Hey everyone!
I started my new job as a waiter and I don’t want to ask my colleagues all the time. So we have 19 types of wines (red, white and rose). However, the clients keep asking different things regarding our wines like “I want something not too dry” I get so confused, isn’t wine liquid? How could it be dry? How do I know when it’s a dry/fruity/sweet wine? Is there anything on the label to make it easier to identify?
I’d like to know the major differences between dry, sweet, body, etc. I was looking up on Google, but all articles sound way smarter than I can actually comprehend.
In: 64
“dry” in wine means “not sweet”.
Ask the manager to give you a cheat sheet. I assume you’re under the drinking age so it’s pretty reasonable for you to not have much insight into wine.
Unfortunately, not really. Most wines are fermented to dryness so they don’t contain any sugar, but some of them still register as slightly sweet because of other factors. Certain types are known to have residual sugar and still others sometimes do and sometimes don’t. So it’s basically a game of memorization.
So yeah, get a cheat sheet, or get one of your colleagues to sub in on that part for you.
Actually, i think your customers would enjoy it if you pointed out that all the wines are liquid.
[Wine Folly](https://winefolly.com/tips/wine-for-beginners-infographic/) is one of the absolute best resources for wine that’s easily digestible (and interesting to learn about!)
I work as a wine educator in Temecula Wine Country
As simple as possible:
Dry = Less sugar, doesn’t taste as sweet, served room temp or ideally between 49 and 59 degrees
Sweet = More sugar, new wine drinkers usually prefer this, served chilled but not freezing, worse hangover
White = literally just refers to the color, both sweet and dry whites are served chilled, better for hot days
Red = Also literally the color, dry reds are served room temp and sweet reds are chilled
Rose = An off-white color usually a pink rosy color, can be both dry and sweet, can be bubbly, perfect for bachelorette parties and weddings, newer wine drinkers prefer this, can be turned into an impromptu sangria by adding ice or frozen fruit
Sangria = Any wine served with ice or frozen fruit, great for new wine drinkers, cheaper and usually less alcohol content
Full bodied wine = Also known as ‘Bold’ wine, darker and goes down thicker, advanced wine drinkers always go for this, usually dry reds, usually higher alcohol content
Light bodied wine = Goes down easier, literally looks lighter and more see-through, usually red
Dessert wine = The absolute sweetest wine out there, served room temp, highest alcohol content, smaller bottles, can taste like chocolate or pie, always served at the end of a meal or as the last drink of the night
Varietal = A fancy word meaning the species of grape used to make the wine. Some wines are made from multiple species of grapes. These are called ‘blends.’
If someone asks for a ‘fruit-foreword’ wine they’re asking for a fruity tasting wine.
My personal order when serving multiple wines to the same table is this: Sweet white, Sweet red, dry white, light bodied red, full bodied red, then dessert wine.
As for the different varietals (types of grapes), there’s literally hundreds and it’s a memorization game on what each one is used for and what regions of the world they’re from. Don’t beat yourself up for not knowing this. Just memorize what your restaurant offers.
Here’s the other problem:
Most people who order wine are ignorant. 99 times out of 100 the person who says “I don’t want anything too dry” doesn’t actually know what “dry” means. They’re not really talking about excess sugar content. What they want is something not too tannic — which is a _feeling_ of dryness in your mouth that come ls from types of phenols in certain wines.
https://vinepair.com/wine-101/guide-to-tannins/
Here’s a hint: if you work in a place with an even decent wine list, the wines _should_ be listed from lighter to richer top to bottom in each category.
Beyond that, ask your manager. 😉
Your manager should be educating you about the wine you serve. Have you tried any of it? An after-work tasting with the manager or a coworker might be in order.
Most – MOST – wine names that you know “cab, Chardonnay, merlot, etc” are the name of the grape. So don’t worry about regions or anything, just know if it’s a Merlot, it just means someone somewhere in the world grew that grape, smashed it, and stuck it in a bottle for a while.
If the wine has an unfamiliar name, it’s probably a blend. Why do a blend? A single origin wine can be too (anything) for people. A blend let’s you balance the flavors. So if something is too dry, too acidic, too, whatever, a blend can have a nice balance of sweet, acid, etc.
[Wine Infographic](https://thewinewankers.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/a-different-types-of-wine-infographic-chart3.png) – these help. There are a few around that also link wine to cheese – or the meal that is being eaten.
There are more or less systematic approaches to wine that I have found helpful.
The more systematic approach is to judge the wine by:
Color (what does it look like?)
Aroma (light or intense? From varietal, winemaking process or ageing?)
Dryness (how much sugar is present? Water is dry = <3g/L)
Acidity (is it mouth-watering?)
Body (light in the mouth like water or thick like syrup?)
Tannins (for reds or yellows, how do they feel?)
Bubbles (I like these, not everyone does. Range from faint to aggressive)
Alcohol (some wines leave that warm sensation, others are more chuggable)
Quality (Is this wine balanced and intense with length and complexity? Very few wine are, most only check one or two of these boxes at best.)
Food pairing (focus on intensity of flavor and matching body and basic tastes – sweet with sweet, acid with fat, salt, etc.)
The less systematic approach is to taste and see if you like it. Offer your guest a taste and see if they agree!
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