Wine lists look harder than they are
The wine list lands in front of you: pages of names, and the whole table waiting for you to choose. The good news is that almost every list is built the same way, and you only need three parts of it.
- The colour or style sections: sparkling, white, rosé, red, sweet. Usually in that order.
- The regions inside each section: Loire, Burgundy, Rioja, Tuscany, and so on.
- The prices, down the right-hand side.
Most lists also have a by-the-glass section near the front. Some modern lists group wines by style instead ("light and crisp", "rich and bold"), which is even easier: you can skip straight to the style you want.
The move: point at a price, name a style
Here's the trick sommeliers and etiquette writers recommend, and the one that takes the stress away.
- Look down the prices and find one you're happy to pay.
- Put your finger on it.
- Describe the style you want: "We'd like a red, something fruity and full-bodied, around this?"
Your finger does the talking. The table hears a style, the sommelier sees your budget, and nobody has to say a number out loud. Most sommeliers know the gesture and will stay close to the price you pointed at, and the bottle you get doesn't even have to be the one under your finger. That is the point: they choose the best fit for your style at your price.
Style words do the rest
You don't need tasting notes. Two or three of these words is plenty:
| Instead of tasting notes, say | It means |
|---|---|
| Light-bodied or full-bodied | How heavy the wine feels in your mouth |
| Crisp or fresh | High acidity, zingy, refreshing |
| Fruity | Ripe fruit flavours up front |
| Dry | Not sweet |
| Off-dry | A touch of sweetness |
| Oaky or unoaked | Whether it tastes of vanilla and toast from oak barrels |
"Crisp and dry" for a white with fish. "Fruity and full-bodied" for a red with lamb. That's all it takes.
What not to say
- "Oh, anything, whatever you think!" Friendly, but with no style and no price to go on, the sommelier has to guess, and the guess can land high.
- "Just bring us your cheapest red." It works, but it tells the whole table your budget and says nothing about style, so you get the cheapest bottle rather than the best fit.
Different dishes? Order by the glass
If one person is having fish and another lamb, there's no need to force a single bottle. Order by the glass: that section is on the list for exactly this reason, and asking "what would you pour with the fish?" is perfectly normal.
Questions people ask
How do you tell a sommelier your budget discreetly?
Point at a price on the list while you describe the style you want, for example "something crisp and dry, around this?" The sommelier sees the price, your guests hear only the style.
How is a restaurant wine list organised?
Usually by colour or style first (sparkling, white, rosé, red, sweet), then by country or region, with prices on the right. Wines by the glass are often in their own section near the front.
Is it rude to order the cheapest wine on the list?
Not at all, but saying so out loud tells the whole table your budget. Pointing at a price and naming a style gets you a better match for the same money.
