenin Blanc, £9, Sainsburys
South Africa is one of the coolest countries for wine and insanely good value. Bruce Jack is one of the world’s most admired wine brands and Bruce himself is a generous and lovely producer. This Chenin Blanc has tons of freshness balanced by ripe stone fruit flavours. It will go with a heap of dishes from roast chicken and pork to seafood.
The Red: Lagar de Cayo Rioja Alta Crianza 2020, £17.99, wineathome.org
Rioja is an enduring classic, one of the most collected and collectable styles of wine. A ‘Crianza’ must be aged for two years in barrel and bottle meaning it is on the lighter style of Rioja-aging but still with depth, structure and spice for dining. An historic region already, this award-winning bottle comes from one of Spain’s oldest vineyards.
The Sparkling: Bolney Classic Cuvée, £32, Tesco
You will never get sniffed at for starting with a sparkling. Traditional method fizz always emanates class, as does supporting our local producers. Bolney’s bubbles bring a riot of ripe citrus, green apple and that delightful brioche toastiness – an ideal aperitif.