How to Use a Sommelier

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For many people, arriving in a restaurant

and taking a look at the list is a stressful experience.

Someone is there looking over your shoulder,

wondering what it is that you want to drink,

and sometimes you don't even know.

But it really doesn't have to be such a stressful experience

if you use your sommelier to help you.

A sommelier is just a wine waiter,

or someone who is a wine director

and has actually created this list from scratch.

They're very excited about every wine on this list,

so if you ask them they'll be very happy to help you.

A lot of people become concerned

that if they ask the sommelier for help,

that they're gonna guide them into having something

that's too expensive or something that they didn't want.

But as long as you're clear about your expectations,

the sommelier will work with you

to create the best experience possible

and get you the wine that you most want.

Give them a price range.

And you can do that very, very simply.

You don't have to embarrass yourself in front of your guest.

You can show them a range of prices

and say I was looking at this,

and I was looking at this one,

and they'll take that cue and be able

to find something in that price range for you.

Mention a wine that you've tried that you like.

Mention your favorite grape variety.

Talk about whether you like

light-bodied wines or full-bodied wines.

This gives them an idea of which direction to take you in,

because everybody's different,

and everyone has a different palate.

They can give you ideas of what goes best

with particular items on their menu,

because they know the wines and the food better than you do.

Then they can even create a full wine

and food pairing experience for you

so you can just sit back and enjoy your meal.

And often, if you just take the time to ask,

they will turn you on to the best new find that they have,

something that's so unique that you might have never thought

to try it if it hadn't been for their recommendation.

Alotta people tend to buy the second least expensive wine,

or sometimes people buy really expensive wine

because they think it's going to be better.

But the sommelier can tell you actually which wines

are the best values on their list.

And don't worry if everyone's having different things.

If someone's having fish and someone's having a steak,

you can probably find a wine

that would be great with all of that.

Or, if not, you can try (splashing)

to play around with using half bottles or glasses of wine.

So rather than being nervous when talking to the sommelier,

treat them as your friend and they'll help you

create the best experience possible

so you can just sit back and relax.

For more information on wines, join us at Epicurious.com.

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