There are three ways to select and purchase wines: choose something you know, try something new, or ask for help.
The first option is safe and offers you the pleasure of enjoying your favorite wine. The second option is the riskiest, but often the most fun when you discover a new wine. The final option is to ask someone you know for assistance.
Knowledgeable store clerks and waiters are usually happy to help you select a wine to suit your taste and price range. Depending on where you live, wine can be purchased at a wine shop, liquor store, grocery store or gift shop.
The experience of purchasing wine at a restaurant may seem like a mysterious and intimidating ritual, but in reality, it is very simple.
Most restaurants have a wine list organized either by country or region of origin followed by wine types.
If you are not certain what you would like to try, let the waiter or sommelier (French for wine waiter) know what you plan to eat and ask for a recommendation.
Wine-by-the-glass service is an excellent way to taste new wines and experiment with a variety of foods.
When you have chosen a bottle, the waiter will present it to you. Examine the label to make sure it is the wine you ordered (a label will usually show the brand/producer name, type of wine, place of origin, vintage or the year the grapes were grown, individual vineyard, alcohol content), because many waiters in Shanghai restaurants lack such experience.
Once my friend ordered a bottle of Robert Mondavi Napa at a fancy Italian restaurant inside a five-star hotel in Shanghai but the waiter came up with the Robert Mondavi Coastal and didn't know there was a difference.
The waiter is also expected to offer you the cork, but it is more important to taste the wine than to dwell on the cork's appearance.
Finally, the waiter will pour a little wine in your glass. Check the color, aroma and taste.
Let the waiter know if the wine is satisfactory. If it is spoiled (musty or vinegary), do not accept it.
However, it is extremely rare to get spoiled wine and is generally not acceptable to return sound wine that falls short of your expectations.
(Shanghai Star 03/29/2001)
