I'm not sure what to do ...

[oostexan]

I am in Sales and do lots of boondogles with clients. I have a formula which I will share, free of charge. :-)

I always tell the waiter/sommelier as he hands me the wine list - "Thank you. We are going to take a few minutes to look over the menu before we decide on wine." This is typically received with a positive reaction and a "sounds great. please let me know if I can answer any questions tonight, can I bring you a cocktail/water, whatever..."

In a really nice restaurant with an extensive list, I will typically then ask for a quick overview of the list, just so he gets an opporunity to point me in any general directions that he recommends...sometimes, as he tells me "our French whites are here in the front...we have a really nice blah, blah, blah" I might ask him a couple general questions just to show that I know what I am doing, and that I plan to leverage his expertise.

Once we decide on meals, I will tell the sommelier what wines I am leaning towards, but ask him for his recommendations and input as well. Bottom line, if I am out at a very good restaurant paying primo prices for wine, I am usually going to try something new, and I am going to leveage the service of the sommelier.

I think it is important to show the sommelier that you plan to leverage his knowledge of the restaurant and to compensate him for it. That is what he is there for.

If he makes a really good recommendation, I let him know it. If not, I am less enthusiastic, but not rude. He's going to do his best, and all palates are different.

I follow the same process for after dinner wines that are paired with dessert, if we do dessert.

Thats my formula and it seems to work pretty well. The only time I do not follow this process is if I see something on the list that I absolutely know that I want to get or have been anxious to try.

Hope it helps.