How to get the best wine recommendations from your Sommelier
You may have come across the term Sommelier, or if you may have heard this if you have been out dining in more of the fine dining establishments.
Sommeliers (just to help you out, it’s pronounced Suh-meh-lee-ay) are responsible for all things wine in a restaurant. They are a specialist wine waiter for the venue and should be at minimum, well versed in the restaurant’s wine list or some can be very well educated about the wine industry which all up, gives you a better dining experience!
A Sommelier has a role to provide great service to the restaurant’s customers but also plays a key role in the venue of wine storage, development of wine lists – they are the connoisseur we all need in our lives!
How does a Sommelier and their job matter to you? They will more than likely have a wealth of knowledge you can tap into and to be honest, if you are a fine dining advocate and are planning to splash out on a wine bottle of wine, you want to make sure it’s the right choice and that it will pair well with what you’re going to eat.
So how to get the most from your Sommelier?
Number one, don’t be shy. Ask questions and strike up a conversation. A sommelier is just waiting for someone to ask them a question about the wine menu and is bursting to talk about the wines. They will often make a little bit more time for you and might even bring some small tastings to you if you’re lucky enough!
Tap into that wealth of knowledge, beyond what you see on the wine list. They will really appreciate you taking the time to have a conversation.
Have some knowledge around what you do and don’t like in a wine.
Wine is very subjective so it’s ideal that you have your own idea of what you like in a wine as a starting point. Often a Sommelier will ask what wine you tend to drink, or if you are looking to have a red, white or rosé wine for your meal. Of course, it does help if you have idea of your preferences as a starting point. For example, do you like heavy bodied red wines, or do you veer more towards the fruity, light Pinot Noir style?
If you aren’t really even sure where to start on what you like, or you know what you like but aren’t sure how to describe it, be sure to check out our article on the ‘characteristics of wine’ which is a good starting point for you! We also highly recommend you follow on our socials and blog posts to of course become a wine-expert for yourself!
Take a read over the food menu to get an idea of what you are going to eat.
If you’re anything like me, I will have this already done well before I even get to the restaurant, but otherwise when you do get to a restaurant take the time to look at what they offer. It’s also worth checking in with your company on what courses you’re planning to order.
By having an idea of what you might like to eat, the decision on what to drink will also become a little easier for pairing, if you are looking to have this experience. There are so many guidelines on how to pair wine with food but ultimately you will want to have a wine that complements the food you are going to eat. For instance, if you’re ordering a Wagyu steak with creamy mash and gravy, it’s probably going to pair best with a medium to heavy bodied red wine rather than a white wine!
Seek guidance on navigating the wine list.
So, you know what wines you typically enjoy and you have somewhat of an idea of what you want to eat from the menu so why not pick up on that conversation you had going with the Sommelier and ask for their recommendations based on your menu pick and wine preferences? Now is the perfect time to start discovering wines of the world and give something different a go!
Even better, if you are considering multiple courses, spoil yourself and opt for a wine pairing for each course. Your Sommelier will be able to make a recommendation for each course you’re ordering.
Consider your price range
Lucky you if this is not a consideration, however most of us already the price range we’re in if buying a bottle of wine, and that is totally ok! If you are with a group of people, I would suggest that you all have some agreeance on this, it could get somewhat awkward when the bill comes out and someone at the table ordered a $200 bottle of red wine – Yikes!
Always give some indication of your price range to your Sommelier, they might also ask this so it’s important to let them know. You need to set those expectations early enough!
Are you after a bottle, a carafe or a glass of wine?
Either is totally fine but again, communicate what you are looking for to your sommelier so they can best meet your expectations. Not all wines on a menu will be sold by the bottle so it may narrow down your selection. That being said, more recently restaurants have a system called ‘Coravin’, which you might see on a wine menu saying, ‘glass by Coravin’.
Coravin is a funky, genius way to have a glass or two of a wine without having to open the bottle. A bottle with a cork stoppage can remain closed and this system allows you to get a glass of wine from the bottle while inserting neutral gas into the bottle, so it doesn’t oxidise. You might find some well-known wines served this way so be sure to check it out! It is starting to become a lot more common in venues.
Make sure your Sommelier brings you the right wine!
As bizarre as this sounds, everyone can get caught up in conversations, restaurants get busy and the wrong bottle of wine can get brought to you. When the Sommelier has brought the wine to you, make sure you do check the wine and the vintage before you taste it and accept the wine.
Vintages of wines vary so greatly so you want to make sure the wine you ordered is presented to you and it’s not a bad vintage! I know what you’re thinking, how do I know if it was a good or bad vintage – honestly, ask your Sommelier or just search away on your phone. Very likely =, just searching the wine and the vintage will come up with its reviews and if it was a good or bad vintage – Ahh the beauty of smart phones!
Last of all, keep an open mind
Humans are naturally ‘creatures of habit’, we tend to go to what we know and stay in our comfort zone, often we don’t want to be disappointed. Particularly if we are in the company of other people, we will want to make a good impression and will likely not explore out of what we know.
Relax and discover wines you wouldn’t normally have. Generally, you go to a restaurant with an open mind to try what they’ve got on the menu, that likely you haven’t tried before, so why not try the same with wine, especially when you have a Sommelier.
Hopefully you’ve picked up my number one tip of asking questions and starting a conversation so by now you should have some faith in their recommendation!
After all you can’t ‘fake it ‘til you make it’ with wine, so your Sommelier will be your best friend in a venue. Remember to be respectful to them even if you are comfortable with your knowledge of wine. Wine lists are created to be tailored to the food so trust the Sommelier, relax and enjoy the experience!
If you find yourself at a venue that doesn’t have a Sommelier, don’t be turned off trying to navigate the wine list, always ask the waiter for some guidance or of course, try searching the name of the wine as it is on the menu, including the vintage year, on the internet. You’ll be able to get a quick sense of what it’s going to be like. You can also use great wine apps, such as Vivino, to search the wine and read reviews before you commit.
Hopefully now you are feeling a little more comfortable in a restaurant talking to a Sommelier, after all, they have a lot of knowledge you will be able to learn from to make your dining experience one to remember.
