HOW-TO: Order Wine in a Restaurant

Which comes first, the wine or the food?


One of the biggest dilemmas we face when we go out to eat is how to select the right wine to go with our dinner. It’s not really a life or death question, but in this small part of our world it’s important. If we spend a few hours over a nice dinner, with two or three courses, glass of wine with each starts to get expensive. If we buy a bottle to share, its usually a bit more cost effective, but more difficult for the two of us to individually select meals that will pair well with the wine. For us, it really does boil down to these strategies: 

1. We typically choose the wine first, probably because the waiter always asks for the drink order first. A bottle has five glasses in it: if you think you'll drink that much wine during the meal, it makes sense to buy a bottle. A white wine or lighter red gives you a bit more range, pairing well with fish and poultry, and not overpowering a starter or dessert course. Order your courses to match the wine. 
2. Consider ordering a rosé wine. In the summer, maybe ask for a heartier rosé, which is versatile for many types of meat and vegetable choices.  
3. It's ok to start with your food choice, and then pair the wine based on that. If something on the menu jumps out at you, go for it! Ask your server for a recommendation on the best wine to pair with it. 
4. If you're ordering a completely opposite dinner menu from your dining partner (you're having a T-bone and your partner the cobb salad), consider ordering by glass. This can be fun because you get to try different wines throughout the night, including your partner's.
5. Feel free to take recommendations from your waiter but do not expect them to disagree with a choice you've already made: if you ask whether the Chardonnay will go with the Steak, they will likely say "sure" because it's a sale to them.

It's really important to not stress this decision. There is no "right" or "wrong" here. If you enjoy your meal, then you made the right choice. The most surprising and delightful wine experiences come from the risks we take in selecting the wine.