Is it uncommon to be served a bad glass of wine in a restaurant?

[Anonymous]

I definitely have, and it's definitely noticeable. Once I ordered second glass of the same thing, and it was clear it was not from the same bottle.

If you're just thinking, "Eh, not sure I love this," that's not wine that's gone bad.

Ask your server for advice, saying what you said here: "I don't drink much wine, but I'd like a glass of something--what would you recommend?"

[Anonymous]

OP, please re-read several of these responses and understand the difference between wine that has truly gone bad and wine you taste and just don’t like. The first has either been open too long and tastes as if it’s turning to vinegar (fault of restaurant) or has been compromised due to an organism in the natural cork and tastes like your son’s gym socks (no one’s fault). You can send those back.

If you sip it and decide you simply don’t care for the flavor, that’s not a valid reason to send it back. Some restaurants may offer, but it makes you the same type of PITA customer as someone who orders a meal and then decides they don’t like it because it’s too garlicky, too buttery, whatever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, it happens quite frequently. If it seems off just send it back. It's not a big deal. We've been served entire bottles of wine that were off and they replaced them. It happens.

Not op, but I never know what I'm looking for when the waiter or sommelier does that taste thing. Would I know for sure if it were bad rather than just not to my personal liking?

With a bottle you know immediately if it’s off. It’s harder with glasses. They may just taste a bit off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, it happens quite frequently. If it seems off just send it back. It's not a big deal. We've been served entire bottles of wine that were off and they replaced them. It happens.

I drink wine all the time and it’s never happened to me.

+1

But I know what I like and can describe why I don’t like a taste of something (too mineral/too oaky/too sweet/too one-noted).

Maybe take a wine tasting class OP so you can figure out what you like and don’t like; that way you can communicate more effectively when you do get recommendations. Most wine drinkers don’t like all wines.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are you trying to get your husband to drink more alcohol?

Obviously she wants to use booze as a gateway drug to get her husband hooked on the hard stuff, like marijuana.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, it happens quite frequently. If it seems off just send it back. It's not a big deal. We've been served entire bottles of wine that were off and they replaced them. It happens.

I think if it’s happening frequently that’s probably a you problem. I have a SIL who coincidentally has a problem with her glass seemingly every other time we go to dinner. Her smug tone with a waiter or waitress when this happens is so embarrassing.

[Anonymous]

If people would just screw the tops on right . . .

[Anonymous]

DH and I are wine drinkers in our 50s who dine out often. This has happened exactly once to us. It is not common for a wine served to truly be “corked” or bad. It will taste and smell terrible. This is distinct from wine that is not to your liking but is otherwise fine just not something you enjoy.

These days in most restaurants (not all but most) you can ask for a recommended wine and they would be fine giving you a small taste to see if you’d be happy with it. You should also get comfortable asking - say you are new to exploring wine and/or still figuring out what you like and can you sample before ordering a full glass of something you may not like. Don’t be greedy and expect lots of samples, and realize some may say no but in general you should find they are happy to do so and you may learn a lit in the process. Have fun with it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It would be much cheaper to go to Trader Joe’s or Wegmans and buy different wines to have with your meals and figure out what you like. Wine at restaurants have giant markups.

I'm curious: based on the title and the OP, what made you think the OP was concerned about wine prices?

What made you think PP think OP was concerned about wine prices?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, it happens quite frequently. If it seems off just send it back. It's not a big deal. We've been served entire bottles of wine that were off and they replaced them. It happens.

I drink wine all the time, and it’s never happened to me.

+1 I'm a 54-year-old woman who has enjoyed wine with dinner for many years. I've never thought, "This is bad wine." Not once.

lol maybe the fortified wines are more your style?

[Anonymous]

I've had wine a few times that clearly was past its peak. If it wasn't that expensive, I just rolled with it and drank it anyway. But it's good to stick to wines that are commonly ordered, or you risk getting a glass from a bottle opened a few days ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It would be much cheaper to go to Trader Joe’s or Wegmans and buy different wines to have with your meals and figure out what you like. Wine at restaurants have giant markups.

I'm curious: based on the title and the OP, what made you think the OP was concerned about wine prices?

What made you think PP think OP was concerned about wine prices?

The reference to a "cheaper" way to try wine, perhaps?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are you trying to get your husband to drink more alcohol?

Reread the op. She is not trying to get her husband to drink more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It would be much cheaper to go to Trader Joe’s or Wegmans and buy different wines to have with your meals and figure out what you like. Wine at restaurants have giant markups.

I'm curious: based on the title and the OP, what made you think the OP was concerned about wine prices?

What made you think PP think OP was concerned about wine prices?

The reference to a "cheaper" way to try wine, perhaps?

OP said “the best way to explore” and never mentioned expense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, it happens quite frequently. If it seems off just send it back. It's not a big deal. We've been served entire bottles of wine that were off and they replaced them. It happens.

I drink wine all the time and it’s never happened to me.

It's only happened to me once or twice.

I have a friend who is a huge wine snob and she constantly sends wine back and claims it's "corked" or off somehow. I think either her taste buds are off or she just likes being imperious with servers. Or maybe just doesn't like wine? Some wines intentionally taste more earthy than others, some wines are meant to be sweeter. That doesn't mean it's a bad bottle, it means you ordered the wrong wine.

I think a lot of people would be well served from ordering from a narrow range of varieties and vineyards at restaurants. Like if you don't really know wine, stick with cab sav and Syrah for reds and sauvignon blanc for white (chardonnays have a broader range of profiles and it's easier to screw up). Experiment with other varieties at home when you can research and make sure you're pairing something properly.