What wine to order in a restaurant
Ordering wine in a restaurant makes a lot of people anxious. The list is long, the prices are high, and nobody wants to get it wrong in front of other people. Here is how to approach it without stress.
Start with the food
The most important decision is matching the wine to what you are eating, not picking the most impressive bottle. A great wine badly matched to the food is a waste of money. The basic principle is weight matching — light dishes with lighter wines, rich dishes with fuller wines. Beyond that, think about acidity, spice, and fat.
How to read a wine list
Most wine lists are organised by region. Within each region, wines are typically listed from lightest to heaviest. If you are eating fish, look at the top of the white wine section. If you are eating steak, look at the heavier reds. When you see a wine you do not recognise, that is often a good sign — it means the restaurant is not just stocking the obvious names and the wine may represent real value.
Ask the sommelier or waiter
Good restaurants want you to enjoy the wine and will give honest recommendations. Tell them what you are eating and your budget — be specific about the budget. Say something like "we are spending around £50 on the wine" and they will point you to the right options.
Use Pour
Pour was built for exactly this situation. Take a photo of the wine list, type in what you are eating, and Pour gives you one confident recommendation — including the best value option on the list and what to avoid. No scrolling, no second-guessing. You will have your answer in seconds.
Take a photo of the wine list. Tell Pour what you are eating. Get one confident answer.
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