Asimov Talks Wine Service

Resident favorite New York wine writer and all around entertaining guy Eric Asimov, of the NY Times' The Pour, has a passionate and dare-I-say a little finicky blog post up on The Times website lamenting poor wine service in restaurants. Mr. Asimov has a predisposition towards rants of this sort, and I have to say that there a big part of why I enjoy his blog so much. Granted, I don't have anywhere close to the same ferocity in my opinions of how wine is served to me, but it sure is fun to read about his opinions. If you've ever been frustrated with the pacing and pours of your favorite restaurant, this is a must read.

From The Pour:

What especially annoys me is when I’m asked repeatedly – which amounts to being urged — to order the wine before I’ve had a chance to look at the menu or before I’ve had a chance to discuss it. This happens more than you might think and always conveys the idea of the hard sell, of a restaurant pushing the profit-making wine and beverage program in an effort to maximize your consumption and their bottom line. No doubt, this is accompanied by the eager hand of the waiter who will not stop pouring your bottle until you’ve consumed half of it before you’ve even received any food.