I’ve had this situation too many times, I don’t like it, but have never rejected a bottle. This is the case where at a restaurant, the bottle you choose smells a bit funky or uptight. Now I know from history, that some air time will dissipate and the wine will be gorgeous.
Do you reject the wine or do you swirll until wine is OK? Yesterday I had such a wine, the server was very happy to replace the bottle, yet I chose to stick with it despite having to do some serious swirlls. In hindsight, better to reject it and focus on another bottle.
If you chose it off the list without assistance from the somm or wine steward, unless flawed, in my opinion, it’s yours. If the somm recommended it and it is not flawed, but not what they described, reject it. If they recommended it and it is as described, it’s yours. IMHO.
Pretty much agree with that. Just wish there were more restaurants around where i live which either would allow BYOB without prohibitively high corkage fees (100$ is not uncommon) or actually have a system where you would make your choice in advance, and ask that it be decanted a few hours (or more) prior to your arrival. I sometimes find great bottles on the list, but i just know that it is not gonna show well on PnP so instead choose something more simple.
When I was just a wine drinker but not yet that geeky about it I ordered a Pinot Noir (forget producer) off the list at Gary Danko and it smelled funky. In retrospect it was probably reduce or bretty but at the time I just knew that it smelled weird. The somm gave me bad vibes for sending it back.
I ask the somm to taste and ask them if it tastes correct to them or not. If I’m not familiar with the wine I then expect a better opinion than mine. Good somms do the right thing.
Huh? So you know the wine tastes like that when first opened, but that it will blow off, and you picked the wine, and you’re asking if you should send it back???
When I proposed to my wife, I arranged for the restaurant to have an open bottle and flowers at the table upon arrival. Did not have to provide any credit card, but I did trust them with the ring for an hour or so on the night of, so I guess it was mutual
