Wine: Medical and Domestic Etiquette

The Babylonians, Persians, and Jews as well as the Greeks, Romans and Gauls, made wine from grapes. The Bible frequently refers to wine made from grapes for ceremonials and domestic use and advises, “Take a little wine for your stomach’s sake and thine infirmities.” The ancient Britons made wine by diluting honey with water and fermenting the mixture, this they called Mead and it was a very potent alcoholic beverage. 

From the earliest traditions and recorded history of mankind, in far flung sections of the earth, fermented wines have been used in religious ceremonies, festivals, as beverage in the home, the wine shops and as a vehicle for the administration of medical agents; and these uses persist to the present time. The juice of grapes, fruits, berries, some vegetables, grains, honey and the milk of animals have by the process of fermentation been converted into wine and to enumerate the kinds, varieties and qualities of these products would fill quite a book. 

The Egyptians, four to five thousand years ago, made wine and a kind of beer from grain. The Babylonians, Persians, and Jews as well as the Greeks, Romans and Gauls, made wine from grapes. The Bible frequently refers to wine made from grapes for ceremonials and domestic use and advises, “Take a little wine for your stomach’s sake and thine infirmities.” The ancient Britons made wine by diluting honey with water and fermenting the mixture, this they called Mead and it was a very potent alcoholic beverage. The bulk of wine made by the ancients was crude and of very inferior quality, except in alcoholic strength, the grapes being crushed by the unclean feet of slaves, also their facilities for clarifying, storing and preserving their wine was negligible, skins of animals and pottery jugs being freely used. The Bible mentions “Treading the wine press.” 

It was the custom in those days at feasts to eat the best food and drink the choicest wines first, then when the revelers were sated with food and elated with wine they would continue the Saturnalia by eating and drinking any old thing, no doubt to complete unconsciousness. The Bible is authority for the foregoing observation for when the supply of wine was exhausted at the wedding feast in Cana. Jesus by a miracle, converted water into wine and some of the guests complained that the best wine had been saved to the last, which to them was a grave error of etiquette. 

Bacchus the god of wine is famed in song and story and held a high place in the esteem of many ancient peoples. The ancients also recognized the advantages and disadvantages of the use of wine, for even in those days they had rabid prohibitionists, for in another passage in the Bible it says “Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth its color in the cup, at the last it biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an adder”. No doubt having reference to the excessive consumption of the crude wine in use at that time. The men of those days must have been vigorous, hardy souls and those who lived were truly survivors of the fittest. 

To make good wine requires knowledge, skill, adequate facilities for crushing, fermenting, clarifying, storing, aging, and distribution; especially when dry or naturally fermented wines are considered. Wine for medical and domestic use should be at least three years old, as it is at its best from three to seven years of age, after which time no matter how it is kept it is deteriorating, developing acids and aldehydes that spoil its protection. We moderns have both red and white wines of various qualities, depending upon the sugar content (standards and alcoholic strengths, of the grapes, which in turn is influenced by soil, moisture, sunshine, seasonal variations as well as by localities, and varieties of grapes all of which influence the finished product. 

Champagne, the aristocrat of all wine, and sparkling burgundy must not be overlooked as they fill a definite place in the category of wines. Little need be said about their use at table but champagne deserves mention for its medical properties. When a person is low in spirits and especially the morning after a night before, a glass of champagne (frappe) will clear the cobwebs from the brain, steady the nerves, settle the stomach and remove that dark brown taste so familiar to those who over eat and drink at the festive board. Following a surgical operation where an anesthetic has been given, there is nothing like small doses of champagne frequently repeated to bring order out of chaos and help the patient to recover. 

For a rundown condition with a jaded appetite where a good boost is needed, the sparkling wines can be depended on to play an important role. Sweet or fortified wines are extensively used, but it is the opinion of the author from years of observation that dry wines are superior for medical and domestic use. Good wine contains water, vegetable matter, minerals, including iron, vitamins, acids, esters, and alcohol. When perfectly clarified it should be free from sediment, have a perfect bouquet and flavor. 

