Restaurant Wine Service Do's and Don'ts

I need to get this off my chest.  It's been bothering me for a while and I think there needs to be some discussion about it.  Restaurant wine service.  That's a pretty broad subject but I'd like to talk about three points:

1. Temperature of the wine
2. Whom to taste the wine and serve first and beyond
3. How to pour

More than once within the past year I have been served white wine that wasn't cold, I ordered the wine and they poured it for my husband and the best was when the server shook the bottle to get the drop off into the glass before going onto the next person.  I would say what it reminded me of, but it's not appropriate for this blog, use your imagination.

Let's begin with the temperature of the wine.  For a white wine, I'm not looking for ice cold where the flavors and aromas are hidden until the wine warms up.  I've heard many excuses as to why the wine isn't cold.  The server last week told me that is why she brought an ice bucket, to get the wine chilled at the table.    

The suggested serving temperatures are as follows

• Sparkling, off dry and sweet wines - between 45 - 50 degrees ˚F
• Dry white and rosé wines - between 50-60 degrees ˚F
• Light bodied red wines - between 55 - 62 degrees ˚F
• Full bodied red wines - between 62 - 68 degrees ˚F

The chilling is not suppose to happen at the table. It should be maintained at the table.

There is nothing that irritates me more than when I order the bottle of wine at dinner and the server comes over and pours it in Paul's glass and then he hands it to me or shows Paul the bottle at which point he says "you need to show her." 

The server needs to serve the bottle to the person who ordered it regardless of their sex.  This has actually happened to me twice in the same restaurant.  The person making the wine selection for the table is the one who shall be served the bottle, the cork and the first taste.  Once he or she has approved the wine, the wine should be served by moving clockwise around the table serving the female guests first then the men and finishing with the person who ordered the wine.

Now to pouring the wine.  Never shake the top of the bottle over the glass to get the drip off.  No, No, No.  The server should give the bottle a slight twist when lifting it from the glass and wipe the rim of the bottle with a cloth napkin.

When the server is done pouring the bottle should be placed to the right of the person who ordered it on the table or in the ice bucket. 

There is a lot more in depth that I can go into, but we'll save that for another time.  

When served wine in a restaurant, make sure you server follows these guidelines.  

Thank you for listening to my rant.