Step 1: Presenting The Bottle

The server returns to your table with a bottle. He or she will show it to you. Your job is to verify it’s what you ordered. Hopefully, you can remember.

Check the label. Is it the correct wine and vintage (year)? If so, let the server know it's okay to pour. If it isn’t the right wine, nicely point out the mistake to the server. (Hey, no one’s perfect).

Step 2: Opening The Bottle

The server opens the bottle and gently places the cork next to your hand. No matter what, fight the urge to smell it! This does nothing except make you look like a dork.

Instead, feel the cork to make sure the bottom is moist and that it’s intact. It’s okay if the cork is dry, but not cracked or falling apart. There’s not much you can learn by feeling a plastic cork or, worse, a screw top.

The server has now poured a small amount of wine into your glass. Simply swirl the glass a little to help “open up" your wine or oxygenate it so you get the true flavor and aroma. Don’t go crazy, a little swirl is better than a whirlpool.

Now, with nose in the glass, take a nice long whiff. Without getting into the complexity of the specific aromas of the grapes, you are simply making sure the wine is not bad. Believe me you will know if it’s bad as the essence of vinegar or mold will be present.

Now taste it. Odds are it will be great. Every now and then a wine will be either “corked” (the cork has contaminated the wine) or it was damaged by improper storage. If either of those has happened, you will probably taste something like moldy bread or fruit, a wet basement, cork, cardboard, or vinegar. It will be pretty obvious that it should be sent back.

Step 3: Serving the table

If your wine passes steps 1 & 2, then let the server know that the drinking can begin. He or she will pour to your guests first, beginning with the ladies. Your glass will be the last one to be filled. Chances are good you’ll get the bill at the end of the night, too.

Congratulations! You’ve now mastered the ritual that intimidates and scares many people and you didn’t look like an idiot! In fact you undoubtedly looked fabulous!

October's Picks:Two Wines From the Central Coast

California’s Central Coast region is booming with amazing wineries and vineyards. The region has a moderate climate and a long growing season. The grapes love it. They ripen slowly and that means more intense flavor in the wines.

Here are two of our favorites:

J. Lohr Chardonnay, Arroyo Seco, 2004 (Monterey County)

The wine is yellow in color; and you’ll smell lime, pear and citrus. You’ll taste a slight butter flavor, toasted vanilla with some citrus. Try it with roasted chicken, pork, fish, shellfish, and cream- sauced pastas.

You can generally find this wine in grocery stores and wine shops for somewhere between $9 and $14

Justin Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles, 2004

This wine is dark purple in color; and you’ll smell black cherries, blackberries and a little black pepper spice. You’ll taste blackberry, boysenberry and earthy flavors. It goes well with steak, anything grilled, sausages and pizza.

You can also find this wine in wine shops and some grocery stores. Prices range from $19-21

Booze Clues!
Win your very own Let’s Talk About Wine T-Shirt.

Follow the clues to guess where the November’s wine will hail from.

1. This Valley is 100 miles long and 60 miles wide.
2. It's a land of cool summers and damp autumns. Not great for late-ripening grapes such as Cabernet Savignon and Sauvignon Blanc.
3. The area is hilly which is perfect for smaller boutique Pinot Noirs. The western part of the valley contains both volcanic and sedimentary rock in the soil. This variety of soil produces lots of differend kinds of Pinot Noirs.
4. Although Pinot Noir is the signature wine, Pinot Gris and Chardonnary are coming on strong.
5. It is the home of the International Pinot Noir Celebration every July.

For the first What Are You Drinking?, we want to know what has caught your eye and taste buds but didn't hit your wallet for more than $10 That's right. We want to know what taste great and cost less!

So What Are You Drinking for about $10 that is fabulous?