Tipping in Restaurants

Aside from ordering wine in restaurants, tipping creates the most tension for diners. In America, eateries consider a tip discretionary, while in Europe, it’s automatically added to the bill. Although wait staff depend on them, a tip is a privilege, NOT a right. So if you’re demanding of your waiter, requesting substitutions or special dishes, asking about ingredients or have children with you, they work harder and should be tipped accordingly. Of course, great service should be awarded. However, if your waiter is rude, brings you the wrong order, spills something on you or is never to be found when needed, you might reconsider. As for how much to tip, do so according to your means. Cheers.

Single Vineyard Wines

Single vineyard wines are very special. This means the fruit comes from one particular plot of land, so no blending together of fruit from several properties exists. As a result, they possess more character. Why? Wines made from fruit from several vineyards mesh together characteristics of many locations and generally are more homogenous. A single vineyard wine is very unique as it echos only a specific site, soil composition and environment. They tend to be more diverse in character from year to year, as blending from several sources can iron out rough edges. Easy to recognize as the vineyard name, like Rockhill Vineyard, appears on the label, they are the ultimate expression of a particular terroir.

Barrel or Tank Samples

Ever hear of barrel or tank samples of wine? These are wines that are still in their respective fermentation and/or aging containers. In other words, they are unfinished wines where certain processes are still going on. The components are not yet harmonious, oak appears rough, and even tannins in reds can be devastatingly aggressive. Most folks don’t get to taste these as they’re very difficult to access and get a handle on. Winemakers, because it’s their job, do this regularly and can make something of them. Often journalists get to taste wines in this format as well. With more tasting experience, they can at times, project what the finished wine will be like and pass it on to the consumer.

Art in Label Design

Aside from what’s in the bottle, the label is a window to a wine’s content. Of course labeling laws dictate exactly what information has to be displayed on a wine bottle. Beyond that, it’s all about art. Millions of dollars a year are spent on label design. Graphic and fine artists are often hired to create distinctive, works of art for wines. Many, like the labels of 1^st growth, red Bordeaux, Mouton Rothschild, have become collector items and the original works of art worth a fortune. Numerous wine competitions actually have an award or medal for best label design. The truth of the matter is a poor label can negatively affect wine sales as many consumers buy their favourite imbibe by what the label looks like.