Ep 582: Back to Basics –  Wine Etiquette

Ep 582: Back to Basics – Wine Etiquette

Author: Elizabeth Schneider October 15, 2025 Duration: 45:53

This time I revisit a show from long ago on Wine Etiquette. In this Back-to-Basics episode, I cover the three main places you would use etiquette - a dinner party, a restaurant, and a tasting room. 

I address: 

The Dinner Party: What to bring a host, a good welcome drink, whether or not to open a bottle that a guest brings,  the etiquette of what to do with the last glass in the bottle, and the point in the night to serve your best wine. I also talk about the proper way to pour, how high to fill a wine red or white wine glass, and whether or not to display a bottle you have decanted. 

 

Source: Des Moines Register

 

The Restaurant: I review every step of wine ordering from perusing the menu to looking at the cork to approving the wine. I discuss the interaction with a sommelier and what to do with large groups, and how to handle a restaurant that serves less than fresh wine by the glass. I touch on giving the waiter a taste of a special wine and some ideas of what to do at a BYO restaurant. 

 

 

Tasting rooms: When to make a reservation, what to wear, tasting room fees, spitting, commenting/ask questions, and the most pressing question people have: what to tip tasting room staff. 

 

I tried to cover everything, but if you still have questions, feel free to reach out! 

 

 

Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

 

Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access.  They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year! 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

 

 


Elizabeth Schneider hosts Wine for Normal People, a podcast built on the idea that you can enjoy wine deeply without the pretension. It’s for anyone who finds the world of wine intriguing but is put off by the jargon and gatekeeping. Here, conversations about wine are just that-conversations. Elizabeth approaches topics with a fun and straightforward perspective, aiming to spark genuine excitement and help you discover more interesting bottles to enjoy. Roughly half of the episodes feature guests, but these aren’t formal interviews. Instead, they’re relaxed, educational discussions with passionate friends from the wine world, all people Elizabeth knows personally or through close connections. This creates a uniquely authentic and comfortable atmosphere, as if you’re listening in on a chat between friends who happen to know a lot about what’s in your glass. The focus is always on practical knowledge and shared enthusiasm, stripping away the snobbery to make wine feel accessible and endlessly fascinating. Tune into this podcast to hear honest talk about regions, grapes, and tasting, all designed to make your own journey with wine more rewarding and a lot more fun.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 94

Wine for Normal People
Podcast Episodes
Ep 574: The Grape Miniseries -- Pinot Blanc [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:15
In this week's show, I cover Pinot Blanc as part of the grape miniseries. Pinot Blanc is a white color mutation of Pinot Noir, native to Burgundy/Bourgogne. It creates refreshing light- to medium-bodied wines that run th…
Ep 571: The Greats of Bordeaux – Saint Julien [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:39
Sandwiched between the famed Médoc AOCs of Margaux in the south and Pauillac in the north, Saint Julien has one of the highest concentrations of classified growths from the 1855 Classification in Bordeaux. This red wine…
Ep 570: 8 Refreshing Red Wines [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:45
In this episode, I discuss eight refreshing red wines that are lighter, fresher, and perfect for sipping on a warm day. I give you ideas for wines that go easy on the oak, tannin, and alcohol, and focus instead on the fr…
Ep 568: Alternatives to a Favorite -- Sauvignon Blanc [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:01
It's another edition of the "Alternatives to a Fave" series! This time: Sauvignon blanc. As an extension of the Grape Mini-series, for this series I come up with lists of wines that lovers of a specific grape can try as…
Ep 566: The Greats of Bordeaux – Pauillac [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:12
Located the middle of the Médoc, 50 km/31 miles northwest of Bordeaux, Pauillac is home to 18 of the 61 châteaux classified 1855, just under a third of the list. There are three first growths, two second growths, one fou…