What’s the proper etiquette when a server at a restaurant pours you a small taste of wine?

Dear Dr. Vinny,

What’s the proper etiquette when a server at a restaurant pours you a small taste of the wine you ordered?

—KD, Greenville, Ky.

Dear KD,

There are some rituals to the presentation of a bottle of wine you order at a restaurant. While the whole ceremony may seem a bit fussy, it’s actually designed to make sure you get the wine you ordered and that it’s to your liking and expectations. No need to panic! Below, I’ll explain the purpose of each step.

Check the Vintage and Fill Level

First, the server will show the bottle to the person who ordered it. I usually just glance at it and make sure the wine and vintage are what I asked for, just in case a busy server grabbed the wrong bottle.

Especially if it’s an older vintage, you might also want to peek at what’s called the fill level, which is exactly what it sounds like. If the wine has evaporated below the shoulder of the wine, I’d suspect the cork is compromised and the wine is probably oxidized. In that case, you might just explain your concerns and ask the server or sommelier if there’s another bottle of the same wine in the cellar with a higher fill level.

If everything looks good, I will nod, smile and say thank you. Next the server will open the wine, typically at the table and with the front of the bottle facing you. This is just another level of transparency. I’ve also been to restaurants where the server will take the bottle away from the table to discreetly open it after presenting it, and there’s nothing wrong with that approach. If you’d prefer they open it in front of you, you should feel free to ask.

The Cork Question: To Smell or Not to Smell?

If the wine is topped with a cork, the server will probably set it in front of you. Feel free to inspect it if you want to. Sometimes a crumbly cork can give a clue that the wine leaked, and of course, any markings on the cork should match the branding on the bottle.

Some people like to smell the cork to check for TCA, and you should feel free to do that too. But I think it’s much easier to detect TCA (or other wine flaws) by smelling the actual wine, not the cork—so I usually just ignore it. If I’m drinking a particularly special bottle, I might save the cork as a keepsake. Corks from red wines will also run the risk of staining your fingers, so be careful if you decide to pick it up.

Check the Wine for Flaws

Instead of just filling everyone’s glasses, the server will pour a small taste of the wine for the person who ordered it. You’re not expected to do anything except give the wine a quick swirl, sniff and sip. If everything seems in order, let your server know you approve of the wine and that you don’t have any concerns that the wine may be flawed.

Here’s a tip if you’re like me and hate the idea of the entire table holding their breath and watching me take a taste (and possibly dribbling the wine down my chin!). I’ll often just quickly swirl my glass and give the wine a whiff. If the wine smells good and I don’t have any concerns about TCA or other flaws, I’ll smile and say that’s lovely, thank you, and let the server get around to pouring everyone’s glasses.

You’ll be able to smell corkiness and other flaws, and the purpose of the sample taste is to check the wine for flaws. While in some circumstances, it may be acceptable to ask for another bottle if you simply don’t like the wine you ordered, that’s really not the idea behind the server offering you that little tasting pour.

Pouring the Wine

Once you’ve approved the wine, the server will pour glasses for everyone at the table and should top off your glass last. It’s polite not to start drinking until everyone has wine in their glass—and of course a clever and thoughtful toast has been made! And I always like to make eye contact when I clink.

While the wine is being poured, as the person who ordered the bottle, I’ll often throw in something about how excited I am to share this with everyone, or how well I think it will pair with our next course. It’s a nice way to give the table a little boost of confidence and excitement while we wait for all our glasses to be filled.

Of course, if there’s something off about the wine, when you get that chance to smell and taste it solo, that’s when you should speak up. Don’t make a big deal of it. Just say that you’re a little concerned there might be something off about this bottle. In that case, ask the server if they would taste it and weigh in. Chances are you were served a flawed bottle—it happens!—and a different bottle of the same wine will be brought to your table. Or, if that was the only bottle of that wine in the restaurant’s cellar, you’ll be given the chance to choose an alternative.

For more tips on how to open and serve wine like a pro, check out our video!

—Dr. Vinny