Women in Business

Navigating the Wine List

The waiter hands you the wine list. Leslie Sbrocco helps guide you through what to do next.

Give the list a thorough glance and look for familiar wines. Wines are traditionally organized by varietal or region, then listed according to price, similar to store shelves.
A new trend is to organize by style and taste from lightest to fullest, which is really helpful when it comes to pairing your meal and your wine.
Pricing varies from place to place, but expect to pay at least double the retail price on most bottles. In a business setting, choose a wine in the mid-price level - not the cheapest, but not the most expensive.
Ordering by the glass has become more customary in business settings. Savvy lists will have a nice selection of half bottles and wines by the glass.
Once you've had a chance to look at the wine list, ask the sommelier or wine server about it. Tell her the brands or types of wines you like and have her make suggestions. Sommeliers are proud of their lists and usually want nothing more than to help you find a wine you enjoy consuming.
When you've decided and the bottle is brought to your table, don't get hung up on sniffing the cork. Just give it a quick squeeze to make sure the cork is moist. Then follow the Four S Rules here.
Chewing gum and breath mints will alter the taste of wine, so be sure to rinse your mouth well with water before beginning a tasting.