- S
hout-outs - Awesome reviews on iTunes, the blog, and the Facebook page. Thank you so much for engaging with us and for giving us great feedback. The motivation is huge for us to keep doing cool stuff and making the 'cast better and better! You are awesome! - Huge props to Steve Paulo at Notes from the Cellar - a wine blog that previously covered 8 Rules for Visiting Tasting Rooms, some of which we covered and some that we didn't!
- Main Topic - Wine Etiquette
- We go through the whole presentation schtik in a restaurant -- and tell you what to do with the cork (don't bite it PLEASE!).
- I don't mention my pet peeve about fingerprints on the bowl of glass, but instead we tell you the real reason why you should hold a glass by the stem or the base.
- We discuss the spit or swallow controversy...in a tasting of course (you didn't think we were going X-rated on you, did you?)
- I can't help myself and discuss the dos and don'ts when you attend a wine class with an expert (I may sound rude, but from my angle, if you don't want to learn, don't go!).
- Rick and I explore the etiquette of wine tasting rooms and what you can expect when visiting...including the burning question: When visiting a tasting room, are you obligated to buy a bottle of wine?
- And lots more!
- We go through the whole presentation schtik in a restaurant -- and tell you what to do with the cork (don't bite it PLEASE!).
- Grape of the Week - Merlot (I don't know if we did a great job explaining this one, to be honest so if you have questions, pop 'em over. At least I admit it...)
- We didn't say it, but next week is Food & Wine Pairing...it's my take on it, so a little different than the usual spiel. Tune in for more!
WFNP NEWS! Get imports that I talk about on the podcast on the blog shipped to you! I've tasted every wine and all are great examples of their regions. http://vinport.com/wfnp for more info!
March 28, 2011
Wine For Normal People Radio: Episode 12, Wine Etiquette...Approving, Tasting, and Spitting, Oh My!
Building on last week's episode of "How to Speak to a Sommelier," we get into it on wine etiquette basics. Thanks to Matt M. and Brandy for leaving comments on the blog and giving us the idea for this show topic! We love when you suggest stuff for us to talk about!
Great episode!
ReplyDeleteI have been a subscriber since episode 1 and I love listening to you guys talk about wine. I work in an Italian restaurant and self admittedly do not know a ton about wine (although I am learning more with each episode!) Speaking as someone who opens bottles of wine for people regularly, I just have to say thank you for bringing this subject to people's attention. I can not tell you how many times I do a wine presentation the first thing someone does with the cork is smell it! (I have yet to see someone bite it however.) And like I said, I am no wine expert, but I find it such poor taste (and rather insulting) when someone tries to one-up me with their wine knowledge.
Anyway, thanks again for the awesome podcasts. Keep them coming!
Heather --
ReplyDeleteI so feel you. I have been a server and I HAVE seen someone bite the cork! I didn't even know what to say, but I bet he learned it from someone who else...that's always how this stuff gets propagated!
On the other side of the table, I also had a server open a bottle "rodeo style" -- between her legs! I was so grossed out and asked her if she would let me do the honors. Hilarious.
Yeah, nothing gets me more fired up than the 'ole one-upsmanship. Why bother? I'm totally fine if you know more than me, but you don't have to be a jerk about it...aren't we all just trying to learn more and talk about a subject we love? I guess that's why we're "normal people" and they are snobs! : )
Thanks for listening and for you comment! Let us know if you have other ideas for a 'cast!
Elizabeth
Fake it to you make it, freckled bananas…..what else are you guys going to come up with! Thanks for another great episode to answer many questions on the topic. Thanks man for the shout out! I have to agree with Rick on the buying a bottle thing. I’m a sucker for sweet people with sweet attitudes, what can I say? I can feel the eyes burning into the back of my head when I walk, but getting less and less concerned especially if I’m putting up an inflated tasting fee or the wine is not my style. I have bought bottles in the past because I felt obligated. Even asked bluntly “So how many cases can I can ya?” How about zero or 0 or nadda or none.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Your intro music makes me think of Sideways when they are driving through the Santa Ynez Valley going from winery to winery. I think they call it Asphalt Groovin. Fun Fact: I actually made a family video using the music from that movie when we visited the Finger Lakes Region in NY last year. ChaCha for now…
Matt,
ReplyDeleteMC Ice made me sing him the entire Chiquita Banana song this AM. I thought you'd like that tidbit given the freckled banana reference above.
I'm a normal wine person, but kinda weird too, so there's no telling what Rick and I will come up with next, but isn't that the fun of it?!
On the wine buying out of obligation, MC Ice does it all the time too but I do what Rick said to do -- just join the mailing list or claim lack of space. No reason to be stuck with crap wine when you there's so much good stuff out there now! Resist the urge to be nice : )
Hilarious on the music. I haven't seen Sideways in forever. Will have to see it...or check out your video!
Thanks for writing and for consistently adding cool commentary!
Elizabeth
I only recently discovered your podcast so I'm late listening to this and commenting. I agree with your advice that you are never obligated to buy a bottle at a tasting if you didn't like the wine.
ReplyDeleteI think there's a distinction worth mentioning though between not buying something because you didn't like the wine that was poured or didn't think it was worth the price and going to a tasting with no intention of buying anything. There are many people who treat tastings as a social event more than a tool to search for wines to purchase. I think that is still probably fine to do at larger vineyards with good distribution and fully staffed tasting rooms open to walk-in visits. As I believe you mentioned, there is a tasting fee that covers their costs and they perhaps will benefit down the road from a purchase at a wine shop or a restaurant.
However, I think it is or should be a different story at smaller boutique wineries that don't have good distribution and don't have dedicated tasting room staff. If you make an appointment to taste at these wineries, you are taking someone (often the winemaker/owner) away from other things he/she should be doing and they probably won't see any benefit if you don't buy at the winery as you aren't nearly as likely to find their wines on wine lists or at retail stores. It is still fine not to buy if you don't like what is poured or don't think it is worth the price, but I think you should at least have the intention to buy if you like something if you are going to make an appointment at a boutique winery.
You can still have a fun wine tasting trip if you aren't serious about buying. Just stick to the larger vineyards though.
Bill G.,
ReplyDeleteI'm so late in responding to you! Sorry. I couldn't agree more. We should have covered that. We're going to do an episode with a small Sonoma producer fairly soon and that will help shed light on this issue.
That said, if you have a bad experience or the wine is appallingly bad (I've had that happen), I stand by the fact that it's ok not to buy. But that's the exception,not the rule!
Thanks for your comment and for listening!
Take care and sorry for the lag in getting back,
Elizabeth