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Restaurant Wines - A Short Story
To celebrate a big promotion, Rachel took her staff to a popular new waterfront restaurant. The group gathered around the table, and the waiter presented Rachel with a long wine list. She took the list, and glanced around the table. In the past she had asked others for advice, but she had become more confident in her choices, and she knew what to do, even though she did not recognize a single wine on this list. Among the white wines in the list, she found a good selection of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, and for reds a list of Shiraz from Australia. She knew both of the regions to be reliable for these wines, and between the two there would be something to accompany all types of food. She chose a moderately priced wine from each section, and sat back to see the reaction. Her picks were instant winners !
For Rachel, as for many people, ordering wine at restaurants used to cause anxiety. After all, prices are far higher than at wine shops, and guests are hostages to that wine list. The table is watching as you choose. But the process needn’t be stressful.
So what if I don’t recognize anything on the wine list?
Buying wines at a restaurant is the perfect opportunity to use your experience as a shortcut. Don’t recognize specific wines? Think of your personal favorites. Look for wines from:
- the same winemaker
- the same or nearby regions
- that same varietal (grape) - or even other varietals or blends with similar flavor profile.
- the importer (it's on the back of the bottle)
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