The common ritual when you order a bottle of wine is that the server will show you the bottle, open it and pour you a small amount. This can be a bit of a nervous moment if you don’t really know what you are supposed to do. But, it’s actually quite simple. Here’s how to handle it like a pro.

When ordering wine at a restaurant, it’s usually a better value to order a bottle rather than buying individual glasses. Remember, a bottle holds approximately five glasses. So, do the math and you’ll likely come out ahead ordering a bottle.

When the bottle is delivered to the table, the server will show the unopened bottle to the person that ordered it. This is done simply so that you can verify that the bottle that’s been brought to the table is the one that you ordered. And, if you were specifically ordering the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, look closely at the label and confirm that the bottle is indeed the 2012 vintage. Once you’ve identified the bottle as the one you ordered, simply let your server know that it’s the right one.

At this point, your server will extract the cork and place it on the table. This is not done so that you can smell the cork, it’s done to demonstrate that the cork is intact, and that there are no signs of leakage or spoilage. So, you should simply exam the cork and set it back down as long as it looks fine.

Now, your wine server will pour a small amount of wine in the glass of the person that ordered the bottle. This is the opportunity to ensure the wine hasn’t spoiled. Take a look at the color. A brown color will be a giveaway of a wine that’s oxidized. Then give the wine a quick smell. It should smell like wine, not like a wet dog or a cow pasture (yes, I recently experienced a wine that smelled like a cow pasture!). If it smells okay, then take a small sip. Again, this is your opportunity to confirm that the wine hasn’t spoiled. If you get a nutty flavor, your wine has oxidized. Or, if you get a vinegar flavor, you wine has gone bad.

But also realize, this small sip of wine isn’t intended to be for you to determine if you like the wine or not. You don’t get to have bottles of wines opened for you until you find something you like!

So, keep these simple things in mind the next time you are faced with having a bottle of wine severed to you at a restaurant and you’ll do just fine. Cheers!