Still Wine Service
Still Wine Service
Section titled “Still Wine Service”
Still wine service is the backbone of the practical exam, and it is the sequence you will repeat more than any other on the floor. It looks simple from the guest’s chair, which is exactly the point: every motion has been rehearsed until it disappears. Below is the standard sequence a Court candidate is expected to perform cleanly, in order, while carrying on conversation and answering questions.
The sequence, start to finish
Section titled “The sequence, start to finish”- Present the bottle to the host. Approach from the host’s right where possible. Hold the bottle so the label faces the guest and state the producer, wine, vintage, and appellation. This lets the host confirm it is the wine they ordered before you open it.
- Set up your station. Place your bottle on a coaster or the table, retrieve your service napkin, and have your waiter’s key ready. Everything you touch should be clean.
- Cut the foil. Cut below the second lip of the bottle for a clean, level edge, rotating the knife rather than the bottle. Remove the cap of foil and pocket it in your service napkin or apron — never leave it on the table.
- Wipe the lip and cork top. Wipe the exposed cork and the bottle rim with your napkin to remove dust or mold before the corkscrew enters.
- Extract the cork. Insert the worm slightly off-center, drive it straight down leaving one spiral showing, and lever the cork out smoothly. Ease the final portion out by hand so it releases quietly, without a pop. Twist the cork off the worm.
- Present and inspect the cork. Place the cork on the table to the host’s right. Wipe the inside of the neck with your napkin to remove any residue.
- Pour the host’s taste. Pour a small taste (roughly an ounce to an ounce and a half) for the host. Give the bottle a slight twist as you finish the pour to catch the last drop, and wipe the lip. Wait for the host’s approval before serving the table.
- Serve the table. Once approved, serve guests from the right, moving around the table. Traditional order serves women before men and the host last, though many rooms now simply serve guests in a logical sequence and finish with the host. Fill white wine glasses to roughly one-third and reds to just under a third — never above the widest point of the bowl.
- Place the bottle and manage the pour. Set the bottle to the host’s right, label facing the guest. Return to top up glasses as needed through the meal, and offer to decant or move the bottle as appropriate.
Portions, sides, and glassware
Section titled “Portions, sides, and glassware”Fill levels matter because wine needs air and room to swirl; a glass filled to the brim signals amateur service and kills aroma. Pour whites and lighter reds a touch cooler, and remember that the glass, not the bottle, sets the temperature the guest experiences. Serve and clear from the guest’s right when the layout allows, and keep your thumb off the bowl of the glass — handle stemware by the stem or base only.
Where candidates lose points
Section titled “Where candidates lose points”- Turning the bottle instead of the knife when cutting foil, or cutting above the lip so wine runs over torn foil.
- A loud pop on the cork, which signals lost control.
- Overpouring, or pouring the host’s approval taste too large.
- Letting a drip run down the bottle because they forgot the finishing twist and wipe.
- Reaching across a guest instead of moving to the correct side.
Practice this week
Section titled “Practice this week”Open real bottles, not empties — the resistance of a live cork is part of the skill. Run the full sequence out loud while a partner plays the host, then add a question mid-pour to practice keeping your hands moving while you talk. The goal is a sequence so grooved that your attention is free for the guest, which is what separates correct service from hospitable service.