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Who's Been Tasting My Wine?

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    An article by Eric Asimov, the wine critic of the "New York Times," appeared in that newspaper today, dealing with a very touchy subject. That is, what would be your reaction if you were at a very fine restaurant and, when you were ready to sample the wine that you had just selected, you found out that somebody had already tasted it for you?

    http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/07/dining/07pour.html?_r=1&th=&emc=th&pagewanted=print

    Well, I would certainly NOT be happy! Do any of Extravigator's readers have any opinion on this? Also, have any of you had this happen?

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    So, the sommelier is opening the wine in the kitchen, taking a sip, and then bringing out the open bottle to the table? What sort of nonsense is this? Is the chef taking a bite of my steak too? I may get some push back here, but this would only happen in America. In fine restaurants around the world, the customer isn't treated like they are 3. They are treated as though they know whether a bottle is good or not. At least where I have been. I was once in a tiny tiny bistro in Italy and we ordered a bottle and they brought it out already opened and when I made a fuss, they told me the place is so small that they feel it's easy to just open in the back. I didn't like that at all but the wine was inexpensive anyway so I just went with it.

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    Hello everybody. This is my first comment on Extravigator.

    Here is what I think should be done. It would be fair and proper if the sommelier came to the table with the unopened bottle of wine and asked the people who were dining if they would like him to open the wine, decant it and taste it first, right then and there, before the designated taster at the table did so. The people at the table would thus have the option to accept the sommelier's suggestion or to decline the suggestion and to taste the wine themselves. But, to have the sommelier open it and taste it in the back room without the customer's prior knowledge would be simply outrageous! Who knows.....the establishment could be taking an empty bottle which once held a great Chambertin and filling it with two buck Chuck!

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    If that ever happened to me and I hadn't given them permission to sample it in advance, I wouldn't even taste the wine. I'd just refuse to accept it. So what if that left them with an already opened bottle. They'd probably take it in the back room and try that same procedure later with another unsuspecting customer.

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