Before wine is bottled it should be at least three years old and after corking should be stored, cork down, in a dark place with an even cool temperature, otherwise it will spoil. Wine keeps best when stored underground. Taken in moderation with food, wine is refrigerant, stimulant, tonic, nutritive, it improves appetite, aids digestion, assimilation and elimination. It helps build up the blood, increasing its iron and hemoglobin, in simple anemias and aids to bodily well being. If we Americans would use wine with our noon and evening meals or even with our heartiest meal once daily, it would promote good health, add enjoyment to our food as well as years to our lives, besides being conducive to sobriety. A good way to enjoy wine with meals is to dilute it one-half with plain water, although some prefer it as nature made it, full of strength. Red wine is a better tonic and builder than white wine, as it is richer in organic iron. 

To serve wine correctly so as to be able to appreciate its aroma and delicate flavor, it should be chilled and not ruined with cracked ice in the glass or mixed with carbonated water. To properly appreciate wine, it should first be held up to the light to observe its clearness and color, then deliberately smelled to get its fine aroma, or bouquet, in this way the olfactory nerves send a reflex impulse to the organs of taste and digestion stimulating them to action and then when the wine is slowly sipped its wonderful qualities are brought out and realized. 

White wine goes well with salads, fish, entrees and some fowl, while red wines are appropriate for red meats, heavy greasy foods and conglomerate mixtures. From one glass to one pint per day should be a fair average to be consumed without producing alcoholism, although some may prefer a little more, but wine like all other good things can be overdone. To those who do not care to buy more expensive bottled wines, the art of bottling ones own wine is an economical way to provide good wine for the table. In California some of the finest wines in the world are produced. – By W.C. Shipley, MD, for the Healdsburg Tribune, Enterprise and Scimitar, 1939

 🍽Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia

Italian Place-Setting Etiquette for Wines

A semi-formal place setting example from the new Italian etiquette book, by Petra Carsetti and Carlo Cambi,
“GalaTime: it is always time for good manners”!

Taking as a reference the arrangement assumed by sommeliers (now more in vogue and certainly more used today) it must be specified that the water glass is placed in front of the tip of the main knife because it is a simple tumbler and has no stem: a low glass (that's why in the front row) which will be followed by the second-order glasses of service, starting therefore from those for the white and then for the reds (gradually more and more structured). 

In this case, in order to better enhance the organoleptic properties of the wines and their scents, glasses of different shapes and sizes are set, both for whites and reds such as tulip or balloon (the latter must be placed at the table at the time of serving the specific wine and not before). If you follow the rules of the sommelier, the “battery” of the glasses should be made up of at least six different containers for the wine (which must not be set all together but with a maximum of 3 glasses.) – Translated from “Galatime,” by Petra Carsetti and Carlo Cambi

Petra Carsetti was born into a gastronomic minded family… true lovers of excellent foods and wines. From an early age she showed a great passion for the table, which she later developed by working in important, well-known Italian restaurants. Since 2005, she has written many books on food and wine, along with guides to Italian restaurants, specializing also in galateo and etiquette at the Accademia Italiana Galateo and ANCEP (the Association of Ceremonialists for Public Institute). She teaches etiquette in schools to adults and children, is a consultant for various political and economic authorities, and she has a weekly column in a historic newspaper. She also writes for various other newspapers, and in September she will come out with her new book, “GalaTime: it is always time for good manners”!

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia

Milk Etiquette... Like Fine Wine

Diplomats, you know, set great store by protocol and other social niceties. And wine drinking is steeped in ritual, tradition and formality. Milk-drinking, on the other hand, has almost no etiquette of its own.
— Photo, Etiquipedia’s private library

Develop Milk Protocol To Rival Wine Niceties

WASHINGTON (UPI) - At President Johnson’s suggestion, U. S. ambassadors recently began serving mostly American wines, rather than foreign vintages, at dinners and receptions overseas. Let us now hear from Rep. Samuel S. Stratton. D-N.Y., whose home district includes both vineyards and dairy farms. In his weekly newsletter, Stratton commended to the attention of the State Department the product of the little old winemakers in his consituency. “Drink Finger Lakes.” he urged. Then, in deference to the cowmen, he added. “I can't help wondering if perhaps the quality of our international diplomacy might not have been enhanced if more milk had been consumed .” Stratton may have a point there, but I rather doubt that milk will become a beverage of diplomacy until something is done about its image. 

