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Informative Articles

An Introduction to Wine
What is wine? Wine has been made for centuries from just a two simple ingredients: yeast and grape juice. Actually, just about any fruit juice can be used, but by far the majority of all wine is made from the juice of the grape. How is...

Cuban Thanksgiving From Our Latin Table
If you have ever wanted to be part of a large loving latin family or have ever been fascinated by Latin-American cooking, you will enjoy Our Latin Table . With his beautiful 162 page book, Fernando Saralegui brings you into the fold...

Honey Dijon Glazed Ribs
Makes 4 Servings 3-4 pounds pork back ribs 1 cooking onion (chopped) 1/4 cup Maille Red Wine Vinegar 1 stalk celery (chopped) 1 bay leaf 1 tsp. peppercorns Maille Honey Dijon Mustard Place ribs in a large pot and add...

Sauted Family Bean Curd
Family bean curd is Sichuan's famous characteristic dish. Its main ingredient is bean curd. Bean curd began in Xi (West) Han Dynasty, became widely spread in Bei (North) Song Dynasty, and it is one of the Chinese most popular traditional food. Bean...

Tips to Buying Food Online
Did you know that you could buy food online? I was amazed when I discovered this fact. There are hundreds of different food websites on the internet, all of which offer great deals and promotions. So no matter what you are in the mood for, you can...

 
Wine Etiquette With Ease

Correct wine etiquette makes the tasting experience more comfortable and enjoyable. Like most interests, there is a set of protocol that most wine lovers adhere to. Good taste dictates that tasting at wineries, ordering wine at restaurants, and hosting a dinner party all require certain formalities.

Tasting Room Etiquette

In a winery's tasting room, white wines are generally tasted first, followed by reds, and then dessert wines. Within these categories, lighter-bodied wines preceed fuller-bodied ones. Water and crackers may be offered to cleanse the palate between each wine. Correct wine etiquette does not require that you must finish every glass. Winery tasting rooms provide jars to dispose of excess wine. Do not feel that you need to sample every wine offered- taste what appeals to you.

If you ask for a second tasting of a particular wine, it is in good taste to buy a bottle. Many wineries charge tasting fees which are generally applied to any purchase. It is not mandatory that you buy wine; purchase only what you desire. That being said, if you have made an appointment at a small winery, it is in good taste to make a purchase.

General Restaurant Wine Etiquette

Wine service at a nice restaurant can be an unneccessarily difficult ordeal. The following tips will allow you to follow the customs of wine service with ease and confidence.

When choosing a wine from a restaurant's wine list, the main goal is to accomplish a suitable pairing with the entrees of your party. If the food orders are too different to generalize with one wine, consider purchasing splits or ordering by the glass. Waiters and sommeliers are there to answer your questions, but availing yourself to their services and advice will be much more beneficial if your questions are relatively specific.

For example, don't ask the sommelier, "What goes well with a rack of lamb?" Rather, ask, "I'd like to balance the spiciness of the lamb with a full-bodied, Syrah-based Rhone. Do you have any favorites?" Your effort will be appreciated and service and interaction will be more seamless. I guarentee you will be pleased with the outcome.

After ordering, the waiter/sommelier will retrieve your selection, and then present it, label forward, to the host of the party. This is merely to verify it is the correct wine. The cork is removed and placed on the table. Unless it is clearly tainted, (the waiter/sommelier should notice if it is) do not touch or smell it, as it means nothing.

A small amount will then be poured for the host. Swirl the wine in the glass, smell, then taste. This is to make sure the wine is not spoiled and it is not an opportunity to send back a sound wine that you are not crazy about. After approval, the wine will be poured clockwise to the right, ladies first. The host's glass will be topped


last.

Corkage Etiquette

It is increasingly customary in many parts of the country for restaurants to extend corkage policies for patrons whom wish to bring their own wine. However, this is not the case everywhere, (especially on the East Coast), and proper wine etiquette dictates that several things be kept in mind.

Always call the restaurant in advance to verify that corkage is allowed. Ask what the fee is to avoid any surprises. In my experience, very few restaurants charge over $20 as a corkage fee. Some restaurants will waive this fee if an additional bottle is purchased from the wine list, but do not assume that this is the case.

Wine brought to a restaurant should be relatively unique or rare, and definitely should not appear on the restaurant's wine list. After the waiter/sommelier opens and pours the contents, proper wine etiquette requires that you offer them a taste. Following these guidelines will ensure an enjoyable corkage experience.

The Duty of the Host at Dinner Parties

The duty of the host toward his/her guests is one of the most ancient and enduring forms of etiquette in human civilization. When serving wine, making sure that your guests are comfortable with the process is your paramount concern.

Before serving, always allow wine time to breathe at room temperature. Never pour wine for guests immediately after opening. It is the host's responsibility to discreetly ensure that the wine is sound and unspoiled. This should be done away from company, and a small amount should be sampled.

Always serve wine to your guests in clean, spotless glasses. This may seem obvious, but it is a very common mistake. Additionally, if more than one wine is served, make sure that they are poured in a logical progression.

Especially with older wines, be aware that there may be a significant amount of sediment at the bottom of the bottle. Keep this in mind when deciding the portion given to each guest. Avoid the embarrassing situation of the last person receiving an unacceptable amount of solids in their glass. If this is a concern with a particular bottle, refrain from pouring the last half glass.

It may be necessary to decant a wine to either remove sediment or to expose it to oxygen. Be cautious with this practice, as older wines may quickly fade if left in a decanter for too long.

Wine enjoyment should be an enjoyable and unintimidating process. With these tips in mind, you are prepared for the majority of social situations that involve wine.

Ben Bicais lives in the Napa Valley and is the webmaster of http://www.california-wine-tours-and-accessories.com.


ben@california-wine-tours-and-accessories.com


 

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Content Menu
  • 10 great wine tasting tips

  • 16 quick tips for eating at restaurants or work

  • 4000 year old secrets of green tea

  • aging gracefully

  • all about entertaining with food and wine

  • american fast food restaurants

  • and you thought coffee was bad for you

  • an idiots guide to wine tasting

  • an introduction to wine

  • australian bbq recipes

  • australian wines

  • australia is more than jacobs creek

  • autumn cooking great fall recipes and tips

  • a beginners guide to chinese cookery

  • a guide to gourmet coffee

  • a guide to wine racks

  • a perfect cup of coffee

  • bakers racks add flair and style to your kitchen

  • barbeque grilling has reached a whole new dimension

  • barbequing a fun and convenient way to make dinner

  • basque cuisine

  • beer and food pairings

  • blended and varietal wines

  • blue cheese omnivorous

  • braised fish in soy sauce hong shao yu

  • braised garlic short ribs with a red wine tomato sauce

  • build your own wine rack in an afternoon

  • buying wine how to read a wine label

  • buy fine wine at great prices a strategy

  • champagne wine

  • change your diet and eat the mediterranean way

  • cheese explore a new taste

  • chicken breasts with spicy rub

  • chicken with white wine pasta

  • chilean wine history and style

  • chinese dumplings on chinese new year

  • chocolate is good for you

  • choosing a wine gift basket

  • choosing wine on a first date

  • choosing wine to match food

  • christmas recipes main dishes no 9 of 12 duck with cardamom sauce

  • class on glass

  • coffee characteristics and how it helps you choose the perfect coffee for you

  • coffee everything you need to know from arabica to zanzibar

  • coffee is it getting too complicated

  • coffee with class

  • come home to comfort food

  • corks for wine

  • creating the perfect foam

  • cuban thanksgiving from our latin table

  • cucumber pork soup

  • delicoious swordfish

  • determining if a wine is spoiled

  • do you know these little known facts about tuscany wines

  • easy summer salads lighter foods for a brighter summer

  • ediths cake that thrilled the french

  • emu the natural alternativee for the backyard grill

  • enjoy colorado wines

  • enjoy your favorite winebut with some rules

  • experience the joy of eating at a restaurant

  • fall for outdoor entertaining this autumn

  • family life or wine for christmas dy

  • fantastic fruit

  • fine dining at the ark of las vegas lutece and tsunami asian grill

  • fondue 101 how to make cheese fondue

  • foods to avoid that cause bad breath

  • food and drink what to expect in costa rica

  • food and wine choice advice from an expert wine taster

  • formula for successful wedding party

  • french wine

  • french wine laws

  • fresh fare from the food isle ireland

  • from prix fixe to cold tea a glossary of popular and obscure restaurant terms

  • german wine the new commodity on the american market

  • get to grips with your wines

  • gift of the month clubs the lazy mans guide to gift giving

  • give a fondue party

  • gourmet a defining moment

  • gourmet centerpieces

  • gourmet coffee beans a brief overview

  • gourmet goodies

  • gourmet sauces rubs and marinades give your bbq a gourmet kick

  • grigio or gris this is a great white wine

  • grilled scallops with ginger lime sauce

  • guide to buying wine glasses

  • guide to tasting wine

  • hans is author of steaks seafood and

  • have a wine and cheese shower or party

  • have you bought your first case of wine yet

  • healthy fondue a guide to making broth and hot oil fondues

  • healthy seafood recipe

  • health benefits of tea

  • helens homemade fishcakes recipe

  • helens pan fried seabass

  • history of hawaiian coffee

  • history of the mendocino county wine industry

  • holiday cookie exchange

  • homemade christmas gifts from the kitchen make your own holiday gift baskets

  • honey dijon glazed ribs

  • hosting a wine party

  • hosting a wine tasting party

  • hot fun in the summertime

  • how sparkling wine is made

  • how to begin wine collecting

  • how to be creative when you are cooking

  • how to brew your own beer

  • how to grow grapes for excellent wine

  • how to host a memorable july 4th barbecue and have fun too

  • how to host a wine party

  • how to make beer

  • how to order wine in a restaurant

  • how to store wine

  • how wine is made

  • index

  • introduction to italian wine

  • in grandmas kitchen part i

  • in praise of the humble salad

  • in time for summer blue danube wine company introduces refreshing new varietals from hungary the craftsmane series from hilltop neszmely winery

