When ordering wine....you should consider quality above all. There have been Napa Valley reds that have scored higher in many tastings in regions in France. People that know good wines....know good wines. You are going to look like an idiot if you order some shitty bottle simply because it is native to where you are.

If the man is any kind of gentleman....he should order the bottle that is appropriate, so you shouldn't have to worry about it.

If you are in a situation where you would order wine by the glass instead of the bottle I suggest picking a variety of red you like (i.e. merlot, pinot noir, shiraz) then you can typically just request a glass of that variety and you won't have to ponder the wine list looking for something you've heard of.

When in doubt take your queue from what your customer orders as they are probably from the area and should be familiar with the customs.

Don't order wine if you try it and really hate it. Screwing up your face in distaste as you swallow is not sophisticated. :)

If you like beer, get a beer that comes from wherever you are. (Don't get Miller Lite) I think the days of beer = fat dudes on the couch scratching themselves while football is on are pretty much over. But I wouldn't not get beer just because you don't think it's "sophisticated." The most sophisticated thing is to be confident. :)

I'm not saying Stoli Razz does. They were separate paragraphs. I was commenting that Amaretto Sour is not what I considered sophisticated. The paragraph about my drink preference was just that - what I prefer. However I will say I think Grey Goose Orange and soda sounds more sophisticated than an Amaretto Sour when someone asks you what you are drinking.

Probably really depends on you. I drink more than one glass with dinner/water whatever and you can definitely see it on my lips and teeth. My best friend is the same way. My husband on the other hand could drink a bottle with nothing else and you'd never know it (His skin is darker and his teeth more yellow so perhaps that's why). So if I was in the situation I wouldn't be "fine". Also, just because you are drinking in moderation and "on your game" doesn't mean that accidents don't happen. You'll look like much more of an ass with red wine on your blouse than white.

I don't attend too many business dinners, but my husband does all the time. His boss is a wine aficianado so takes care of all the ordering and it is often red. Of course I know many deals are made over red wine :rolleyes:

After re-reading the original post it seems these are dinners, but when she mentioned what to order I assumed a bottle of wine at the table wasn't an option. I was thinking it was more of a bar situation.

Of course, if you've never had beaujolais then it's probably not a good idea to order it so knowing how to pronounce it might be a moot point.

I was about to make the same suggestion! Although you may not have to be in the French-speaking region of the world to have it-I had one in Germany while out to dinner. :P

I know we had it in Paris at the Greek restaurant we went to, and it was wonderful (in fact, I brought a bottle of black current home with me:) ), but I wasn't sure how wide-spread in Europe it was.

Didn't see this mentioned, but besides taking the lead from your customers/coworkers when ordering drinks, you could also ask a customer to recommend something for you. Even in just a casual way. You could also be more specific and ask them to recommend a mixed drink or a beer or a wine. Same for asking the bartender/publican or your server. That way you'd try some local favorites, and I think it presents you in a positive light.

All red wine specifics aside (obv I'm more in the boat of your husband) . . .

Fair enough - my point was more in line w/ the second paragraph than the first. No need to roll your eyes - I was asking whether you had much experience, or whether your field is different from mine . . . I'm not lampooning your intelligence or anything, so leave the guard down.

In reality, however, wine is still a perfectly proper choice in a bar situation without dinner. Assuming your business meeting occurs in a relatively nice bar, it should have enough of a wine menu to take care of what you need by the glass, or you can split the bottle.

I think it was clear that I was using this as an example of attaining a little bit of knowledge, rather than feeling that was the specific knowledge to have. You're of course correct, but that's exactly my point - put in the effort to learn, and you'll be both far more comfortable in the situation and less likely to commit a faux pas.

Comfort is incredibly important, and comes with knowledge and experience.

A good point, although many people don't know very much about specific vintages and vinyards. Learn what you like about wine, and ask for suggestions based on that. For instance, I don't like very tannic reds, which means that I gravitate towards red zins and pinor noir. There's nothing wrong with asking "What do you recommend in a brighter red?" or "I'm looking for a drier white wine - which is your favorite?"

Wow everyone! Thanks so much for all of your responses. I had totally forgotten that I asked this question.

So I see that I will be just fine as long as I stick to white zinfandel, tequila shots and amaretto sours!

Just kidding!

Seriously, thanks, you've given me a lot of options and brought up issues I didn't really consider.

Jaeger straight = YUCK Jaeger bombs = tasty goodness

First, understand that a lot of the drinks you may have loved in college (Jello Shots and that kind of thing come to mind), are pretty much "beginners" drinks -- and kind of trite.

Look at a bartenders guide and maybe try a couple of traditional drinks and see what you like.

I don't think you'll ever go wrong (socially) with a martini, gin and tonic, Manhattan, Scotch, Bourbon or other drink that any mixologist in the world will understand -- not just somebody at a college bar.

Oh, and avoid anything with little paper umbrellas in them.

As an aside, it great to watch a real mixologist at work. Someone who is a career bartender and knows how to make something more than throwing in a shot and adding something fizzy.

Any true fratter knows that the only acceptable drinks are Bourbon neat/rocks, Scotch near/rocks, Mint Juleps, Bloody Marys, Gin and Tonics, and Southern Sunrises.

I was with you until there. What the hell is a Southern Sunrise?

Early morning pre game drink. Orange Juice, Grenadine, Lemon Juice, Southern Comfort, Mint.

and if you are out of southern comfort, any old off the shelf cough syrup will do.

I like Gin and Tonic.

no.

I think I'd forget about that one is a business setting -- unless you're going to a citrus growers convention.

Absolutely, as I said, this is for early morning tailgates and before football games. Good alternative to a screwdriver or a bloody mary.

I do too. Most girls I know hate it though.

Great summer drink.

Vodka, lemon ade, splash of Grenedine and a Marachino Cherry as a garnish!

MMMM!


Refreshing!!!!:)

Watch out for Manhattans unless you don't plan on using that tongue/taste buds later. They are extremely strong.

Plus when you're drinking things like G & Ts where the taste of the alcohol isn't covered up, you want to make sure they're using GOOD stuff, not the bottom shelf crap.

I work in hi-tech, too, and do a lot of international shows. Do not order a glass of champagne or champagne drink. You will look like a little girl. It's a different story if your event director orders a bottle.

A vodka drink, martini or wine is fine. Try a flavored coffee at dessert, if you would like. If you're in Spain, give the sangria a whirl. And when in Rome, do as the Romans do. You might mimic another colleague and order the same drink as s/he. This will clue you in to when it is ok to drink pina coladas (Rio) or beer (Germany). Avoid the umbrella drinks and mudslides unless you have a cue from your director to partake in those froofy drinks because s/he is, too.

As mentioned, don't overdo it. You still have a 7 AM call time the next morning and have to be on the floor and presentable for the next 12 hours. I tend to stick to a glass of red wine or order a diet coke or sparkling water when I'm on travel. To me, a show is not the time to relax with drinks after a long day-- because the next day of the show is going to be even harder if I do.