HOW TO SURVIVE A WINE DINNER

Unless you’re a self-proclaimed wine snob or sommelier, your knowledge about wine is probably, um, minimalistic or growing. If you’re interested in learning more about wine, or you’ve been dying to experience an Ohio wine dinner but just aren’t sure you’ll cut the mustard, you’re in luck!

This article is all about how to survive a wine dinner, even if you don’t know anything about wine.

In fact, that’s what wine dinners are for: To experience new tastes and pairings and grow your own wine knowledge.

Here’s how to thrive at your next wine dinner:

1. Go with confidence. Even if this is your first wine dinner, no one else has to know it. Be confident when you enter the restaurant and sit down at the table. Your love for wine or willingness to learn is what will shine through.

Take stock. You don’t have to be the most educated wine snob in the room. So lower your expectations and be open to learning. Watch what goes on around you and take it all in.

Work the room. Whether you attend the wine dinner alone or with friends, watch for opportunities to make connections. Striking up a conversation with fellow diners may just lead to a new connection. Talking to the sommelier could get you interested in a wine education course. So stay open.

Do some research. Before you attend the wine dinner, take about 30 minutes to do a crash-course on wine tasting. You’ll be glad you took the time to get some of the basics down.

Ask lots of questions. If you’re tasting a wine from a region you’ve never explored before, ask questions about it. Request more information about why the wine is being paired with a particular course. The more you can learn, the more information you can take home with you – and then apply to your at-home dining or wine ordering when you are out on the town.

Think ahead. It’s always smart to drink lots of water at a wine dinner or when tasting various wines. You’ll thank yourself the next day for this small but savvy tip.

Write it down. As you work your way through the courses, don’t be shy to take notes. It’ll help you remember tips about pairings and so forth.

Have fun! Whether this is your first or tenth wine dinner, savor every moment. It’s not every day that you get a chance to slow down and experience a multiple-course meal expertly paired with delicious wines. So take it in, enjoy the company and let loose!

Visit the 1938 Restaurant and Pub and experiment with some of the outstanding wines we keep on hand for your dining pleasure.