How to taste wine in a restaurant?

The night looks promising. We’ve chosen a great restaurant to treat ourselves because we deserve it. Plus, it’s been a long time since we’ve seen our friends, and we want to have a good laugh and make sure everything is perfect. We’ve nailed the restaurant choice—everyone is delighted—when the waiter approaches and asks the dreaded question: “Who will taste the wine?” Nervous laughter fills the table, eyes wander aimlessly, and the brother-in-law sighs in resignation, knowing it will fall on him since he always talks too much about everything. But what exactly is the waiter asking us? Do we know how to handle ourselves when faced with a restaurant’s wine service?

The moment of truth… tasting wine in a restaurant

The first thing to do is to relax. Many diners feel nervous when a sommelier begins presenting wines. This is understandable, as we want to make the right choice. The dining experience in a restaurant doesn’t just depend on the quality of the food and service—it won’t be fully enjoyable if the wrong wine is chosen.

This leads to the first dilemma: which wine to choose? Naturally, we should consider what we’re eating and select a wine that pairs well. Alternatively, we can pick a wine first and then adjust the menu to complement it. If we’re unsure, the smartest option is to ask the sommelier for guidance. They know their wine list and the best pairings for the restaurant’s dishes.

Once we’ve chosen the wine for the meal, the protocol is as follows: the waiter presents the bottle, opens it at the table, smells the cork, and then hands it to a guest—typically the most knowledgeable person at the table. After confirming that the cork is in good condition, the waiter pours a small amount of wine for that same guest.

It’s crucial to clarify that this initial pour isn’t meant for the guest to decide if the wine is “good” or “bad”—after all, they chose it and are expected to enjoy it. Instead, this first tasting is to confirm that the wine is free of defects. If the wine is sound (what sommeliers call “franco,” meaning fit for consumption), it will be served to the rest of the table. If a flaw is detected, the restaurant should replace it with another bottle.

A tasting without pretensions

During this first interaction with the wine, the guest should follow the three key tasting steps:

• Visual inspection – Ensuring the wine is clear and free of impurities.
• Still glass aroma check – Smelling the wine without swirling to detect any obvious flaws.
• Swirling and final aroma check – A gentle swirl releases more aromas, confirming whether the wine is in good condition.
• Tasting – A sip allows for detecting any hidden faults.

Skipping any of these steps may make us appear inexperienced. If unsure, it’s best to ask the sommelier to handle the tasting.

But what exactly are the wine faults we should look for? While it’s rare to find a flawed wine, it can happen. The most common indicators of spoilage include:

• Glue or vinegar-like aromas – Suggesting excessive oxidation.
• Wet newspaper or moldy smells – Indicating cork taint, commonly referred to as “corked wine.”

Cork taint is caused by TCA (trichloroanisole), a compound that can be present in cork from the oak tree bark. This is why the sommelier offers the cork for us to smell—doing so can help detect TCA contamination.

If we suspect a problem, it’s best to inform the sommelier, who will replace the bottle at no extra cost. However, there’s an important step that is often overlooked: the glass used for tasting should also be replaced.

On the other hand, if the wine is sound but we simply don’t like it, we can request another bottle—but in this case, the restaurant will charge for both. Being honest with the sommelier about our preferences ensures a better choice next time. Of course, politeness should always guide our interactions.

Beyond checking for faults, this first tasting also helps confirm:

• The serving temperature – Is it too warm or too cold?
• The vintage – Does it match what we ordered?
• Whether decanting is needed – Wines aged extensively in barrels or bottles may require aeration to fully express their aromas and flavors.

Whenever in doubt, trust the sommelier. Their job is to enhance our dining experience with expert wine pairings. The best approach is to enjoy the wine and food without pretension—without trying to appear more knowledgeable than we are, but also without undervaluing our own tastes. Enjoying wine, after all, is enjoying life.

At Pradorey, we offer daily tastings with an educational approach, making it easy to learn the steps of proper wine tasting. Occasionally, we come across flawed wines when opening bottles, and rather than discarding them immediately, we use the opportunity to teach visitors how to identify when a wine is defective or simply not to their liking.