Bad Wine Etiquette

[suellen]

I was recently a guest at a dinner party at a restaurant. The host invited everyone to order whatever they wanted to drink. Several of us, including the host, ordered red wine. The wine was served by the glass, not by the bottle. In my opinion, the wine was spoiled. The host did not seem to notice this. Should I have told the host, or not said anything? I know from experience that the wine would have given me a migraine headache if I had drunk it. I am sure that if I had not drunk it, the host would have noticed my untouched glass. Not drinking it seemed like a waste of the host's money. Drinking it was not an option. Telling the host that it was spoiled seemed rude.

 

[robin]

It would have been perfectly acceptable to send it back. Spoiled/ruined/corked bottles happen more than you think and the restaurant should always replace them at no extra charge.

Edit: I see that your question was more focused on your host - it should not have offended them if you just explained something didn't seem right with your wine. In fact, if I was the host and I was paying, I would only have been offended if you didn't drink the wine.

 

[LabelKing]

You know what's bad wine etiquette?

Serving wine coolers.

 

[Piobaire]

Bad wine at the meal? Spit-take.

 

[ww90]

hahahah

 

[Gus]

There are good and bad ways to send something back in a social setting. Looking the waiter in the eye, with a pleasant smile and saying something like, "could you please bring me another, this one isn't quite right.." is usually all it takes and doesn't make a scene.

On the other hand, I have been with people who frown, talk defensively to the waiter and make everyone at the table wince when sending something back. It's awful!

Just be smooth.

 

[spence]

Originally Posted by pocketsquareguy

Just be smooth.
Exactly.

It's very common for people, even some who drink wine a lot to not be sure if a bottle is good/bad. Trust your senses and just be smooth

-spence

 

[Brian278]

I don't see any reason why you should've felt uncomfortable sending it back. The host didn't bring the wine, he didn't make the wine, he's only paying for the wine. He wants to get his money's worth out of it as well, since he's paying for his guests to have a good time and good food and drink. Assuming they're not going to charge for 2 glasses (which they should never do) if the host had known I'm sure he would've encouraged it.

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by pocketsquareguy

Just be smooth.

What's smoother than a spit-take?

 

[underwearer]

Thats kind of weird you think its rude to tell the host that the wine wasnt to your liking. Whats the big deal? You taste the wine, you discuss it, you either like it or you dont. A glass of wine isnt going to break someones bank account, so you didnt like it tough *******.

 

[Abudeeba]

Originally Posted by Brian278

I don't any reason why you should've felt uncomfortable sending it back. The host didn't bring the wine, he didn't make the wine, he's only paying for the wine. He wants to get his money's worth out of it as well, since he's paying for his guests to have a good time and good food and drink. Assuming they're not going to charge for 2 glasses (which they should never do) if the host had known I'm sure he would've encouraged it.

Exactly. And if for some reason sending the wine back would have caused a ruckus with your host, simply not drinking the wine is always appropriate unless your host was Stalin. Interestingly, here in the California wine country we sometimes jump to our feet, throw the corked wine in our host's face, and accuse him/her of trying to poison us. We then mutter something in French and storm off.

 

[grunhauser]

You can't just send the wine back nowadays, you must sell it to the waiter why you chose to do so. In this particular case, assuming all were drinking the same wine, the invitee could not have sent the wine back. ( and I am not even getting in the ridiculousnesses of ordering by the glass; everyone knows this section on the list is for special people and the wines really have no names or vintages, just color; you send it back, it ends up at the table next to you, and vice versa) Once the person who orders and pays for the beverage started to enjoy the said beverage, you can't send it back, it's just too late. You don't have to drink it, but it's too late to voice your opinion and announce the wine is rotten.

 

[Huntsman]

Of course send it back, with the reason that "my glass doesn't seem quite right." Your host need not feel embarassed for not noticing, as you explain, "it must have been from a different bottle than yours."

 

[grunhauser]

Don't send it back, the host will hold it against you and you will never be invited again. You will likely be saying goodbye to "order whatever you want" forever. I think a sip or two of the spoiled wine is a small price to pay for such generous set up. And how "bad" can that bad wine be anyway? Consider larger bites of food to mask whatever deficiencies the wine might exhibit and follow up with ice tea mouth rinses when the host is not watching.

 

[Brian278]

Originally Posted by grunhauser

Don't send it back, the host will hold it against you and you will never be invited again. You will likely be saying goodbye to "order whatever you want" forever. I think a sip or two of the spoiled wine is a small price to pay for such generous set up. And how "bad" can that bad wine be anyway? Consider larger bites of food to mask whatever deficiencies the wine might exhibit and follow up with ice tea mouth rinses when the host is not watching.
Any host who would begrudge his guest the right to send back clearly spoiled food or drink isn't worth a free meal once in a while.