I wanted to see what others had to say about this topic.
12 of the extended family were out to dinner at a typical Italian restaurant. Most people weren’t wine drinkers or knew much about wine. I ordered several bottles of “good” wine.
The waiter would stop by every 15 minutes or so and take the bottles and top off most people glasses, the bottles were dropping fast. It just so happened he was doing this to the people who have the least interest and knowledge about wine. They would have just been as happy drinking water. The seating configuration was several long tables end to end. He would leave the bottles pretty much as far away from where I was sitting (Murphys Law).
How does one handel this situation.
Tell the waiter kindly at the beginning of the meal to please not pour?
Or purchase some low end bottles of wine and leave them near the ones that could care less about wine?
I realize this is really two different topics/ questions.
Be direct and polite: ask the waiter to not pour the wines for you. I hate it when a waiter tries to fast-pour through a bottle — it’s presumptuous and annoying.
We typically let the waiter pour the first glass and then tell him/her politely that we will be happy to handle it from there on out. Never had a problem after that.
I do what others here do and tell the waiter that we will pour for ourselves. I’ve only had a problem with this once… other times it’s been just fine.
Exceptions for me are very high end 1-2+ Michelin starred restaurants. If I’m out to dinner with family, I’ll tell them people’s preferences at the beginning (Person A likes white more, so overpour that, but will just try a bit of the red) and let them take it from there.
I was at a high end restaurant in Paris 2 weeks ago. Wife wanted a glass with dinner so I got a bottle. Waiter kept filling both glasses every 5 minutes and kept putting more and more in hers. I poured some in mine, he came over and scolded me, took the bottle away from me and put in on a chair 10 ft away. 15 minutes later a waiter passing but knocks the bottle over and spilled the rest. No apology, chef came out and gave me a glass of whatever he was drinking (which was very nice) I’m sure knowing they messed up, but still no apology. Wife begged I not make a scene so I obliged.
In Minneapolis we have great corkage fees so I only bring in my own wine. I always decant and after they pour the first glass I just take it from there. I always offer the server a taste and many times they just wave the corkage fee after some wine talk. I think many wine directors/ Somms just like to talk to people who actually enjoy wine.
Sorry to hijack but once I had cheap wine and a chateau Margaux at the same table. Stupid waiter poured the cheap wine into my glass that was half filled with the Margaux.
Sorry to hijack but once I had cheap wine and a chateau Margaux at the same table. Stupid waiter poured the cheap wine into my glass that was half filled with the Margaux.
What if a Michelin reviewer is sitting two tables away from you and sees you (repeatedly) pouring your own wine? Will he think that is what you requested or that the restaurant’s wine service is subpar?
At any “high-end” restaurant, I usually send the wines ahead, and if not, I bring them in my “gentlemen’s weekender” and discreetly hand it to the host(ess) and ask them to give the bag to the somm. That’s the last I touch the bottles.
I am the opposite. I prefer my wine at the table at the correct temperature and the somm to be available if I have questions or would like something else but otherwise leave the wines for me to pour as we’d like.