Eating out – tips for wine lovers

Don’t hesitate to ask to try a wine that’s offered by the glass before ordering it

Nowhere decent should make you feel bad about this request. Exceptions are fine wines that are on offer from a Coravin wine preserver, leaving the bottle sealed, an increasing phenomenon on wine lists.

The more questions you ask the sommelier, the happier she will be

But make sure you’re addressing the right person. There’s no point in engaging someone who doesn’t know anything about wine. A good opening tactic is to say, ‘I have a few questions about the wine list.’ That leaves the waiter free to engage with you if they are knowledgeable, or to offer to fetch the wine specialist. Generally wine waiters love talking about wine and matching recommendations to customers’ desires. But be wary of those who routinely recommend a more expensive option than the one you suggest – not common, except in some very expensive places in my experience.

When offered the wine to taste, check three things

That the vintage matches what was on the list, that the wine smells clean and fresh, and the temperature. (You’re not checking whether you like it or not.) If a white wine is so cold that you can’t really taste its flavour, ask the waiter to leave it out of the chiller or ice bucket. Maybe ask for a little pour and then cradle the glass in your hands to warm it up. If a red wine is so warm that it tastes stewed and unappetising, ask the waiter to chill it, possibly in an ice bucket. I often do this. And if a wine is not rare, expensive or complex, it’s no crime to ask for (pristine) ice cubes to put in it.

If you want to take your own wine, call the restaurant first to establish how much corkage you will be charged

This avoids nasty shocks when it comes to paying the bill, and a possible shock on arrival when you discover that that the place has a (rare) policy of not allowing customers to bring their own bottles. If the corkage charge is well below £40, you are probably diminishing the restaurant’s profits, so it is polite to order at least one bottle from its list. Some places have special zero-corkage or reduced-corkage times, often on quiet nights such as Mondays, or lunchtimes. Check!

If you want to look up a restaurant’s wines online, try to do it as early as possible

Don’t hold up service and keep everyone gasping for something to eat while you painstakingly Google multiple wines on the list. If the restaurant publishes its wine list online, take a look before your visit. Though it would be safer to ask the restaurant to send you a copy of their current wine list since many online wine lists are out of date. The restaurant’s efficiency in responding should be an indication of their interest in wine, and your query might well indicate to the restaurant your willingness to spend. Wine-Searcher gives an indication of retail prices, which are generally a third to a half wine-list prices. As for an indication of the quality of individual wines, Vivino can be useful for non wine geeks. Wine geeks probably have their own favourite wine gurus, who generally give an indication of maturity too.

Suggestion for those who compile wine lists: make clear which wines taste very obviously ‘natural’

Since many wine drinkers have strong feelings – pro and anti – natural wines, it makes sense to signal them clearly – especially those that have been made without the preservative sulphites and veer towards cidery or hamster-cage aromas.

The more obscure the wine on a list is, the less likely it is to be overpriced

Restaurateurs know how many customers head for a few familiar names and commonly ask a premium for them. Encouraging signs on a wine list include the presence of wines more than three or four years old, which suggest that the restaurant takes wine seriously and sources wine proactively rather than just relying on the latest vintage available from their supplier. Older wines offer a more settled, mature tasting experience and are an interesting change from what’s available at your local wine shop. (Wine professionals can spot lists that have come from just one supplier – something that’s much more common than you might think.)

Drinks lists that feature multiple options for no- and low-alcohol drinks are to be admired for keeping up with current trends

But the restaurateur will probably try to make as much money on them as on alcoholic drinks.

Ask carefully about the water on offer

There really is no point in shipping bottles of water round the world and both you and the planet will pay through the nose for it. A thoughtful restaurant will offer their own filtered still and sparkling water for which they don’t usually charge but factor the (small) cost into the prices on the menu and wine list.

If you’re in a party of four or more, consider kicking off with a bottle of fizz instead of cocktails or several still wines by the glass

Restaurants tend to operate with a lower margin on sparkling wines and champagne than on still wines, so bubbles can be both enjoyable and a relative bargain. A pop gets an occasion off to a good start and this strategy avoids potential awkwardness while waiting for a complex drinks order to be prepared. Many a fizz goes well with a first course as well as being an aperitif.

Image by Runend Art for Unsplash+.

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Jancis Robinson