Wine Swirls again, with the Pfister Sommelier

Todays lesson, “Don’t Be Scared of the Sommelier.”

Don’t be scared of the Sommelier.  I may be a salesperson, but my ultimate goal is to find the right wine for the right guest.  Here is some simple advise on how to order a bottle of wine when dining out, in 10 easy steps.

1.  Decide if you are looking for something comforting and familiar or new and different to you.
2.  Red, white or bubbles?
3.  What words are most appealing to you?  Dry or sweet?  Light or rich?  Earthy or fruity?
4.  What price point do you want to be in?
5.  Are you interested in pairing your meal to your wine, or not so much?
6.  If you feel daunted by the foreign name of a certain wine, simply give the bin number, or point to it on the list.
7.  Tell us what wines you have had before and enjoyed.
8.  When the bottle arrives, check out the label to ensure that this is the same wine that you requested.
9. When we put a cork in front of you, you don’t have to do anything except verify that the name on the cork is the same as the one on the label (if applicable…not all corks are branded).  Smelling the cork looks silly and won’t give you any insight to your wine.
10. As you taste your sample sip that we pour for you, be on the lookout for these aromas: burnt rubber, cooked cabbage, musty basement, wet cardboard, and mold.   A new bottle of wine will be brought out to replace the funky one.   We don’t want you to suffer those horrible smells!

Enjoying wine is supposed to be fun, not work.  Let us help you sift through the list and find the perfect match for you!

-Heather Kanter-Kowal

Heather Kanter-Kowal