Unit 214 (2bs4) Hand-out
Prepare and serve wines
Introduction
When serving bottle wines, we must be aware of a number of issues including customer
requirements, complying with licensing legislation, correct service of wines, and adhering to
organisational requirements. It is extremely important to have a very good understanding of
all the different types of wines that your establishment or outlet offers.
Different types of wines are:
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red
white
rose
champagne
sparkling
fortified – port, Muscat, sherry.
You will need to be aware of
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where the wine is from
the vintage of the wine
what it tastes like
what food the wine is best served with
what temperature the wine should be served at
what glasses should be used
Each establishment will have its own organisational requirements when serving wine. You
must adhere closely to these, but must also follow basic universal guidelines for serving
wine.
It is also extremely important to follow all relevant health and safety principles and food
hygiene principles. You must also be comfortable with suggestive selling techniques in order
to sell extra bottles of wine, which will ensure customer satisfaction and return business.
Serving wine to permitted persons
When starting work at a new establishment, it is of vital importance to ask: what type of
liquor license the establishment has? How it will affect you in your work? And what
responsibilities you will have. Knowing how to deal with all types of situations in regards to
the serving of wine and other alcohol is very important. It may affect your position and
possibly even the establishment.
Service times
Handout prepared by: Rob Hughes (V1 – Dec12)
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These are established once the establishment acquires a licence.
You must never serve wine or alcohol to anyone outside these times.
Your supervisor will advise you of the organisational requirements regarding times
Age limits
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Each country will have a set age limit for persons permitted to be served wine or
other alcohol. You must know what this limit is before you serve anyone wine or
alcohol. The age limit in South Africa is generally 18 years of age.
If you are unsure of a person’s age, you must ask for identification. Your
organisational requirements will tell you what forms of identification are
acceptable.
You must also be aware of when and under what circumstances underage
persons are permitted to be on your premises, for example, when they are
having a meal or are accompanied by a parent, spouse of guardian.
You must also be aware when underage people are permitted to consume
alcohol on your premises, for example, with a parent or guardian and with a
meal. .
Intoxicated persons
If you suspect a person to be drunk, you must not serve them wine or any other alcohol.
Intoxicated persons can be recognised by:
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slurred speech
staggering, swaying, falling, tripping, stumbling
spilling drinks
dropping money
bumping into things
becoming annoying
loud speech, singing, swearing
getting emotional
getting overly friendly
getting abusive
bleary eyes
smell of alcohol on the person
Inform customers accurately about wines
A glass of wine is often the first thing that a customer will ask you for when they come to an
establishment. It is therefore, important that you have the knowledge to correctly provide
customers with correct information about what types of wine are available. This first
contact with the customers will set the precedent for the rest of their stay.
Handout prepared by: Rob Hughes (V1 – Dec12)
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Always present customers with the wine and drink list when they arrive, as they
want to know what is available and the price.
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Have a thorough knowledge of all items on the wine/drink list.
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Know how wines are made and how the different wines taste. It is also important
to know which country/area wines come from.
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Know what wines are in fashion.
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Know how to correctly serve wines.
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Each customer has different requirements and different tastes. It is therefore
important to identify these tastes, as what one person likes, another may not.
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When telling customers about wines that are available, be careful not to use high
pressure selling techniques. These may not be welcome. Try to use suggestive
selling techniques.
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Remember that customers will never ask you what beer they should have, but
they will always ask you about wines, so it is essential to learn everything you can
about wines.
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When customers choose wines you will find that most people will choose wine
from the middle of the list, not too cheap and not too expensive.
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Some wines have unusual names and people have difficulty in pronouncing them.
Do not correct them obviously, but make sure you pronounce the name
correctly when you are presenting it. If you are unsure of how to say a name,
you should ask your supervisor or even the wine seller or maker if you have
contact with them.
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When asked for an opinion or recommendation about wine, do not be vague.
The customer obviously thinks you know more about wine than they do, so have
a few good wines up your sleeve to recommend to customers.
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Never recommend the most expensive wine, as the customer will think you only
want to sell that wine because of its price.
Suggestive selling
This is the most popular form of selling in hospitality establishments. It involves
recommending that extra glass or bottle of wine to the customer to make his/her dining
experience more pleasurable. It also means that you need to have a very good knowledge of
the wines that compliment certain dishes.
Some examples of suggestive selling are:
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Customers have finished a bottle of wine: “Would you like another of the same wine or
shall I bring the wine list for you?”
Handout prepared by: Rob Hughes (V1 – Dec12)
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Customers are celebrating a special occasion: “We have a fine selection of champagne
available by the glass and by the bottle. Shall I bring you the list?”
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Customers have finished their wine, but are up to dessert: “We have a wonderful
dessert wine available, a 1996, vintage Gewurztraminer that would complement your
chocolate tart wonderfully”.
Wine is promoted to customers at appropriate times
At all times it is extremely important to ‘read’ your customers and this is also the case
when promoting or suggesting wine.
