BIOLOGY-WINE ETIQUETE

WINE ETIQUETE

The basic rule is to try to find a wine that balances the flavors of the food (and vice versa) so that neither overpowers the other.
Whether you are ordering wine at a restaurant or deciding what type of wine to serve at (or bring to) your next dinner party, check out our table below so that you can develop your understanding of pairing wine with food.

Wine Type	Examples	Foods to Pair with It
Sweet, Light White Wines	Rieslings, Gewurztraminer	Asian flavors, white meats (i.e. chicken, turkey), cheeses
Dry White Wines	Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio	Cream soups, shellfish, vegetable-based dishes
Sweet Blush Wines	Zinfandels	Darker cuts of meat, lamb, pork, roast beef, sausages
Dry Red Wines	Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot	Gamy meats (i.e. duck, rabbit), lamb, roast beef
Full-Bodied Red Wines	Shiraz, Syrah, Rhone Varietals	Gamy meats, goose, lamb, roast beef
Sparkling Wines	Champagne, English Bubbly, Spanish Cava	Fish, caviar, cheeses
Dessert Wines	Ports	Any sweets (i.e. cakes, pastries)

Clearly, some of the wine and food pairings overlap. The good news is that this overlap not only gives you more choices, but it can also allow you to bring out different flavours of the foods. Experiment with ordering a variety of suitable wines for your favourite meal so that you can find your favourite wine and food pairing!

The Ritual of Serving Wine

As with ordering and pairing wine, serving wine also has its own rules of etiquette. Keep in mind that the following refers to wine serving etiquette in a restaurant:

• Once you order the wine, your server wine will bring the bottle you selected to your table.
• Before opening the bottle, your server will present it to you so that you can check the vintage and year printed on the wine label to make sure it is the wine you ordered.
• The server will then open the bottle of wine in front of you at the table.
• Once the bottle is opened, the server will present you with the cork. Look at it to make sure it is not cracked or dried out because that can indicate that the wine is spoiled.
• The server will then pour you a small amount of wine to taste. Smell the sample to make sure that there is no strong aroma or offensive odour. Specifically, if the wine smells like vinegar, send it back because the wine has oxidized and is spoiled.
• If the wine smells fine, taste it. If you are trying a new wine and are not sure what it should taste like, ask the waiter. Keep in mind that it is only appropriate to send the wine back if it is spoiled. You can’t send wine back because you don’t like how it tastes.
• Once you approve the wine, the server will pour a glass for your guests and finish off with you.

Knowing these wine etiquette tips will help you impress your next date, client or dinner guest, making you look like a wine expert in the eyes of any guest