Articles
The waiter approaches your table with a leather-bound tome that looks like it could contain the secrets of the universe, but turns out to be the wine list. Suddenly, what should be a simple decision—choosing something to drink with dinner—becomes a high-stakes performance where you're expected to demonstrate sophistication, budget awareness, and psychic knowledge of what your dining companions actually want to drink.
Restaurant wine ordering is one of adulthood's most unnecessarily stressful experiences. You're making decisions about wines you've never tried, at prices that seem to bear no relationship to bottle shop costs, while everyone at the table watches and waits. Get it wrong, and you'll either look like a cheapskate, a show-off, or someone who clearly has no idea what they're doing.
