Wine Etiquette for Women

Filed in archive Wine Tasting on October 25, 2006

I'm not really sure why wine etiquette would be different for men than for women, so I was intrigued with this web page from Mirassou winery.

Then again, I can't think of a time where I've been in some high class business meeting where I've had to order wine. I usually don't drink when I'm at my high class business meetings you know.

Here are a few tips for navigating the wine list they posted, and I'm sure these could apply to men as well:

• Give the list a thorough glance and look for familiar wines. Wines are traditionally organized by varietal or region, then listed according to price, similar to store shelves.


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• A new trend is to organize by style and taste from lightest to fullest, which is really helpful when it comes to pairing your meal and your wine.


• Pricing varies from place to place, but expect to pay at least double the retail price on most bottles. In a business setting, choose a wine in the mid-price level - not the cheapest, but not the most expensive.


• Ordering by the glass has become more customary in business settings. Savvy lists will have a nice selection of half bottles and wines by the glass.


• Once you've had a chance to look at the wine list, ask the sommelier or wine server about it. Tell her the brands or types of wines you like and have her make suggestions. Sommeliers are proud of their lists and usually want nothing more than to help you find a wine you enjoy consuming.


• If you're hesitant to mention price, find a comfortable range and point to it on the list. Tell the server you're looking for a wine in that range.