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The first opportunity to promote wine is when customers arrive. This gives you
the chance to tell them about the house specials, possibly the wine of the month.
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Presenting the customers with the wine list is also a form of promotion.
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When customers have finished a drink other than wine, recommend the wine
list.
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When customers have finished one bottle of wine, suggest they have another.
You may also like to suggest a different wine for them to try.
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If given the opportunity, suggest wines to the customers that compliment the
meals that they have ordered.
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Remember that nowadays, it is no longer necessary to drink white wine with
white meats and red wine with red meats. It is very much the trend to drink
whatever you feel like, and this must be conveyed to the customers. For
example, if a customer is saying he/she has ordered fish and therefore must drink
white wine, but they feel like red, reassure them that they should drink what
they want and do not need to stick to the old traditions.
It is still important to know what wines should be drunk with what kind of food:
Cold entrées
light dry fruity white wine
Seafood
riesling, white burgundy
Soup
generally no wine
Fish soup
dry white wine
Warm entrees
heavy white wines
Pastry dishes
light red wine
Fish
dry or fruity white wine
Vegetables
light white wine
Mushrooms
heavy red wine
Chicken
white wine
Handout prepared by: Rob Hughes (V1 – Dec12)
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Duck
light red wine
Wild duck
light dry red wine
Offal
light to medium red wine
Veal
white wine
Beef
heavy full bodied red wine
Pork
light to medium red wines
Lamb
Medium red wine
Venison
heavy red wine
Dessert
dessert wine
Chocolate dessert
medium dry champagne
Cheese
light red wine
Fruit
medium sweet dessert wine
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If customers have started with a white wine for their starter, you may suggest a
red wine to accompany their main course.
Don’t forget to recommend a dessert wine for the dessert.
Recommend a port or sherry during the coffee. You will generally not sell bottles
of these, just glasses.
If customers have not been drinking alcohol during the meal, it is not
recommended that you suggest they have a dessert wine with their dessert.
If customers appear to have had enough alcohol to drink, do not suggest more
wine.
If you know that a customer has to drive, this gives you the opportunity to
promote low alcohol wine, if your establishment offers this type of wine.
Correct wine order taking
Once the customer is seated present them with the wine list, you must give them enough
time to read the wine list.
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Do not delay in taking their order, but do not rush them.
Approach the table and ask if they are ready to order.
Never sit at the table or pull up a chair to take an order – always stand!
Wine orders must be taken according to organisational requirements.
Your establishment will have a set procedure for order taking, and this must be
adhered to at all times.
Generally you will have an order pad with a section to write down the wine.
Make sure you note who has ordered the wine.
Make especially sure you have written down the correct wine. Always repeat the
order back to the customer; you may have more than one wine from the same
winery on the list and you do not want to serve the wrong wine to the
customer. This will look unprofessional.
If a customer is difficult to understand, ask them to repeat what they would like.
Handout prepared by: Rob Hughes (V1 – Dec12)
Page 5 of 9
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If champagne has been ordered, record how many champagne glasses are
needed.
Once the order has been taken, take it to the service or dispense bar
immediately.
One copy of your order will go to the bar and the other will probably be taken
to the cashier. Your supervisor will advise of this procedure.
You must serve the wine without any delay.
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Presenting wine correctly for tasting
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Once you have taken the wine order and it has been filled, you must take the
wine to the customer without delay.
Make sure there are wineglasses on the table. White wine is always served in
smaller glasses so it can be drunk without getting warm. If you are serving red
wine or champagne/sparkling wine, make sure the correct glasses are on the
table.
Never touch the main part of the glass if possible, always hold them by the stem.
The glasses are always placed on the guest’s right, usually at the tip of the knife.
Always follow organisational requirements regarding the use of ice buckets and
service plates for wine. It is also possible that you may just place the wine, after
opening and pouring, on the table of the guest.
If ice buckets or other utensils are required always make sure theses are in place
before approaching the table to present and open the wine.
DO NOT APPROACH A TABLE TO OPEN A WINE WITHOUT YOUR
WAITER’S FRIEND!
Hold the chosen wine on a service cloth in the palm of your right hand and
present the bottle to the host or the person who ordered the wine, with the
label facing them.
Say the name, type and year of the wine to ensure it is the correct wine ordered.
Let the host or person who ordered the wine, feel the temperature of the wine
if they wish.
Only open the wine once the host is satisfied.
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Serve wine at correct temperatures
It is extremely important to know at what temperature you should serve wines.
Temperature °C
Type of Wine
18
top quality red wine – burgundy, Bordeaux
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sweet dessert wine – port, sweet sherry, Marsala
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red wine
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table red wine, aperitif wines – vermouth, dry sherry
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Rose and blanc de noir
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top quality white wine
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white wine
6
sparkling red wine
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champagne and sparkling wine
Handout prepared by: Rob Hughes (V1 – Dec12)
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In your establishment, the refrigerators and storage rooms should be consistent with the
correct wine serving temperatures. The taste of a wine can change dramatically depending
on the temperature it is served at.
