- Before you order a wine glass do you look at the wine list first? If you don’t, you may be missing out on good wine and good values. There are many restaurants offering more and more wines by the glass. While some still just offer their ‘house’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Grigio and Shiraz, more restaurants are providing choices within these varieties and are adding more varieties to their by-the-glass lists. It’s not unusual to find Malbec, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc and other varieties on the list these days.
- Typically the ‘house’ wines will be the lowest price and the lowest quality. So unless you’re just really craving a mediocre glass of wine, see what other by-the-glass wines are available before you make your decision. Often you will find some premium labels on the list that you will want to try. While the premium labels will cost more, I think you’re getting better value with the premium wines. The reasoning is a bit convoluted. In general, the cheaper ‘house’ wine is going to have been marked-up more (as a percentage of its retail price) than the premium wine. So while neither is a great value, the premium wine is a relatively better value than the ‘house’ wine. Besides, it tastes better.
- A good by-the-glass wine list is also an opportunity to branch out and give your palate some exercise. On the whole you’re not spending a huge amount for a glass of wine, so try something new. Be brave, try a variety you haven’t had before. If you’re in a Merlot rut, try a Malbec or a Pinot Noir. If you stuck on Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio, try a Sauvignon Blanc. If you’re not that brave, at least try a different label of your ‘usual’ wine or try one from a different part of the country or the world. Most restaurants will pour you a sample of their by-the-glass wines, so you really don’t have to risk anything to experiment with something new.
- Two things to beware of when ordering wine by the glass. Some restaurants don’t think that by-the-glass-wines deserve real stemware. They’ll try to serve your wine in one of those tiny little 1950s ‘Libby’s’ glasses. You know, the kind our mothers got for free from the grocery store. If you know the restaurant has stemware, ask for a glass appropriate to the wine when you order. I usually just ask for a ‘real’ glass and they know what I mean. You will enjoy the wine more in the right glass. Even mediocre wine tastes better in a good glass.
- The other thing to beware of is wine that has oxidized because it has been open too long. Unfortunately this is very common. Some restaurants at least refrigerate their open bottles to retard oxidation, but some don’t even do that. They will be happy to pour you’re the last few ounces from a bottle that was opened two days ago. So, check your glass of wine carefully for signs of oxidation. Does the color look right? Oxidation turns wine brown, so if you’re red wine is amber or your white wine is brown or a dark gold, it may be oxidized. Does it smell right? Wine should smell fresh and, for the most
- Part, like fruit. If the wine smells musty or like burnt raisins, it may be oxidized. If you suspect your wine is oxidized, send it back and ask for a glass from a new bottle.
WineTimeNewsletter.com – Vol 6 Number 9 – Sep 2015