Intoxication sans intimidation

How to order wine blind

By TYLER BALLIET

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It's happened to everyone: You sit down in a restaurant, receive the wine list and—after glancing over the options—concede that you might as well be reading hieroglyphics. Not a single wine rings a bell; with hundreds of choices, you begin to panic. Believe it or not, there are many options at your disposal. Chill out, order a round of strong cocktails and let's get started.

FIRST, DETERMINE YOUR BUDGET.

Even tiny, casual restaurants will have a range of prices from the $20s up to the $100s. Before you do anything, choose a dollar amount you are comfortable with. Keep in mind the best deals on the menu are smack-dab in the middle of the price ranges, or about $40 to $60 in most Boston restaurants. You can go cheaper, and many restaurants have awesome bottles in the lower price ranges, but often an extra $5 makes the difference between so-so and great.

NEXT, TAKE A LOOK AT HOW THE WINE LIST IS ORGANIZED.

Lists are usually separated into regions or grapes. If you know very little about wine, this won't help very much, but many restaurants will list the bottles within their categories from lightest to heaviest.

NOW THAT YOU'RE ACCLIMATED TO THE OPTIONS, IT'S TIME TO SEEK PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE.

Ask if the restaurant has a wine director, sommelier or head bartender that can assist you. This may be a long shot at many smaller joints, but if they do, it's your ace in the hole. Whoever orders the wine for the restaurant has tasted them. This person will be able to assist you best.

If the restaurant doesn't employ a full-time wine director, then your server will be your resident wine expert. It's important to find out how much your server knows about the restaurant's wine list. Most servers won't lie to you, but they may try to save face when asked specific questions about wines they are less familiar with. While some restaurants spend a lot of time and money making sure their staff knows the menu inside and out, many establishments let this aspect of the business slip.

Your best bet is to ask your server what they like to drink, or find out what the staff sips after their shift, as your best recommendations will be from the wine selections they have tasted. Even if your server isn't a bona fide wino, they still see hundreds of customers who are and can at least point you in the direction of wines that are popular.

Another great line of defense is to narrow your search down to a few bottles the restaurant also pours by the glass. This way, you can try before you buy, because they already have the bottles open and are more likely to pour you a sample on request. If you're unsure or just curious, this is a great way to guarantee you get a bottle you're going to like.

DRINK MORE WINE! FOR MORE INFORMATION: THESECONDGLASS.COM

[This column was originally published on 8.6.08]