Husband has made a very useful list for drinking and ordering wine and cocktails in a restaurant. This list is intended to make your dining experience more fulfilling. I am going to try to get him to write up another "wine list primer" very soon. If you have any questions you would like him to answer, please leave them in the comments!
And the rest is from Husband:
Dos and Don’ts for better restaurant imbibing. Wines by the glass are the most difficult for the restaurant to maintain and control. Most are loath to toss a bottle that’s been open too long. If that glass you ordered is lacking fruit, tasting dirty or tired, do send it back. Tossing an over-the-hill glass of wine is a small price to pay for guest satisfaction.
Don’t forget, the restaurant is there to get you what you would like. It’s great for a restaurant to offer an unusual or out-of-the-ordinary suggestion but be leery if you feel like you’re being pressed towards something you don’t like or want.
If you’re skeptical about the restaurant’s suggestion, do ask if you’re free to select another bottle is their selection is not for you. If they're confident with their products and recommendations, they’ll take the bottle back if you don’t like it.
Do expect the restaurant to be capable of answering reasonable questions. If a restaurant is offering a wine, they should know whether it’s been aged in oak. Knowing which clone of Chardonnay was used…probably not information most will have and, with the exception of the best, not something you should expect them to have. However, if they don’t know the basics about the product, why are they offering it? Why are they expecting you to buy it?
Don’t hesitate to ask for further assistance if you’re not getting the answers you want from your server or bartender.
Don’t know what to order? There are a few wines that are consistently food- friendly, reasonably-priced and reliable.
Riesling: Fresh flavors, low alcohol and occasionally a little sugar. Maximum flexibility at the table.
Chenin Blanc: Be it South African or French. Low alcohol, light and fresh.
Mâcon: Chardonnay is the grape of Mâcon. Rarely oaked and rarely expensive.
Beaujolais: Don’t knock it. Great with fish, roasted Pork, fresh veggies…
Côtes du Rhône: Reds, Roses and rarely whites. Beaujolais’ flexibility with more fruit, spice and weight.
If you order a bottle and it doesn’t taste right, don’t hesitate to send it back. The restaurant will get either a replacement bottle or credit. Any restaurant worth its salt would find sending a bottle back to the distributor a small price to pay for their guest getting something they’re happy with.
Don’t be turned off by Stelvin or Screw Cap-closed wines. The vintner is trying to give the best odds that the wine you order will taste like it was intended to be. No, it’s not as romantic but it is dependable.
Don’t be afraid of Sulfites. If you’re one of the >1% of the populous who has a legitimate lethal allergy, you already know what to avoid. Sulfur has been used as a disinfectant and anti-microbial for millennia. Get a headache from wine? Don’t blame the sulfites; true sulfite allergy is anaphylactic.
When it comes to wine, don’t put much weight in terms such as Vintner’s Reserve, Private Collection, Special Reserve, Lot #X and so on. It’s uncommon for these terms to have any legal protection and less common still for them to have a direct relation to quality.
Don’t be afraid of unfamiliar regions and grape varietals. With fame and reputation come higher prices. Lesser known areas and varietals can offer big bang for the buck, their relative obscurity keeping prices low.
Don’t forget that servers and bartenders don’t set the prices. If the mark-ups seem high tell the manager or, better still the owner, it’s more likely to affect a change.
Don’t hold it against the server of bartender or server if they’re out of wines, beers, etc. Rarely do they order these things and, as mentioned above, telling the powers-that-be is more likely to change the situation.
Don’t forget the little guys when it comes to Champagne. That Champagne with the Yellow label buys most of its fruit and wine. From whom you ask? The little guys. Think the little guys sell them their best fruit? Doubtful.
Do remember that many European wines aren’t permitted to list the grape varietal on the label. That Quincy or Menetou-Salon on the wine list would meet your need for a light Sauvignon Blanc nicely; it just won’t say that on the label.
Don’t want to learn the intricacies of European wine laws and regions? Just ask the staff. Don’t see the words Syrah on the list? It may still be there under the guise of Cornas, Côtes du Rhône or Crozes-Hermitage.
Don’t let the old “White wine with Fish. Red wine with Meat” stand in your way. When bringing food and wine together it’s more about the weight and richness of each that matters. Roasted Pork and Potatoes with dry Riesling? Great! Roasted Monkfish with Mushrooms and Red Côtes du Rhône? Terrific!
Don’t hate on Riesling. No single grape varietal has such range and flexibility yet still maintains a fair price.
Do give Pinot Noir a chance, it can make the world’s greatest wine. Don’t ask it to be something it isn’t. Don’t look for a rich, thick, dense Pinot Noir, that’s Syrah’s game…
Don’t be afraid of wines that have some sweetness to them. So much of the food we eat has some sweetness. A little sugar in a wine can bring real harmony. Why did the Chef sear your Filet? To bring the sugars and associated compounds to the forefront. If it’s OK in your steak, why not in your wine?
Don’t be afraid of Rosé. It is a color not a flavor. Is there a sea of undrinkable pink crap out there? Yes! Are there plenty of great gulpable pinks to be had for a song? Yes! Have a pungent ingredient like onions, peppers, cilantro or garlic? A good rose will knock those pungent flavors to the ground, leaving the fresher brighter flavors to shine.
Specifically for those who live in Ohio, don’t forget, you can take your unfinished bottle of wine with you. Not only do you not need to risk dangerous driving, you have additional options for beverage options. No need to stick with one wine throughout the meal. Have a glass of white, order a bottle or red and take half of it home. Everybody wins.
Do be skeptical of wine “brands”. Every dollar spent on logoed Umbrellas, Purses, Chillers and Pens is a dollar that wasn’t spent on the quality of the wine. Not to mention that a number of the major brands of Champagne don’t actually make their own wines. It’s not just that they don’t own their vineyards, that’s quite common. It’s that they purchase already-bottled wine, age it briefly and slap their label on it. Imagine Prada slapping its logo on Walmart purses and charging Prada prices…
The most important part of pairing food and wine is protecting them from one another. A few warnings…
Don’t mix high alcohol wines (14%+) with chilies or hot dishes. The alcohol will intensify the fire. Do drink something with a little sugar (Riesling,Vouvray, Moscato) if you need to put out the fire.
Don’t mix oaky wines with mild fish. The oak will bring out an iodine/tin flavor in the fish.
Do be cautious with intense Asian flavors such as Fish Sauce, Kombu, Soy and Dried Mushrooms. The umami character of the ingredients will make oaked or high alcohol wines taste astringent and hard.
Do be cautious with Red Wine and Chocolate. Unless the Chocolate has a high Cocoa content and little sugar, you’re probably better off with Madeira or Port.
Don’t pay attention to a tall frosty liquor bottle. Much like #20…money spent on packaging was not spent on product.
Don’t get me wrong…I wish I could order a Martini knowing that I would get chilled Gin and Vermouth. However, that’s not the case. Don’t order a Martini and assume your part is done. Gin or Vodka? Up or Rocks? Twist or Olives?
The Triple Cream Buffalo Fart Martini is not part of the bartender canon; don’t expect every bartender to know what’s in it. Manhattans, Rob Roys, Margaritas….these are the sorts of things that bartenders need to know. The Purple Blueberry Orange Flower Martini from TGI Mc-Funsters? That’s their recipe. Other restaurants won’t have it and shouldn’t be expected to. If you like the drink, do ask for the recipe.
Don’t pay attention to these ideas if they don’t apply to you. These are only my suggestions…
