Ordering wine in a restaurant is something that many people do but very few people know how to do properly. Here is a look at how to choose wisely.
There are some things you can do before you get to a restaurant to make sure you choose a bottle that you won’t live to regret.
According to Off Licence News, Australia is the top country of origin for the UK retail trade, with annual sales of £1.2 billion. People often pick an Australian wine in a restaurant because it is a country that produces good wine. However, sometimes it is better to choose a wine from somewhere different.
Things to think about before you get there
There are some things you can do before you get to a restaurant to make choosing wine easier, especially if you are going to a more expensive restaurant where the wine list is likely to be exhaustive. First, make a decision about how much you want to spend before you go out and try and stick to it.
Look at the list before you go and see if any wines stand out. If they do, see if you can buy a bottle to try before your restaurant reservation. Online wine merchants in Northern Ireland such as http://thewinecompanyni.com/ will have a good selection of many wines served in high-end restaurants. Don’t just look on the menu for grape varieties that you are familiar with; see if anything different stands out. This usually means that particular wine has been chosen for a reason.
In the restaurant
Although you might have tried wines from the list in advance, do not be afraid to ask questions about which wines go with which dishes or whether there is anything the sommelier would recommend. Try to stick to your budget, and don’t allow a sommelier to push you to spend more than you intended. Keep in mind that if you look at the wine list in advance, you won’t need to sit and look at it for a long time when you are there.
The most important thing to keep in mind when choosing wine in a restaurant is the fact that the best wines are not necessarily the ones you have heard of or the most expensive offerings.