Recently I have been very into Wine! I have been taking lessons and learning more and more about it. Because of this I now know there are so many rules and things to know in order to properly order wine.
I had one of my Wing Girls Rihana, who is a Wine Aficionado, put together a Man's Checklist for ordering wine. This checklist will help you become more educated on wine and will also impress your dates!
A Man's Check List for Ordering Wine
Listen up men, knowing how to order wine can make or break your date. You may drink beer with the boys but you are out to impress a girl tonight. Fumbling over the wine list is not the way to project confidence. With a little homework, you can order wine like a pro.
The girl you are out with should be the reason your heart is beating so fast, not the thought of ordering wine. Relax, you are about to go to wine ordering “boot camp”.
Do your homework
· Check out the restaurant in advance, either online or in person. Find out what wines they offer.
· What type of food do they serve? Certain wines go with certain foods so the simpler the menu choices, the better.
· Know your budget.
· Is your date into wine? Better bone up on what she likes ahead of time.
How to handle being presented with wine list
· Do NOT stare at it while beads of sweat role down your forehead.
· Do NOT try to pronounce the wine's name if you do not know it, point to it instead.
· Enlist the help of your waiter by pointing out two or three wines in your price range and asking for their opinion, if they are good they will get the hint.
· If you already know what type of food you will be eating ask the waiter for a recommendation to compliment the food.
What to do when the wine arrives
· The waiter should present the bottle to you with the label facing you. This is so that you may look at it and make sure it is what you ordered.
· The cork should still be in the bottle, do not try to smell it! It just shows it was stored correctly.
· You will be poured a small amount in your glass to “test” before it is poured for your date.
· Slightly tilt your glass and gently swirl the wine, bring it to your nose and sniff it. If it smells like vinegar, send it back because it has gone bad.
· If all is well, let waiter know they may pour wine for your date and then for you, then you can sip it.
Basic rules of wine and food pairing
· Red wine goes with meat.
· White wine goes with fish or lighter dishes
· Champagne goes with anything
Knowing the basics will put you at ease and girls love a confident man. Wine ordering is not rocket science but there are a few more tips to help you impress your date.
A wine expert is called a “Sommelier”, pronounced “Som-mel-yey”, and if the restaurant you choose has one, it is always a good idea to enlist their help. They will take the hint when you point to a price and ask about a particular wine.
If the menu is fairly basic then no problem, just use the tips above to select an appropriate wine within your price range. Ethnic themed restaurants present more of a challenge. Let's say you are dating an Indian girl and she likes spicy food and red wine. You would do best to look at a Pinot Noir in this case.
Now that you have done your homework and have the basics down, relax. You know enough about what to do when presented with a wine list, how to enlist the help of your waiter and what to do when presented with your wine choice. The girl you are with will be impressed with your skill and confidence and that, my manly friend, is the goal.
Rihana lives in India and works for another dating site called Indian Dating Today. If you want to hear more from her go to:
shaddi.com