tasting wine in a restaurant ...

[tastebud]

When I'm bringing wine to a table I ask who chose it - they do the tasting.

this is how it has worked for me.
i chose last time, and tasted!
~i'm a fan of tasting before they pour you a huge glass - in case it is foul! whilst rare*, it does happen.
*you chose what you like / looks good, right!

 

[Orangesanlemons]

Err.. I never realised you could send back a wine just because you don't like it?? Are you sure about this.

Yes. Any decent place should do it without blinking. Not many people have the balls to send back wine for this reason, but it happens. I've been in the catering trade for over a decade now and you see it maybe twice, three times a week. If you keep a decent cellar it shouldn't happen too often, but the picky types who send perfectly good wine back are ALWAYS the ones who'll go back and tell thirty of their friends what a lousy time they had - it pays to induldge them. Sensible restauranteurs know this, foolish ones don't...

If the place you're in kicks up a fuss about it, then leave - you're probably in the wrong restaurant.

 

[onemonkey]

if you are paying forty quid a bottle.. you want to be damn sure the stuff is in perfect condition.. and the older the wine the more chance it really is corked..

i've sent three bottles in a row back before now.. the sommelier was dubious at first but it turned out the whole case was tainted.