Indulge in Niceties 

Diplomats, you know, set great store by protocol and other social niceties. And wine drinking is steeped in ritual, tradition and formality. Milk-drinking, on the other hand, has almost no etiquette of its own. You just slop some of the stuff into a big jelly glass and gulp it down. The first thing to do is to stop delivering milk in thick glass jugs and unesthetic paper cartons. It should be poured from crystal decanters by candlelight. A different milk should be served with each course: skim milk with the salad, homogenized with the entree and buttermilk with dessert. With each in a different type of goblet. The skims and wholes are preferable chilled, but the buttermilks, both cultured and churned, should be served at room temperature. 

Develop Connoisseurs 

The next thing to do is develop milk connoisseurs — experts who can discuss in esoteric lingo the bouquet, texture and flavor of individual milks and identify their backgrounds. The conversations should go something like this: “I believe you will find this next buttermilk interesting. It can hardly be called ‘noble,’ of course, but you have to admire its spirit.” ‘‘Ah, yes, it has a spunky quality that is almost presumptuous. Judging from the tang, which is a bit on the mellow side. I’d say that it came from a 3-year-old Guernsey who grazes on clover on the shady side of a hill 45 miles northwest of Madison. Wis.” Once these criteria have been met, and a little alcohol is added, milk will be well on its way toward winning diplomatic recognition. — From ‘Dick West Reports,’ 1965

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia

Australian Winery Etiquette and More

The natural oils from our fingers, or residue from having eaten finger foods, can leave fingerprints, so it’s best to always hold the stem of the glass. Ladies who wear lipstick can leave marks on the glass. Wetting your lips before drinking can prevent lipstick marks.

Etiquette for Your Wine Glass

Wine glasses need to be held at the base of the stem between your thumb, forefinger and middle finger. Your other fingers will naturally rest between the bowl and base.

Never hold the bowl of the wine glass as you will heat up your wine.

Small sips of wine are recommended.

The natural oils from our fingers, or residue from having eaten finger foods, can leave fingerprints, so it’s best to always hold the stem of the glass.

Ladies who wear lipstick can leave marks on the glass. Wetting your lips before drinking can prevent lipstick marks. If this is difficult, then drinking from the same stained area is advisable.

Serving Wine to Guests

You can tie a napkin around the wine bottle you are serving. This will stop the drips on the table linen or even the guests and to make sure the bottle will not slip through your hands due to condensation.

If you are the host or hostess, you will be serving your guests from their right sides. As the hostess or host, you will ensure that everyone’s glass is filled.

The rule of thumb when pouring, is to pour below half a glass (100-125ml or around 4 liquid ounces) of wine each time. At a restaurant, this should be done by your server, who will make sure that your glasses always have wine in them.

Wine Regions of Australia 

“The first grapevine planting material arrived in Australia with white settlement in 1788.” according to the Department of Primary Industries, Queensland Horticulture Institute. The process of planting, harvesting and drinking of wines has never stopped from that time forward. A report released by Wine Australia, cites that “Australia in 2018 alone produced 1.29 tonnes of wine produced 852 million litres made its way overseas, whilst 496 million litres remained for the Australian consumer. This meant that 33 million glasses of Australian wine enjoyed worldwide everyday.” Amazing facts and figures!

So where are the biggest producers of wine in Australia today?

South Australia: 
South Australia enjoys a warm climate. The region is known for: Chardonnay, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Shiraz

New South Wales: 
Also enjoying a warm climate, New South Wales, is known for: Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Shiraz and Viognier.

Victoria: 
Victoria, with three different climate zones is a varied climate. Victoria is known for: Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Chardonnay, Cabernet, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Sangiovese, Pinot Gris, Nebbiolo & Fortified Wines

Smaller Wine Producers in Australia

Western Australia:
Western Australia has a warmer climate. The region is known for: Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Riesling.


Tasmania: 
Known for its cooler climate, it’s also known for: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling.

Winery Etiquette

A day out to a winery can be the most relaxing and relished experience that a friend, partner or work can take you to. It is a time to share, experience, saviour and talkabout. Winerys over time have become the showman, letting you graze on their wines and some have expanded to opening restaurants and featuring only their wines with local produce! Simply chic and an immersive experience.

At the Cellar Door

Here are a few pointers when stepping through the cellar door.


Before arriving understand your alcohol limit. Going to too many winerys will become a blur and your tongue will need a holiday. Perhaps eat first before trying a bevvy of drinks.


