https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 12 Apr 2026 08:33:08 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-you-have-to-order-a-nice-bottle-of-wine-at-a-restaurant-what-do-you-pick#post-1641808 Sat, 17 May 2014 14:36:05 +0000 Mrs. Coral 1641808@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm too cheap to a buy a bottle of wine at a restaurant! When I buy a glass, I go for a local wine, as we live in wine country and our area puts an emphasis on local food. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-you-have-to-order-a-nice-bottle-of-wine-at-a-restaurant-what-do-you-pick#post-1641801 Sat, 17 May 2014 14:25:26 +0000 lamariniere 1641801@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I let my husband choose, he knows his French wines. :happy: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-you-have-to-order-a-nice-bottle-of-wine-at-a-restaurant-what-do-you-pick#post-1640994 Fri, 16 May 2014 20:29:08 +0000 yoursilverlining 1640994@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Depends on what we are ordering - we'll try to pair to food somewhat. I also keep track of what we like and look for something we know we like. Most of the local places we eat out at have decent sommeliers, or bartenders/waitstaff who know their stuff; I've never been pushed towards a very pricey bottle of wine. Sometimes they ask what sort of price point we're looking at, what we're eating and go from there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-you-have-to-order-a-nice-bottle-of-wine-at-a-restaurant-what-do-you-pick#post-1640965 Fri, 16 May 2014 19:53:18 +0000 apis 1640965@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Depending on the level of niceness of the restaurant, I will ask the waiter or wine waiter to give a recommendation, giving her or him examples of wine that we like, or ideas about what we're looking for.</p> <p>In one particularly high-end restaurant, the sommelier was amazingly informative *and* didn't simply try to push us towards more expensive bottles. I also like asking her or him what they have tasted most recently, or what has just been added to the wine list, as they may be able to give more information about that particular "new" wine than something that has been on the list forever.</p> <p>That said, there are some meals where I know that with a particular food, I am in the mood for a particular style of wine. Or I'm just in a funny mood and decide that today is the day to have white wine with beef or red wine with fish. And there are certain standby wines like white burgundy, vinho verde, rosso di montalcino, or Saint-Estephe that when I see them, I'm probably going to get them (if they aren't too expensive). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-you-have-to-order-a-nice-bottle-of-wine-at-a-restaurant-what-do-you-pick#post-1640941 Fri, 16 May 2014 19:36:56 +0000 Meridian 1640941@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have never ordered a bottle of wine at a restaurant! I like sweet wine, and DH likes beer. Even when we go out with friends, none of us have the same alcohol preference, so we order our own! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-you-have-to-order-a-nice-bottle-of-wine-at-a-restaurant-what-do-you-pick#post-1640803 Fri, 16 May 2014 18:14:23 +0000 lemondrop 1640803@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Usually either a pinot noir (my husband's favorite) or an old vine zin (my favorite red). We try to go for something new, so many wines to try, so little time! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-you-have-to-order-a-nice-bottle-of-wine-at-a-restaurant-what-do-you-pick#post-1640777 Fri, 16 May 2014 17:57:22 +0000 MoonMoon 1640777@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I like dry white wines, preferably a sauvignon blanc, or whatever looks interesting, but not chardonnay. As for red, I'll look for interesting varietals or ones I've enjoyed in the past, medium bodied and dry being my preference. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-you-have-to-order-a-nice-bottle-of-wine-at-a-restaurant-what-do-you-pick#post-1640771 Fri, 16 May 2014 17:54:48 +0000 Sparkler 1640771@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>At nice restaurants, I always ask for help. Especially because the lists are overwhelming and most I have never heard of. I will tell the sommelier what kind of grapes we were thinking based on mood and meal and our price range (at a fancy restaurant I normally just say under $60, since $15 is typically the price per glass but by ordering a bottle we are getting to experience wines that we wouldn't have access to otherwise and so we don't end up with something crazy expensive) and i have always been pleased. At more average places, I just pick something I have heard of or a grape I like in a mid range amount. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-you-have-to-order-a-nice-bottle-of-wine-at-a-restaurant-what-do-you-pick#post-1640727 Fri, 16 May 2014 17:27:09 +0000 looch 1640727@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I look for a bottle of Penfolds or an Italian wine from 2002-2008. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-you-have-to-order-a-nice-bottle-of-wine-at-a-restaurant-what-do-you-pick#post-1640681 Fri, 16 May 2014 17:00:42 +0000 regberadaisy 1640681@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Depends on what I'm eating then I narrow down by maker and region. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-you-have-to-order-a-nice-bottle-of-wine-at-a-restaurant-what-do-you-pick#post-1640636 Fri, 16 May 2014 16:42:58 +0000 MrsBrewer 1640636@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I rarely ever do the wine ordering! I let DH do that, and he normally defers to the waiter :-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-you-have-to-order-a-nice-bottle-of-wine-at-a-restaurant-what-do-you-pick#post-1640624 Fri, 16 May 2014 16:36:43 +0000 sunny 1640624@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee: What about asking if they would recommend wine A or wine B from the list? Then you can go with a recommended one and you know exactly what the prices are :-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-you-have-to-order-a-nice-bottle-of-wine-at-a-restaurant-what-do-you-pick#post-1640562 Fri, 16 May 2014 16:11:05 +0000 Cole 1640562@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I thankfully can defer to my husband since my knowledge is nil but I would have the same approach as you. If I know the other people in the party are wine drinkers but it's still somehow up to me I ask for a recommendation and deal with the fall out on price. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-you-have-to-order-a-nice-bottle-of-wine-at-a-restaurant-what-do-you-pick#post-1640512 Fri, 16 May 2014 15:42:41 +0000 mrbee 1640512@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If I recognize a bottle, then I will usually just order that. Otherwise, I usually just pick a red wine from somewhere in the low-middle portion of the wine list... it has to satisfy two important criteria:</p> <p>* It has to be a word I can pronounce<br /> * Ideally, it's not the absolute cheapest wine on the menu</p> <p>I make sure to order with extreme confidence, even though I really have no idea what I am doing. If it's an important meal though, I may ask for recommendations from the waiter for a good wine pairing - although that risks an expensive rec from the waiter, which I would then feel obligated to order. </p> <p>When you have to order a nice bottle of wine at a restaurant, what do you pick? </p>