When I order a bottle of Sancerre from Lucien Crochet, the waiter practically applauds. But the vintage on the bottle isn't the same as the one on the list. When I hesitate over a red, he suggests a magnum, since we are a large party. This is a risky position for both server and customer. I wonder what would happen if a bottle turned out to be corky.
Bad bottles turn up in the best restaurants, and even the strongest lists include some weak wines.
But whether or not a problem turns into a crisis depends first on the expectations of the customer and then on the response from the restaurant. Restaurants that play Befriend and Pretend are trying to have their cake and eat it, too. They want to attract the increasing pool of customers who take wine seriously, but won't invest in training the staff to meet their needs. It's no wonder the results are hurt feelings and poor tips. This column, Unfiltered, Unfined, features the opinionated inside scoop on the latest and greatest in the world of wine, brought to you each Monday by a different Wine Spectator editor.