Do a good amount of research on the winerys that appeal to you. If you are only a white wine drinker then search for a recommended matching winery. If you are coming with friends then discuss your likes and dislikes and map out the winerys that everyone will be able to enjoy.


Dress appropriately with a little glam. Winery regions are located in cool climates. Recommended are flat shoes or wedges, as the winery grounds tend to be gravel, compacted soil or grass. Bigger and popular cellar doors will have paving stones or concrete. Leave perfumes and aftershaves at home, it will affect your smelling senses come wine tasting. Lathering your lips with lipstick can also affect the senses and leave lipstick marks on the glass that may not easily wash off.


Upon arriving, smile and greet the staff, they will understand straight away that you're ready to taste their products.


If there is a large crowd at the tastings, dont push in to get to the front. Go out and walk about the grounds of the winery, take selfies in the vineyard or even move onto the next winery on your map. Pushing yourself to the front will be noticed, in Australia, you may not be served.


The winery may offer free tastings or you may have to pay a small fee, that fee could be waived if you eat later at their in-house restaurant. When you are offered a tasting, go with the tasting order, (or indicate which wines you only like or really want to test). The tasting order will start with whites, rosé to reds and end with fortified wines. You may be given a sheet to mark the wines you enjoyed or didn't quite like. You can either swallow the wine or there will be a spittoon. Don't hesitate to use the spittoon, it is there for a good reason. You may want to have a tissue in readiness for you after you have spat the excess wine.

Some wineries have bookings for a detailed explanation of their wines, processes, viticulture, history and food matching. I fully recommend this type of booking. You will be attended to in a quiet corner and have access to wines that are not for general tasting. Perhaps as part of their paid booking you will receive a tasting plate of local produce that matches their wines during the wine experience.

Staff are trained to speak positively about the wines they present. Saying you simply hate reds, when they are predominantly a red wine producer, will tell them you didn't do your homework and they could skip serving you in favour of another customer.

Use the see, swirl, smell, sip and savour techniques. Look and take note of how the wine looks, its colour, its thick or thinness. Close your eyes and identify what you are smelling and tasting. Feel the wine in your mouth. Notice how it tastes when you take the first sip and how it tastes when it languishes for 30-60 seconds in your mouth. Does it appeal to you? What foods could you match it with? Think about the area the winery is in... Do you taste the sea in it? Or possibly you taste eucalyptus laden bushlands? Let the creative side of your mind wander.

Be curious, be interested. Staff want to interact with you, they want to tell you the winery's history, their best wines, the types of vines that their wine is made from, the wine process and more. It will put the server at ease and you may be offered a great deal at the end of your stay!

It is also a time to step right outside your comfort zone. Why not try different wines than you're used to? You might be delighted and surprised and come home with a new match to your chicken vindaloo, beef shank or blue vein cheese.

Using the tasting area as a local bar or pub, could be frowned upon. The tasting area is provided for trying the wines, on a short term basis. If you want to stay longer, then use their restaurant, book a private room, or take your glass to the garden or balcony area.

When you are tasting, a good server will automatically change your wine glass once you have finished the white wines before you go onto red wine, fortified or sparkling. If they don't, then ask for a change of wine glasses. Rinsing it out with water, will tend to leave a pool of water in your glass, diluting the wine your tasting.

The last place you need to be seen drunk, is at a winery. The winery has a code of conduct that allows them to refuse to serve you and even to escort you off their premises, as they see fit.

Keep in mind that the wine you enjoy is a personal choice. Not everyone likes eating escargot! The wine you like? No one else can fault your choice. Going to a winery is an experience. It is a way to escape to the country with friends, bond, talk, laugh and take lots of photos.

For many years, Etiquipedia contributor, Elizabeth Soos, has had a keen interest in cultural customs. With her European background and extensive travel, Soos developed an interest in the many forms of respect and cultural expectations in the countries she has visited. With her 20 years’ experience in customer service within private international companies based in Australia, and her lifetime interest in manners and research, she decided to branch out into the field of etiquette and deportment. Through her self-directed studies and by completing the Train-The-Trainer’s course offered by Emma Dupont’s School of Etiquette in London and by Guillaume Rue de Bernadac at Academie de Bernadac based in Paris and Shanghai, she founded Auersmont School of Etiquette.

