How to serve wine in a restaurant?
How to serve wine in a restaurant? How to serve good wines?
Who are sommeliers?
How to serve wine in a restaurant?
What aspects should you pay attention to when serving wine?
How to serve wine in a restaurant? How to serve good wines?
We all agree that good wine belongs to exquisite spirits and can cost a fortune. We mean those from prestigious wineries and long-aged. We unquestionably associate wine with a refined restaurant and we are certainly aware that the way it is served by the restaurant staff should follow specific procedures. So how do you serve wine in a restaurant? How to serve this liquor so that customers feel that they are in a unique and prestigious place? Should an experienced sommelier serve them?
Who are sommeliers?
In the previous fragment, the enigmatic password “sommelier” appeared for some? So let’s explain them. Simply put, a sommelier is a person who knows about wines. On what levels, then, does this knowledge manifest itself? We will touch on the most important issues. First of all, a good sommelier distinguishes, based on the taste of the wine, which strains were used in its production. Strains, these are types of grapes.
Sommeliers also recognize the region where a particular grape variety comes from. As a rule, they do this by sensing the so-called flavor notes. A good sommelier also keeps track of information about a particular type of wine. It takes into account the year, as well as the conditions in which the grapes are grown. It turns out that depending on the type of soil, climate or terrain, grapes can taste quite different and behave differently in the fermentation process. If we are waiters and serve wine to customers, we will make a good impression when we provide such information regarding a specific drink. Guests will certainly listen to us with attention and will be more likely to order a given wine – even at a high price.
How to serve wine in a restaurant?
Being a waiter, in addition to advising on the selection of wine, we should also be able to properly serve a specific type of wine. It should be noted here that older vintages, especially red wines, must be aerated before serving. We do this through the so-called decanting, i.e. carefully pouring wine from one bottle to another – it is about separating the liquid from the sediment, which is lost by old vintage red wines. As a result of long aging and lack of oxygen, such wines precipitate sharp flavor notes, and this process allows the reduction of the sharp taste. It should be borne in mind that this activity should be performed up to several hours before serving. It is therefore worth having such drinks prepared well in advance in case of guests who enjoy red wine. We should know that serving wine requires a special setting that follows a specific sequence:
- at the beginning, we present the label of the wine they ordered to the guests;
- we open the bottle of the accepted drink at the movable table, which is intended for this activity;
if we want to open the wine properly, the restaurant should be stocked with a good sommelier’s corkscrew. Manufacturers equip them with a good sharp knife, a lever and a helpful handle. These elements are reliable to remove the cork from the bottle efficiently and at the same time with grace;
- right after unscrewing the wine, you should elegantly wipe the neck of the bottle with a napkin, so that you can discreetly remove the cork;
- interestingly, the cork should be put on a plate next to the guest and the thread of the bottle should be wiped again;
- based on the appearance and quality of the cork, the guest can assess the quality and adequacy of the price of the ordered drink;
- it is professional to pour the minimum amount of wine for tasting so that the billing customer can decide whether to stick to his choice;
- once accepted, the waiter can spill the wine to the other guests.
What aspects should you pay attention to when serving wine?
Remember that each type of wine is assigned to different types of dishes and appetizers. The waiter should be able to advise guests on drinks suitable for their ordered dishes. Red wine goes well with red meat or game, lighter wines should be served with cheese, fish or cold meats, and white wine goes well with pasta, poultry meat or delicate cheese. Sweet wines are usually served with dessert, while rosé wines are served as an aperitif, i.e. a drink that opens the feast and stimulates the appetite. It is also important to follow the rules for storing a given type of wine:
- white wine is served at a maximum temperature of 12 degrees Celsius;
- sweet from 6-7 degrees;
- red, heavy wine is drunk at a temperature of 14-18 degrees.
It is also important to serve the wine in the right vessel, i.e. preferably in a glass