Choosing the right wine from the seemingly endless list of options from most restaurants wine menu can be a confusing, intimidating, and even overwhelming experience. The names are hard to pronounce, you never know what any of the listed wines actually taste like (unless you've tried a few before), and more often than not, the sommelier or waiter is trying to push the least popular, most inexpensive wine onto your inexperienced palette. So how do you know what the best wine is to order?
The best thing to do at a restaurant, especially when you're with a large party with differing tastes, is to take a vote and see what everyone agrees upon. Next, what should you order a single glass or an entire bottle? Typically, a single bottle of wine can comfortably serve three people. If you're in a larger group, the best and most inexpensive choice is to order by the bottle. Additionally, ordering by the glass can limit your options as to which wines you are able to choose from.
Your choice of wine should also be dependent upon the kind of food you and your party is eating. Usually, white wines pair the best with lighter meals like salads or grilled chicken based food. Red wines pair best with heavier foods like steaks, or pastas with heavy red sauces. And the wines in between, the lighter and fruitier wines, can be paired with anything that falls in between those two poles.
An easy trick to remember this tip is to think of the color of your wine matching the lightness or heaviness of the meal you're eating with it. If you think the food will be a lighter, more poultry or vegetable based dish, then choose a light wine. Same thing for the food you feel will be more hearty and more filling, if it is a heavy dish, think of the wine as needing to be heavy in color and flavor. And because both wine and food come from every part of the world, stick within one region. If you are eating Italian food, choose an Italian wine. If you are eating French cuisine, then choose a French labeled wine.
Don't forget to take the cost of the wine into consideration as well. House wines are typically more expensive than any other listed on the wine menu, and are really not the best as far as value is concerned. Tell the waiter what your price range is, don't be afraid, and he/she can help you choose the best wine in the range you've suggested. Make sure you get a good taste of the wine during the serving ritual, and if you are not pleased, speak up. Be polite and considerate, but why pay for a bottle of wine that you will find no pleasure in finishing. This, after all, is the purpose of the serving ritual anyway, and no one will really take offense. If you are pleased, simply tell the waiter the wine is fine and he/she will make sure to keep your glass adequately filled.
Dana Livingston is a writer for a culinary school website where you can browse schools and the latest trends in the culinary arena.
Pinstripe Magazine Staff
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