Can I ask a waiter to pour less wine into my glass so I can swirl easily?
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Dear Dr. Vinny,
Is it OK to ask a waiter to pour less wine into my wineglass? I like to swirl, and it becomes very difficult if the glass is too full.
—Peter, U.S.
Dear Peter,
Absolutely. I’m a vigorous swirler (though not for bubbles!), and I’m prone to spilling unless I have plenty of space to do so. Many restaurants have gotten better about offering adequately large stemware and giving standard-sized pours (usually around 5 ounces), but sometimes a glass just gets too full for spill-free swirling. Depending on the nature of the wine service (and size of the glasses) where you’re dining, you might need to monitor the pours to make sure you’re getting an amount that makes you feel comfortable enjoying your wine the way you like.
If it looks like I’m about to get overpoured, I’ll often put my hand up in a silent “halt” gesture. If that doesn’t get the waiter’s attention, I’ll say, “That’s enough for me, thank you!” to let them know.
Sometimes a server still has a heavy pour, so when it’s refill time, I might say, “I’m fine,” so they can pass my glass over, or something like, “Just a splash for me, please.” I find that usually works. But certainly, feel free to speak up politely to let the server know how they can best meet your needs.
—Dr. Vinny
