Dear Dr. Vinny,
When I go to a restaurant and order a bottle of wine, I really dread the whole presentation of the bottle: getting the cork, the pour, the server standing there awkwardly while I swirl and taste and give my approval. I’ve never not approved a wine, and honestly I don’t know what I’m doing. Would it be OK to tell the server to just open and pour the wine? How should I do so?
—Debbie, Denver
Dear Debbie,
While it might be awkward, there are good reasons the server goes through the process. First, to make sure you get the bottle you ordered. Second, to make sure the wine tastes as you expect it to—and especially, to make sure it’s not flawed—so that you’ll be happy with your selection. Finally, the presentation of the cork is one way to make sure the bottle isn’t a counterfeit, as well as another way to check that the wine was stored properly.
The process really shouldn’t feel awkward, but I have noticed that it can bring the conversation to a screeching halt for no reason. You really can continue talking while the process is going on. And you don’t have to taste the wine, but you should at least give it a sniff and then smile and nod at the server and say thank you.
You raise a great point, however, that even many experienced wine lovers don’t really know what they’re doing when looking for potential flaws. We all have different sensitivities to flaws, especially TCA (or cork taint), VA (volatile acidity) and brettanomyces (or brett). To tell you the truth, I prefer for the sommelier to check the wine before pouring me a taste—it makes me feel better to have a second nose checking for faults, which can be hard to detect right when the bottle is opened and with just one sniff.
Many sommeliers will discreetly check the wine before bringing it to the table, but it depends on the policy of the restaurant. I think it’s always OK to ask if they checked it—and if you trust them, then feel free to say, “I trust your nose; please go ahead and pour!”
But overall, I’m cringing a little at the thought of telling the server or sommelier not to do their job of presenting the wine. I think the best way to approach the situation depends on where you are and your familiarity with your server or somm.
If it’s your first time at a fancy restaurant, I’d just sit there and endure it. But if you’re a regular, the vibe is friendly and you and the server are on a first name basis, I think it’s OK to say, “You can go ahead and just pour the wine around, thank you!”
I’d feel more comfortable if this were a wine topped with a screwcap—after all, cork quality can vary, and wine faults do happen. If you’ve ordered an older bottle, someone (whether you or the somm) should definitely check to make sure the wine is showing well. If you think it’s awkward to go through the tasting process, imagine drinking a wine you suspect is flawed, or starting the conversation about how you’d like a new bottle after you approved the wine without tasting it first. Again, asking the server or somm to check the wine might be a convenient middle ground.
—Dr. Vinny
