[RedRoseSAI]

NO: Shots of any kind.
Anything straight from the bottle.
White Zinfandel.
Wine Spritzers.
Amaretto Sours, Long Island Iced Tea, Sex on the Beach, Tequilla Sunrises, Mudslides, Alabama Slammers, Fuzzy Navels, or anything else with a cute name. For that matter, don't order anything you may have drunk in college.

QUESTIONABLE: Rum and coke, vodka cranberry, apple martinis, cosmopolitains, screwdrivers, and anything else that's super sweet or brightly colored. The exception to this is if you're in a themed restaurant. There's nothing wrong with ordering a margarita at a mexican place.

YES:
My job is similar to yours, although I don't get to travel internationally. I understand meeting with clients and higher-ups over drinks and dinner. You want to order something sophisticated and unfussy. That means no drinks that come in bright colors, huge glasses, or require explanation to the bartender. I like gin, so my "usual" is Tanqueray and tonic. It's classic, straightforward, and really hard to screw up. Bombay and tonic is a good alternative. A similar drink would be my friend's favorite, Grey Goose vodka on the rocks with a twist of lemon ("Grey Goose, rocks, twist"). If hard alcohol isn't your thing, order some wine BUT NOT WHITE ZINFANDEL! A lot of people still think of champagne as a prelude to celebration/romance, so you might want to stay away from that. If you don't want to drink alcohol, sparkling water and a lime is a good choice.

BTW, if you do end up ordering a drink that refers to a brand name of hard alcohol, make sure it's a better brand. No one requests a Popov and soda. That may sound snobby, but keep in mind you're trying to impress.

Order wine with dinner. Drinking hard alcohol with your meal will dull your tastebuds, whereas the right wine will enhance the flavor of your food.

After dinner is a bit more flexible. At that point, generally no one will care if you order a Godiva martini.