Wine is definitely a good complement to a delicious meal. Whether you drink it in a restaurant or somebody's home, there are different rules (I am just giving them: that does not mean I apply them!):
- If somebody brings wine, you are supposed to open the bottle and drink it with them. The only exception is if your guest ask you to keep the bottle for another occasion.
- You might be in presence of two or three glasses at the table: the biggest one is for water (normally on the left), the middle one for red and the smallest one for white.
- Before every sip, clean your lips so your glass remains clean during the entire meal.
- If you do not want to drink wine, do not put your end on top of the glass. Just say "No wine for me, thanks" (not literally: you understand what I mean). If you do not want more wine, stop drinking and leave some of it in your glass. Wine is not for hydration: water is!
- Some say that wine should only be served after the soup or the potage if part of the menu.
- At a restaurant, aways make sure that the wine you pick satisfies everybody's taste. Otherwise, wine by the glass might be the solution...
- After choosing a bottle of wine at the restaurant, always check the label to make sure that the waiter or sommelier gave you the correct wine. I went to a restaurant few years ago and ended up with a $300 bottle (I did not pay for it). When you taste the wine, if you do not like it, send it back gently, especially if it is an expensive one. If it tastes like cork, definitely send it back! The cork will be placed next to you not to play with it or bring it as a souvenir, but rather to check if you see some mold or if it is too dry.
Last, if you are serving wine, make sure it is at the correct temperature. As a guideline:
Fahrenheit Celsius
Red 57 to 68 13 to 20
White 48 to 58 9 to 14
Rose 48 to 54 9 to 12
Sparkling 42 to 54 6 to 12
Conclusion: with all these rules, I am not surprised that so many people drink soda!!!