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia

Early Frisco Cocktail Route Etiquette

It is not barroom etiquette to lounge, any more than it is to order drinks without first depositing your money on the polished mahogany ... Barroom etiquette is a strong influence; so strong that none seems too poor to do it reverence. That is why when one of a party of six, stands for the drinks, the other five make it a point of honor to reciprocate on the spot. That is why men drink before dinner, drink hard spirits that leave them with little or no palate for the finer flavors of wine. 

It is, we believe, the famous historian, Froude, who, when asked what was the best thing he had discovered in California, answered, “the cocktail.” This seductive admixture of spirits, bitters, oil of lime and ice was invented and named in California. San Francisco was the first to have the cocktail, the first to name its line of popular saloons “the cocktail route,” and San Francisco has a lot to answer for. Out of a simple, fascinating drink we have made what may be termed without extravagance a national vice—the vice of drinking before, instead, or with meals; the pernicious habit of “walking the line” from saloon to saloon and with artificial sociability working up an artificial habit—by which term, we mean the drinking of mixed and unmixed spirits before meals—bids fair to demoralize the backbone and stomach of the country. 

The cocktail route is a greater menace to San Francisco than to Chinatown. For it works its evil among the best classes in the community. Business men, professional men, gamblers and idlers are alike the victims of its spell. In a cafe or in a club men gather, and, incidentally drink. But the drinking is incidental, in a club or cafe the members and patrons are seated, they talk, they smoke or drink as little or as much as they desire —but they are not there for the sole purpose of drinking, and the “reciprocity” crime of everybody’s treating is not thought of. In a saloon, men flock only to drink. The waistcoat of the average man about town is prematurely shiny from rubbing against the bar rail. You have no business standing up against a bar unless you keep the barkeeper and the cash register busy. Drinks are handed out as any other merchandise; a bar will accommodate only a limited number of persons, and lounging at it is not encouraged. It is not barroom etiquette to lounge, any more than it is to order drinks without first depositing your money on the polished mahogany. 

Barroom etiquette is a strong influence; so strong that none seems too poor to do it reverence. That is why when one of a party of six, stands for the drinks, the other five make it a point of honor to reciprocate on the spot. That is why men drink before dinner, drink hard spirits that leave them with little or no palate for the finer flavors of wine. That is why there is so much drunkenness. We do not refer to the occasional debauch, but to the regular afternoon jag of the genteel kind. Day in and day out it is the same old round of liquor along the cocktail route. Some men stand it and pickle to a rosy old age; others get to love drink for drink’s sake alone and flop by the wayside. We are not talking morality or temperance, but just plain common sense. The American, the San Franciscan especially, is the most foolish, inartistic drinker on earth. He does not know how to use the liquid delights of life. He is a hog. Here we are living in a country of wine; year by year our vintages have improved until already California can take her place among the famous wine producing places of the world—and how many Californians know the first thing about good wine? Too few. Too few. We drink whisky, whisky, whisky, whisky, and at the wrong time. And all on account of the cocktail route.—San Francisco News Letter, 1900

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia©️ Etiquette Encyclopedia 

Wine Pouring Etiquette’s Roots

“Way back in feudal times it was a custom, too. In those times, it told a man’s guests that if his flagon of wine was poisoned the contents of his own beaker would prove it.” – Pictured above- The proper positioning and proper number of wine glasses for the dining table, according to a 1940’s Canadian entertaining and etiquette book.

Etiquette of the Bottle

The waiter first pours a little from the newly opened bottle into your host’s glass. Why? Is it to cleanse the bottle of anything which passes off with the pouring of the first glass? No. Way back in feudal times it was a custom, too. In those times it told a man’s guests that if his flagon of wine was poisoned, the contents of his own beaker would prove it. So if a guest didn't see his host doubled up with the cramps, and his face working like a jumping jack, it was safe to conclude that the wine was all right, and the repast might proceed. – The Morning Union News, 1892

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia 

Wine Pronunciation and Terms

Etiquette of Wine

 

 It has become the norm for at least three different wines to be served at a formal dinner, though the amount really depends on the hosts of the meal and the number of courses being served. Pairing foods with different types of wines is a relatively recent culinary art. It has developed and fostered a host of books and guidelines for the pairings of a variety of foods and particular wines to go with them. In restaurants which offer excellent wines, sommeliers are often on hand to make food pairing recommendations for those who may be unsure of their choices. The idea behind the pairing of foods with certain wines, is the belief that elements such as texture, aroma and flavor in both the food and the wine, will interact with one another, and finding the perfect balance of the two, will make one’s meal more enjoyable and memorable. But as taste is subjective from one palate to the next, there are those who feel wines should be enjoyed without advice from “experts” on the subject.

