How to Properly Serve Wine in a Restaurant

For a restaurant, wine service is one of the key elements of impeccable service. It’s not enough to simply bring the bottle out of the cellar: there are specific rituals for presentation and service. Serving temperature, glass selection, presentation: Les Grappes offers some tips on how to serve wine the right way.

Serve the wine at the right temperature

Always make sure to serve your wines at the right temperature: it’s an essential part of providing quality service. And while there’s no one-size-fits-all rule, each type of wine has its own ideal serving temperature:

• Champagne: approximately 8°C
• Rich and opulent white wines: between 11 and 14°C
• Dry white wines: between 9 and 11°C
• Sweet or dessert white wines: between 10 and 12°C
• Rosé wines: between 9 and 12°C
• Light red wines such as Beaujolais or Gamay: between 12 and 15°C
• Full-bodied red wines such as Bordeaux or powerful red wines: between 16 and 18°C

Be careful—we often tend to serve wine too warm! Make sure to bring it to room temperature, but no higher than 18°C. It’s better to serve wine a little too cold than too warm, since it will naturally warm up by a few degrees depending on the room temperature. Also keep in mind that contact with the glass can warm the wine by 2 to 3°C.

Choosing lenses

It goes without saying: you wouldn't serve a fine wine in a water glass! In restaurants, clear, colorless stemmed glasses are used to showcase the wine's color. The glass must be spotless.

The size and volume of wine glasses vary depending on the type of wine being served, as well as the wine-growing region. In fact, certain regions have their own specific glass shapes (Bordeaux, Burgundy, Alsace, Champagne, etc.). If you’d rather keep it simple, consider the universal model used for wine tasting: the INAO glass.

Presenting the bottle at the table: the proper etiquette

Before serving wine, you must present it at the table. This begins with bringing the bottle to your guests. Keep in mind that you’ll need to adapt how you serve it based on the type of wine you’re serving:

• For red wine, the bottle should be kept upright: it should be transported on a metal coaster or a plate.
• As for white wines, place the bottle in a bucket and fill it halfway with ice and water. Place the bucket on a plate while transporting it.

When you arrive at your guests’ table, place the tray on the side table, then present the bottle(s) of wine to the person who placed the order. Clearly identify the bottles and present them with the label facing the guest, standing to their right. For white wines, it is customary to remove the bottle from the bucket, let it drip dry, and present it without wiping it. Return it to the bucket to proceed with opening it.

When presenting a wine, you should state the appellation, the name of the wine, the vintage, and any classification, as well as the name of the wine merchant, château, or producer.

Dining Room Service: Rules to Follow

Always open all ordered bottles at the start of service: the wine should be served before the dish it is meant to accompany. After opening the bottle, let the person who ordered it taste the wine and wait for their approval before serving the other customers. Don’t forget to pour another glass for the person who tasted the wine, so they have a full glass.

When serving, you should traditionally stand to the customer’s right, holding the bottle firmly in your hand and taking care never to obscure the label. If you are serving white wine, fill the glass one-third full; if you are serving red wine, fill the glass halfway. Once the wine has been poured, rotate the bottle and raise it. Once the neck has been wiped clean, you may serve the next guest.

It’s also important to remember to refill guests’ glasses during the meal: be sure to pour another round of wine before clearing the plates. Glasses should never be empty—that’s a service faux pas.