Quality of Wine By the Glass

In our newsletters and at other times, I’ve often written about not being afraid to send a bottle of wine back that is not good. On rare occasions, we get a wine that is perhaps corked or has spoiled in some way when visiting a restaurant. As a customer, we have not only the right, but the obligation to ask for a new bottle. (Now, there is a difference between a bad bottle of wine and simply not liking a wine…we really don’t have an argument as long as the wine is healthy and aesthetically well done…that is the risk you take when ordering off the wine menu).

We should also have the same mindset when ordering wine by the glass. There are times we get a wine by the glass that just doesn’t taste right. The question we need to then ask is “how long has the bottle been open.” Just like with a bad bottle, we have the right to ask the server just how long the bottle has been open. This can be in a restaurant, or even at a tasting room. If that wine by the glass isn’t quite right, chances are good that it has been open for a while, and has become oxidized.

Don’t be afraid to ask you server to open a new bottle and compare the glasses side-by-side. In most cases, you’ll both notice a big difference. If the establishment will not do that for you, I suggest you return he glass and order something different…but most places should be willing to do that.

At JAV, we’re constantly tasting and smelling wines that have been opened, to make sure our customers are enjoying that particular wine at its best. Of course some of this is personal preference, but most sweet wines are enjoyed right away, while sometimes it’s best to let a dry red breath for a time before it hits its peak. In our tasting room, we’re never offended if someone asks about how long a bottle has been open. It gives us a chance to #1, check it out for ourselves, or #2, explain the winemaking process.