“Sip Your Wine  – Do Not Guzzle”

– Wine Institute Speaker

To enjoy the aroma or bouquet, the beauty of color and taste, wine should be sipped and not guzzled. This was the statement of H. F. Stoll of the Wine Institute of California in speaking to the Madera Rotary club today. Wine should be taken a bit at a time for greatest enjoyment, much as one eats bread with a meal. Wine was never intended to be used for its “kick.” The red table wines should be used with red meats and white wines with fish or fowl. Sweet wines are used as refreshers or appetizers. 

The talk of the intoxicating affect of champagne was declared bunk; and that the alcoholic content of champagne is low. Table wines, when once uncorked and only partly used, should be tightly corked and turned upside down to preserve them indefinitely, otherwise air will enter the bottle and it will sour. The speaker declared that the Wine Institute is doing much to debunk the foreign theories on use of wine and to educate people to the proper use and etiquette of serving wine. – Madera Tribune, 1942

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia

Etiquette Outside of Prohibition

Partying like it's 1922

Imbibing Outside US' 18th Amendment

From the alcoholic beverages of the chafing-dish supper to those of the dinner is a natural transition. At the formal dinner wines often accompany the courses and, as already mentioned, liqueurs and cordials supply the final liquid note after the coffee. The theory of alcoholic beverages at the formal dinner is a simple one. Certain fixed and definite rules obtain and are generally observed. Three wines may be served, though the best social form prefers one or two.

Sherry or Madeira

Sherry or Madeira may accompany the soup course. They should be poured after the soup has been placed, and served from a decanter. In general wine should always be poured slowly, and glasses should be filled only two-thirds. The etiquette is for the waitress to pour a little wine into the host's glass, then filling the glasses beginning at the host's right. Sherry should always be served cold, at a temperature of 40° Fahrenheit; the Madeira may be served at a temperature of 65°F, or that of the room.

Sauterne or Rhine Wine

Sauterne or Rhine Wine go with the fish course. They are poured, like the Claret, at the end of the preceding course, before the next course comes on. They (like Sparkling Burgundy and Champagne) are served from the bottle, and the bottle should be held in a folded napkin or bottle holder. The mean average temperature of Sauterne should be 50°F. Some prefer it decidedly cold (chilled in the icebox), others only slightly cold. Rhine Wine should always be cold: 40°F.

Claret

Claret is the wine for the entree and, as a rule, is served from a claret pitcher. Being a light wine, it may be served with the Champagne and instead of it to those who do not prefer the Mumm. Claret should be poured at the end of the course immediately before the one with which it is served. The room temperature or one of 65°F is the proper one for Claret.

Champagne, Burgundy or Port

These wines are served with the meat courses. In order that Champagne or Sparkling Burgundy may come on the table at the proper temperature (Champagne 35° and Burgundy 70° F) it must be ice-packed for several hours before serving. Care must be taken, however, that it does not frappe when, if required at short notice, it is salt-and-ice packed half an hour before serving. 

Sweet Champagne, on the other hand, is improved in flavor if slightly frappeed. It should always be served very cold. Like Sauterne, Champagne and Burgundy are served from the bottle. In serving them the wire should be cut, and the cork carefully worked out of the bottle by pressing it up with the thumbs. It is wise to work out the cork under the edge of the table, since it is sometimes projected with much power. The temperature for Port is 55° F.

Cordials and Liqueurs

Cordial glasses holding a small quantity are used for serving these sweet, aromatic beverages. Cordials are served plain, with crushed ice or with cream. In serving Creme de Menthe the straw is unusual in private home service, though customary in some hotels. Creme de Menthe glasses should be filled two-thirds full with fine crushed ice, then a little of the cordial poured over it. Chartreuse (green or yellow), Benedictine, Grenadine, Apricot Brandy, Curacoa, and Dantzig Eau de Vie arc usually served without additions or ice. 