Opening and pouring the wine
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TIP
Once the customer has confirmed the wine, you can proceed to open it.
Hold the bottle in one hand at a 45° angle, at waist height. If you are righthanded hold in your left hand and vice versa.
Open the blade on your waiter’s friend (bottle opener).
Carefully cut the foil/plastic on the top of the bottle, just on the ridge below the
top of the bottle.
Put the cut foil in your pocket, and close the knife of the waiter’s friend.
According to organisational requirements, wipe the top of the bottle with your
service cloth.
Open the corkscrew on the waiter’s friend.
Hold the neck of the bottle firmly in one hand and insert the corkscrew in the
centre of the cork.
Turn the corkscrew in a clockwise direction, ensuring it goes down the centre of
the cork.
Tilt the arm of the waiter’s friend and rest the lever in the lip of the bottle, and
hold the lever in place with your index finger.
Pull the opposite end of the waiter’s friend to extract the cork. Do this carefully
so as not to damage the cork.
This process should be done quietly. Avoid letting the cork ‘pop’ when it is taken
out of the bottle.
Remove the cork from the corkscrew and place it on a side dish for the host to
inspect. If the name of the winery is on the cork, face it towards the host.
Return the waiter’s friend to your pocket.
If organisational requirements state, wipe the lip of the bottle with your service
cloth.
Pour a small amount (a mouthful) into the host’s glass. The bottle must never
touch the glass.
When the host has approved the wine, fill the guests glasses – two thirds for
white and half for red
The reason for a customer tasting the wine is not to see if he/she likes it or not, it is to check
whether the wine is of suitable quality. Wine that is ‘off’ is referred to as ‘corked’. If this happens
when the customer has tried the wine, you must remove his tasting glass and the wine and bring
him/her a new glass and another bottle of wine and go through the presenting process again. It is
possible that the customer would prefer to choose a different wine, so you must bring the wine list
again. This is a quite common occurrence. About 7% of wines are ‘corked’, due to bad storage, the
cork not sealing correctly, the bottle not cleaned correctly, the wine too old, too hot or too cold in
storage. The same can occur with champagne and sparkling wine.
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Start with the guest on the hosts left and work in a clockwise direction finishing
with the host.
Handout prepared by: Rob Hughes (V1 – Dec12)
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Pour all glasses from the guest’s right.
Make sure you have enough wine for all the guests. There are 5 glasses of wine in
a bottle, but if there are 6 people and only one bottle of wine, pour a little less in
each glass so that everyone has a drink. The host may then wish to order
another bottle.
When you have finished pouring, place the bottle in an ice bucket, cooler, on a
side-board or on the table according to organisational requirements.
Drape a napkin around the neck of the red wine and on the ice bucket of the
white according to organisational requirements.
Refill the wineglasses as required. Check if the guests would like more wine – do
not assume this.
When a bottle is empty, ask the host if he/she would like another of the same or
whether you should bring the wine list again.
If the same wine is ordered, it is not necessary to change the glasses, unless
requested by the host. You should still let the host taste the new bottle if he/she
wishes. It is still possible that there is a problem with the new bottle, even if the
first one was fine. If a new wine is ordered, all the glasses must be changed and
you should repeat the opening and tasting process.
Champagne and other sparkling wine
Presenting
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Ensure the champagne glasses are on the table before presenting the bottle.
Follow the same method as for presenting a bottle of wine.
Opening and pouring
Hold the bottle in your left hand (or right if you are left-handed), at about 45°, at
waist height.
Point the bottle away from customers.
Find the wire ring at the neck of the bottle and untwist.
Remove the foil and the wire cage (muselet), ensuring that you keep your thumb
on the top of the cork to stop it from popping out of the bottle.
Put the foil and muselet in your pocket.
Use a service cloth to cover and firmly hold the cork with the palm of your hand.
Hold the base of the bottle with your left (right) hand and twist the bottle and
the cork in opposite directions to loosen the cork.
The cork should ease out of the bottle gently without making a loud pop.
Place the cork in your pocket.
Wipe the lip of the bottle with the service cloth.
Allow the host to taste the champagne/sparkling wine.
Serve the other guests once the host has approved the champagne as with red or
white wine.
Place the champagne/sparkling wine in an ice bucket with the service cloth over
the ice bucket as per organisational requirements.
When you are pouring champagne, you may hold the bottle with your thumb in
the punt of the bottle and your fingers spread out to support the rest of the
bottle. This is the indentation in the bottom of the bottle. You may also pour the
champagne/sparkling wine by holding the bottle the same way as a normal bottle
of wine. Note: Never pour a bottle of wine, champagne or sparkling wine by
holding the neck of the bottle.
Handout prepared by: Rob Hughes (V1 – Dec12)
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Be careful when pouring champagne/sparkling wine, so you do not overflow the
glass. Do it slowly to let the bubbles subside.
Wine growing regions of France
Handout prepared by: Rob Hughes (V1 – Dec12)
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