Restaurant wine lists can be very confusing, especially when they are presented to you in a large, leather-bound book containing dozens of pages! You have the pressure of making a choice that will effect your dining experience. If you choose well, your pleasure is heightened. If you make a choice that doesn't do well you can feel inadequate.

The key to successfully negotiating the wine list is to ask the wine waiter for guidance. A knowledgeable sommelier will be delighted to help you chose a wine that matches your tastes. He or she may even suggest wines that go particularly well with the food you have chosen. That's a good suggestion for any fine dining experience. Say, "I'm considering the duck and my friend is considering the fish. Is there a wine that you would suggest to go with both?"

A few general hints that will help you order the wine that is right for you:

1. Don't rush. Savour the experience.
2. Ask others at your table what type of wine they like to drink.
3. Get the wine waiter on your side and openly ask for advice.
4. There's no need to worry about what wine goes with what food. A hearty white can do quite well with stronger dishes, a light red, such as Pinot Noir, will pair well with lighter dishes.
5. If you're still in any doubt about which wine to order ask about the house wine. They can be provide good value for money. Restaurateurs normally choose their house wines with great care and attention to detail. Burlwood is a good wine often available from the house in Cabernet Sauvignon or Chardonnay.

Don't worry about big productions before the wine is served. A red isn't going to be at its best when first opened, or a white may need to chilled before serving. There are a few things to look for when the wine is presented:

1. After the wine is selected, the waiter will bring the bottle for inspection. Here, see if the label is what you ordered, especially the vintage. Take your time. If you've spent $35 on a bottle of wine you want to get the wine you ordered. I've had waiters try and pass off a lesser quality wine instead of the wine I ordered. This is unusual, but it does happen.
2. The bottle should be opened in front of you.
3. Once uncorked, the waiter will normally hand the cork to the wine selecter for inspection. This is the tricky part - don't bother smelling the cork, it does show your ignorance! Instead, examine the cork to see if it is indeed the wine you intended to purchase (some corks have the vintage and wine name printed on it) and check if it is rotten or damaged. The cork should be damp from the wine being stored on it's side. If totally dry the wine was not stored properly.
4. After the cork is examined, the waiter will pour some wine into your glass for tasting. Do what you normally do--examine the colour, swirl the glass, smell it and taste the wine. If you find it unacceptable at this point (i.e., corked and damaged), you can reject it and asked for another bottle.
5. With your approval the waiter will begin to pour your glass till it is one-third full, and then pour the ladies' wine, and then the gentlemen. You can ask for the waiter to wait until the wine has breathed or chilled before pouring.

Do you have tips for ordering wine? Share them at our wine forum.