Benedictine or Creme de Cacoa, however, may be served with a dash of plain or whipped cream. The exceedingly sweet Creme Yvette should he served with cracked ice, like Creme de Menthe. Noyau, Kirschwasser, Maraschino and Grenadine may be served as cordials, or reserved for the flavoring of puddings, ices and sauces.—From Lillian B. Lansdown's, 1922 “How to Prepare and Serve a Meal; and Interior Decoration” 

🍽Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia Etiquette Encyclopedia

The 8 Ps and Qs of BYOB Etiquette

It’s up to the patrons to reciprocate that courtesy by following some basic manners when participating in the BYOB practice.

    Have you carefully stored a special bottle of wine for an anniversary or birthday? And are you planning on popping its cork at your favorite dining spot? If you are, please do the restaurant a favor by minding your Ps and Qs while you BYOB.
    
    Most diners, myself among them, feel that the customer is usually right. If I want to eat my dessert first and appetizer last, that’s my business. The restaurant’s business is to serve me what I order, in any order I wish. But when it comes to bringing in a bottle of wine or champagne, the restaurant gets to call the shots as they are under no obligation to do so, and the laws vary wildly from place to place. 

    Generally, the restaurants in states, counties, provinces, or countries where it is legal, will usually allow their patrons to bring their own wine into a restaurant as a courtesy. And it’s up to the patrons to reciprocate that courtesy by following some basic manners when participating in the BYOB practice. The following is a list of etiquette to keep in mind: 

1. Call ahead of time to check with the manager regarding bringing your own bottle, or check online. Some restaurants may not allow BYOB, or may not have a license to serve alcohol of any kind, or may not have a permit to sell their own, but can serve you yours. This gets very tricky, so if you are traveling, always check ahead of time.
2. Don’t cause a scene or make a fuss if the restaurant doesn’t allow you to bring your own wine, even if their local ordinances allow the practice. Different insurance companies will advise establishments of possible liabilities and restaurants will take these in to consideration when making policies regarding alcohol, so if you’ve made a reservation and would like to go back to this particular restaurant, keep the reservation.
3. Ask  about any corkage fees so that there are no surprises when you are handed the bill. Fees in upscale restaurants can go as high as $25.00 or more, per bottle, and will vary from restaurant to restaurant. Some restaurants charge nothing at all. Fees can sometimes change with the time of day and with the day of the week with slower and less busy hours offering the best rates. Ask when you call ahead, to find out if this is a policy that they practice. 
4. Ask if the particular bottle of wine you would like to bring is already on the restaurant’s wine list. If it is something the establishment normally offers, then don't bring it or choose another wine to bring. It would be extremely gauche to bring something they offer just as it would be to bring your own burger to Mc Donald’s to enjoy, along with their fries and a shake. 

   

   BYOB if your wine is somehow unique. Don't BYOB just to pinch pennies.

5. Don’t BYOB simply to save money. BYOB because because you have a special bottle that you’ve always wanted to open, or maybe you have a bottle from your birth year and it you are celebrating your birthday, or you have a bottle that’s more interesting than anything the restaurant offers. BYOB if your wine is somehow unique. If you think the restaurant charges excessive markups on wine, skip that restaurant. 
6. Tip well, especially if you have made special requests regarding your bottle/s. This might include asking the staff to have the bottle uncorked prior to your arrival to allow time for your Cabernet to breathe, or keeping your White Burgundy chilled to a specific temperature an hour before serving.
7. Don’t be snobbish if the restaurant’s Cellar Master, Sommelier or Wine Steward wants to chat with you about your wine. If you thought it was special enough to bring in to drink, it will probably arouse curiosity or possibly be a conversation starter. The most gracious of patrons will offer him, or her, a taste.
8. This shouldn't need to be said, but I have to repeat it often: Please follow all basic dining etiquette while you dine out, especially if you have made special requests of an establishment. It is simply good manners!

Compiled by contributor Maura Graber, who has been teaching etiquette to children, teens and adults, and training new etiquette instructors, for 30 years, as founder and director of The RSVP Institute of Etiquette.  She is also a writer, has been featured in countless newspapers, magazines and television shows and was an on-air contributor to PBS in Southern California for 15 years. 

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is also the Site Editor for Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia