Ask the Wine Geek February 2007

Q. Most wine prices in restaurants seem really high. How do I avoid being ripped off?

A. Dining out should be about relaxing in a warm, lively atmosphere while enjoying great food and wine with friends—not stressing out over high wine mark-ups. How to avoid sticker shock? The best strategy is to stop by a few restaurants and ask to see wine lists before booking a reservation. But few of us have that sort of time. In that case:

• Scan the entire wine list before making your selection.
• Avoid house wines—most are of poor quality and shamefully overpriced.
• Wines by the glass are often marked up the most. When the amount makes sense, buy a bottle instead.
• If you’re the one ordering the wine, beware of sneaky waiters. Some will keep your glass constantly full but mysteriously run out of wine when filling others. This puts the pressure on you either to order another bottle or to look like a wine hog.

Most important, keep in mind that wine-savvy restaurants with extensive cellars and expert staff are much more deserving of higher wine prices than those that don’t know Pinot from peanuts.

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