Women and Wine Lists: Take Charge!
A guest post from the Windy City Wine Guy
I’ve worked in my share of restaurants where countless times you’ll see a large group, mostly business diners, seated and presented a wine list. If they aren’t wise, they will hand the list to an individual (it should always be place in the center of the table), and it almost always ends up in the hands of a man. Though it doesn’t really mesh with current civil rights standards, it is unfortunately very normal and customary. Now ladies- this is only one of many reasons why you should empower yourselves with wine knowledge and snatch that menu out of the hands of men!
Being able to order wine for a table can be construed as a courtesy, but it also demonstrates knowledge, position and power. First off, you can display your knowledge of wine and impress your coworkers. Secondly, you can show that you either deserve your current position or a better one because you can take charge. Lastly, you can empower yourself, dissolve stereotypes, and order the wine that your group will enjoy. Now let’s get to some things you should know before you grab that list:
- Have basic wine knowledge. No one is saying you should know if Chateau Leoville-Barton is better than Chateau Pouget or the difference in vintages of Batard-Montrachet, but you should know the difference between Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. Know that you basically start with a sparkling wine with appetizers, whites with many soups and salads, and a deep red if everyone is going with steak.
- Order enough. Every “regular” wine bottle contains 750 ml- good enough for 5-6 people to get about one glass. If your table is larger than 6, you have a couple options: order more than one bottle or go large. Many restaurants carry bottles in larger formats (1.5 liters or more) which are perfect for large groups and cost less than purchasing two regular bottles.
- Navigation. Generally, wine lists are structured the same in regards to bottle selection. They normally start with sparkling and white wines and then move onto reds. These can then be subdivided by country (France, Italy, Australia), region (Burgundy, Tuscany, Napa), varietal (Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot), or style (dry whites, fruity reds, full bodied). Get your basic knowledge areas in all of these and you can navigate any list.
- Ask for help. Even the biggest wine afficionado asks for recommendations from their server or sommelier. Make sure to give them as much info as possible: what you like, how much you prefer to spend, and what everyone plans on ordering. Never hesitate to ask questions- it’s your experience and your money (or your company’s) so make sure you’re getting what you want! Also, remember that the wait staff works with the list daily and the sommelier tastes and orders all the wine- trust that they know what they’re doing!
- Find value. If you’re worried about overpaying for wine, you are in the wrong place. Restaurants typically markup their wine 2.5 to 4.5 times the wholesale price in Chicago. Knowing that, you have to pick the wines that are priced best wholesale. These are typically off-varietals (Carignan, Pinot Gris, Zinfandel), off -regions (Rogue Valley, Sicily, Montsant), or value countries/continents (South America, South Africa, Spain). You’ll not only find good wines but good prices as well.
So start studying ladies! Grab your Wine 101 books, surf the web (windycitywineguy.com!) and research. Get that basic knowledge, take charge at the dinner table and at the workplace!
Gals' Guide
Reader Comments (4)
Thanks for the great tips Michael. It can be intimidating to order wine especially if you don't know what you do or don't like. I am lucky that I live in a area that has given me to learn as much as I can about wine.
Thanks for sharing the details about the women and wine list, I like drinking wine.
When you feel timberland 6-inch premium boots you’ve had enough of the emotion, ask yourself if you’re willing to carry that negativity with you for the rest of the day. If not, take a deep breath. as you exhale, release all timberland mens boots that negativity with your breath.This exercise seems simple---almost too simple. But, it is very effective. If you feel you need to hold on to the emotion for a little longer, that timberland 6 inch boots is OK. allow yourself another minute to feel the emotion.By allowing that negative emotion the space to be truly felt, you are dealing with the emotion rather than stuffing it timberland boots uk down and trying not to feel it. You are actually taking away the power of the emotion by giving it the space and attention it needs. When you immerse yourself in the emotion, and realize womens timberland boots that it is only emotion, it loses its control. You can clear your head and proceed with your task.Try it. Next time you’re in the middle of a timberland roll top boots negative emotion, give yourself the space to feel the emotion and see what happens. Keep a piece of paper with you that timberland classic tall boots says the following:Stop. Immerse for one minute. Do I want to keep this negativity? Breath deep, exhale, wheat timberland 14-inch premium boots release. Move on!This will remind you of the steps to the process. Remember; take the time you need to timberland boots brown really immerse yourself in the emotion. Then, when you feel you’ve felt it enough, release it really let go of it. You will be timberland mens chukka surprised at how quickly you can move on from a negative situation and get to what you really want to do!It is curious that our own offenses should seem so much less heinous than the timberland earthkeeper boots offenses of others. I suppose the reason is that we know all the circumstances that have occasioned them and so manage to excuse in ourselves what we cannot excuse in others. We turn timberland for you our attention away from our own defects, and when we are forced by untoward events to consider them, find it easy to condone them.For all I know we are right to do this; they are part of us and we timberland pro work boots must accept the good and bad in ourselves together.LJP
timberland hiking boots
timberland womens premium boots
timberland boots wheat
Great wine indeed.