  • is your italian olive oil really italian

  • italian cuisine in the heart of tuscany

  • italian cuisine more than pasta

  • kitchen pantry

  • knowledge and creativity

  • la minita coffee its in the green beans

  • learn about chardonnay wine

  • learn about the benefits of green tea

  • learn to deal with the wine steward in restaurants

  • left over wine

  • love wine join a wine club

  • low fat salmon recipes

  • make your own gourmet gift baskets

  • making red wine

  • making wine like a pro

  • maple flavored smoked turkey

  • marketing wine on the internet

  • more mead mlord irelands medieval banquets

  • murder by heat

  • not your orthodox way of learning about wine

  • oakville wine country

  • olive varieties

  • paella recipe secret

  • paella the most famous spanish dish

  • parmesan crusted sole with lemon beurre blanc

  • pinot gris or grigio this grape makes great wine

  • planning a fondue party

  • planning wine for your party

  • provence a wine lovers dream come true

  • quick reference buying and storage guide for cheese

  • raise a glass to the best wine of the month gifts

  • rare varietals cure wine boredom

  • reading an italian wine label

  • recipes from around the world right in your kitchen

  • reductions proving less is more

  • regional cuisine new england clam chowder

  • roasted vegetable and goat cheese salad

  • roast rack of pork with grain mustard sauce

  • rotator

  • rowan jelly mountain ash pyrus aucuparia

  • rubs to cook with

  • rutherford wine country

  • sangria blanca

  • sangria recipe

  • satisfy your wine desires join a wine club

  • sauces for quick gourmet cooking

  • sauces used in asian cooking

  • sauted family bean curd

  • seafood and corn beach barbecue

  • seafood fettuccine alfredo

  • selection of seafood recipes compliments of cafe hobson

  • serving wine

  • share a gourmet food basket with your lover

  • sherry a wine of tradition

  • sicilys great eggplant tomato stew

  • smell nothing taste nothing

  • southern mama

  • spanish food how to prepare boquerones

  • spanish food the tasty tortilla

  • specialty gourmet coffee

  • special ingredients shark fins birds nest

  • start your wine cellar the right way

  • storing your fine wine

  • substitutions for commonly used ingredients

  • sweet sour fish

  • sweet sour pork gu lao rou

  • sweet surprises

  • take a california wine country tour

  • tasteful gift giving

  • tasting wine

  • tasting wine the basics for beginners

  • tayberry jam

  • tayberry raspberry and strawberry jam

  • tea at sea

  • tempranillos role as a new varietal wine in australia

  • tempranillo a new red wine star in australia

  • ten foods with special powers

  • the 1976 paris wine tasting

  • the best of the boutiques

  • the curious history of wine consumption in america

  • the excellent french wine

  • the first rule of wine drinking

  • the french paradox

  • the fundamentals

  • the gentle art of poaching

  • the habanero chile

  • the harmony between food and wine

  • the harmony between wine and food

  • the history of italian coffee

  • the history of the acai berry

  • the history of wine country in the sierra foothills and the delta

  • the ideal temperature to store your wine

  • the latest craze on gourmet coffee

  • the major flavor components in wine

  • the mystery of decanting

  • the mystery of sparkling wine

  • the next shiraz varietal wines for australia

  • the perfect complement

  • the rise of rioja wines

  • the stuff of poetry mead

  • the sucessful dinner party

  • the true hystory of tiramisu

  • the wine and green mushroom caper

  • three rules for choosing the right dinner wine

  • tips to buying food online

  • to air is divine

  • twelve wines of christmas

  • understanding the basics of wine tasting

  • understanding wine grapes

  • understand wine and your health

  • unique gifts send food gifts for something delicious and different

  • using bargain wines to your advantage

  • vegan chocolate feeds the sweet tooth

  • water into wine

  • weight loss recipe veal mango

  • what is corked wine

  • what puts the sparkle in sparkling wine

  • what wine really is just in case you thought you knew

  • what wise guys eat

  • what you need in a gourmet kitchen

  • when punt is about packaging not football

  • which is for you blended or varietal wines

  • who made the first wine anyway

  • who needs a cookie jar

  • why red wine is red and other isnt

  • winezap launches new website to help wine consumers find price and compare wines subscribers to winezaps free newsletter offered 10 off any wine regardless of quantity purchased

  • wine accessories the things you need

  • wine and beer are good for us yes second in a series

  • wine and dine them

  • wine and onion bisque spring mix salad with worcestershire parsley dressing

  • wine a worthy teammate for football

  • wine etiquette with ease

  • wine e learning campus in malta

  • wine grapes white varieties

  • wine is in the moment

  • wine making and home brewing whats the deal

  • wine making for beginners

  • wine openers 6 styles reviewed

  • wine racks are great for all your bottle storage needs

  • wine rack storage simple guides on choosing

  • wine rack storage simple guides on choosing the right rack for your wines

  • wine storage hints and tips

  • wine storage is the key to preserving and aging your wine

  • wine tasting

  • wine tasting four easy steps to hosting a great wine tasting party

  • wine tasting in carneros

  • wine tasting in yountville

  • wine tasting the taditional way

  • wine tasting the traditional way

  • wooden wine rack vs metal wine rack