Etiquette Tuesday: Split Personalities

[ 0 ] February 8, 2011 |

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Scenario:  You walk up to the bar, order a glass of pinot gris (*pinot grigio) and the bartender turns to fulfill your order.  He/she realizes that the pinot gris is low, they pour it in your glass anyhow, proceed to open another bottle of pinot gris (*same brand/company) topping your glass off with this bottle.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

Ok, not that dramatic but let’s use this Etiquette Tuesday to tell you a little thing about wine.  Wine has multiple personalities which means no two bottles are the same (*Thanks to FrenchTwist DC for the quickie wine lessons over brunch circa last weekend).  When you mix the two, patrons really cannot appreciate the flavors of the first bottle.   Another reason this is a bad idea is what if the first bottle has been sitting out for a few days?? On the flip side, the bartender/sommelier should be paying close attention to this but it’s always good to go in with a little knowledge of your own.

If you are not picky, then enjoy the split personalities.  If, however, you’re seeking a true connoisseur title then it never hurts to ask “How long has the bottle been open?” and/or “Actually, do you have a bottle of red that has not been opened?”  No need to settle for less especially when they’re selling $20 (retail) bottles of wine at $8 a glass…Cheers!

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Category: Food.Fun.Stuff.

About the Author ()

Johnna French is a Harlem NY native with deep roots in Panama, Washington, DC and North Carolina. All four places have heavily influenced her life and the foods she loves today. After graduating Howard University School of Law and beginning her life as a young professional in the city she was led to start Johnna Knows Good Food in November 2007 to keep family, friends and colleagues updated on where to go and what to eat while dining in the nation’s capitol. French, who still practices law, leads a team of three writers to cover the ever expanding Washington, DC food scene. French has been featured in print and television, appearing in Washingtonian Magazine and is a regular contributor to various local TV affiliates including WUSA 9, FOX 5 DC and WJLA (ABC Affiliate) News Channel 8. During the 2016-2017 football season, Johnna aired on Comcast Sports Mid-Atlantic (CSN) show, Redskins Life, as the weekly tailgate host. Johnna is currently a regular contributor to the FOX Baltimore Weekend morning show.

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