If you didn’t take a picture of a bottle of wine, did you even drink it? In the era of sharing flex Burgundies and unicorn natural wines on social media, sometimes it feels like the answer is no. But outside of posting that bottle of DRC you tried one-tenth of a sip of, there are a lot of reasons why a diner might want to snap a photo of the wine they’re drinking. Maybe they’re enamored by a new discovery and want to remember the label for future purchases, or perhaps they just hope to capture the memory of a great night out. But at a high-end restaurant, is it rude to ask the sommelier for help getting the perfect shot? VinePair tapped Libby Winters, sommelier at NYC’s Midtown haunt The Grill, to share some etiquette on taking photos at the table.
Winters is a proponent of diners recording the bottles they love, particularly as a great way to remember what they tried and learn more about wine. “I think it’s fine for guests to take pictures of the bottles they order,” she says. “The fanciness of the restaurant shouldn’t dissuade the guest from taking a picture. If you want to remember the bottle, go for it!” So unless the restaurant has any clear rules stating photography isn’t permitted, diners should feel comfortable asking to take a photo of the bottle.
That said, there are some ground rules to keep in mind so your small-scale photoshoot doesn’t disrupt the dinner service. At higher-end establishments, wine service can be like a well-rehearsed dance. So what’s the best time to ask for a pic without breaking up the routine? Winters suggests the optimal moment is after the wine has been ordered and the bottle is being presented to the table. “The somm is literally standing there showing you the bottle to get your approval, so the shot is kind of perfectly set up for you,” she points out.
Don’t worry if you miss that moment, though, Winters suggests that it’s fine to ask the somm to see the bottle again at any point of the service as long as it’s not clearly putting them in an uncomfortable position. “As long as you’re not making someone pour one-handed out of a 3-liter bottle in an attempt to get an action shot, you should be fine,” she adds. Just pick a time where they don’t seem overly busy or ask to keep the bottle on the table so you can pose it just right.
What if the sommelier never presents the bottle in the first place? When ordering wines by the glass, the wine is often poured behind the scenes, so guests are just met with a glass or carafe at the table. In this case, Winters suggests it’s perfectly acceptable to ask the server to bring over the bottle.
“When I’m a guest, I’m disappointed when the wine is poured somewhere else and not in front of me without allowing me to taste it first,” she says. “Not because I’m worried they’re pouring the wrong wine or trying to trick me, just because seeing the bottle and the label and getting to taste and smell the wine before it’s poured are all a part of the enjoyment of a glass of wine. Don’t deprive me of the theater of it!”
If you let your somm know you’re hoping to grab a photo of the wine, most servers will be accommodating. It’s a good rule of thumb to always be mindful of the somm’s time — it’s not their job to model the bottle for 10 minutes while you try to find the right angle.
*Image retrieved from M-Production via stock.adobe.com
The article Ask a Somm: Is It Rude to Take a Picture of the Bottle I Ordered? appeared first on VinePair.