Alan Richman’s rules for ordering wine

In the current issue of GQ you’ll find Alan Richman’s 14 Tips for Ordering Wine in a Restaurant. 

Some highlights:

“I don’t care if the restaurant is pouring Chateau Latour into Minnie Mouse mugs, don’t walk into a restaurant carrying your own wine glasses. It’s more pretentious than wearing a monocle and spats.”

“Here’s what you do with a cork when it’s presented to you: Nothing. No sniffing, please.”

“Don’t be a big shot. Nobody can get everything right when it comes to detecting problems in wine. Can you identify sulphur, volative acidity, brettanomyces, and/or T.C.A.? That’s why sommeliers exist. If you hate the wine you’ve ordered and can’t articulate why, don’t be afraid to ask for help.”

If you’d like to learn my tips, join me for class here or here.  If you like Alan’s style, join him for class here.