Expert trick to 'navigate' wine menu at restaurant - and order best value bottle

14 February 2023 , 14:00

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Expert trick to 'navigate' wine menu at restaurant - and order best value bottle

Many couples will be heading out tonight to celebrate Valentine's Day in style with a slap-up meal and some drinks in a candlelight setting for two.

But some may hit a snag when it comes to choosing the perfect bottle or glass of wine to accompany their romantic feast.

If you struggle to know which wine to order from the menu and which will pair best with your food, then you're in luck, as an expert has shared his top tips with The Mirror.

Carlos Santos, the Wine and Operations Manager for Humble Grape explained the key thing to remember when ordering wine and shared if it's ok to just go for the cheapest option available.

Carlos Santos shared his top wine tips with The Mirror (Courtney Pochin/ Daily Mirror)

"When choosing a bottle of wine from a menu in a restaurant, the most important thing to remember is that you don't have to necessarily choose the most expensive wine to ensure you're getting a great one," he said.

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"It is ok to order the cheapest wine on the menu because the best wine in the world is the one that you like."

The expert went on to explain where on the wine menu you'll find the best value bottles.

"A good rule of thumb for navigating a wine list is to look at the second or third wines down from the top, as these are going to be the best value wines," he continued.

"They won't necessarily be cheapest or the most expensive, but those that sit second or third are usually great value for your money."

And if you're still not sure what to go for, Carlos urges people to chat to the restaurant's sommelier.

"Very often on the restaurant floor, people can be a little shy when talking about what they like and don't like, but nobody in the world loves talking about wine more than sommeliers. If you ask us about wine, we will talk about wine until the cows come home," he explained.

"Before ordering your wine, talk to your sommelier, tell them which wines you've had recently that you've loved and which ones you didn't like, and that will help them find a wine that is suitable for you."

But if for some reason you end up not liking the wine you've picked, there's a very simple solution, according to the expert.

He added: "Have a frank conversation with the sommelier and explain why you did not like that wine.

"In most cases, unless you have requested that the restaurant open a very expensive bottle of wine, the restaurant will take the bottle back and sell it by the glass to other customers and let you choose a different bottle of wine."

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Courtney Pochin