Wine Etiquette
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John Cleese - Wine for the Confused List Price: $19.98 Sale Price: $7.98 Average Rating:   |
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Monty Python alums have made good second careers hosting documentary programs, such as Terry Jones's Crusades. Now John Cleese turns his attention to the subject of wine in Wine for the Confused, originally broadcast as a special on Food Network... |
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Enjoying Wine with Mark Phillips List Price: $14.99 Sale Price: $7.69 Average Rating:  |
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Enjoying Wine with Mark Phillips aired on over 314 PBS stations in March 2006 which shattered all records making it one of the most watched wine shows in American television. Phillips was asked to do the show because of his irreverant, humorous and entertaining approach to wine... |
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Manners By Michele: Restaurant Etiquette and Wines Plus How to Set the Table List Price: $19.95 Sale Price: $19.95 |
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The New Best Recipe: All-New Edition List Price: $35.00 Sale Price: $21.94 Average Rating: |
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With The New Best Recipe, we invite you into Americas Test Kitchen where you will stand by our side as we try to develop the best macaroni and cheese, the best meatloaf, the best roast chicken, the best brownie, and nearly 1,000 more best recipes for all your favorite home-cooked foods... |
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Barefoot Contessa Parties! Ideas and Recipes for Easy Parties That Are Really Fun List Price: $35.00 Sale Price: $20.74 Average Rating:  |
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"A good party is not about the food," says Ina Garten, "it's about the people." That may be true, but her Barefoot Contessa Parties! will ensure that your next party is a fabulous one, regardless of your guest list... |
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Flair: Exquisite Invitations, Lush Flowers, and Gorgeous Table Settings List Price: $29.95 Sale Price: $18.36 Average Rating: |
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Inspirational ideas for throwing the perfect party from L.A. interior designer and party planner Joe Nye. Clients and friends turn to Joe Nye for his advice on gracious living, in particular how to create a smashing get-together... |
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Wine Enthusiast Vino Vac Wine Saver Extra Stoppers (Set of 2) $8.95 Set of 2 extra stoppers for the Wine Enthusiast Vino Vac Wine Saver. |
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Wine Enthusiast Wine Tasting Party Kit $29.99 Make wine your next party theme! Consider this your personal party planner! Step-by-step instructions and essentials make hosting a wine tasting easy. Includes 100 wine tasting sheets 6 cloth blind wine tasting bottle bags with embroidered letters A through F 6 wine tasting masts Wine Enthusiast Magazine vintage chart corkscrew and a 15% Off Coupon for Wine Enthusiast glassware. Sip save enjoy! |
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skybar Wine System Stand $249 Showcase your skybar Wine System and enhance your in home wine experience with the skybar Wine Stand. The metropolitan designed Wine Stand stores and displays your favorite wines and stemmed wine glasses. The Wine Stand is the perfect complement to the skybar Wine System completing your in-home wine entertainment center. Accommodates up to 20 750ml wine bottles and 12 full sized stemmed wine glasses. Designed to work exclusively with the skybar Wine System. Size: 30'H x 23'W x 15'D |
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The Wine Whisk Wine Aerator & Bottle Stopper $14.99 Make an inexpensive wine taste like a high-priced bottle! Hailed by independent wine experts as the simplest most effective wine aeration tool to date the patented Wine Whisk instantly aerates wine in its glassdramatically improving and softening the wines bouquet and taste. The Wine Whisk is easy to use. Simply pour your wine into a glass. Then froth the wine briskly in the glass using the stainless steel Wine Whisk. Wait a few seconds for the bubbles to fade then enjoy. No need to wait 30 minutes for it to breathe in a decanter. Specially designed as a combination whisk and bottle stopper the Wine Whisk is balanced to make whisking almost effortless and dual seals on the stopper lock tight to preserve your wine for next time. Use the Wine Whisk to stir mixed drinks or to seal olive oil and vinegar bottles. It is a perfect bar and kitchen utensil. Keep it handy for whatever needs whisking! Size: 7-1/2'L x 1-1/2'W |
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Wine Enthusiast U Wine Decanter $19.95 The elegance of the Wine Enthusiast lead-free crystal 'U' Decanter enhances your wine experience with an inner dome to increase the oxygenation of fine wines. The finger-hold punt ensures controlled pouring every time. Gift Boxed. Recommend to hand wash. Size: 10-3/4'H 46 oz. |
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Wine Saver PRO Preserve & Serve Wine System $895 Attract more wine loversglass by glass! Increase your bar or restaurant sales by offering a wider selection of premium wines 'on tap'. This professional preserve-and-serve system keeps 5 opened wine bottles fresh for weeks and primed for pouring. Spigots serve as bottle stoppers. With each pour argon gas is dispensed into each bottle to blanket the wine's surface from oxygen and prevent it oxidizing and spoiling over time. Wine Saver PRO's commercial grade quality is ideal for restaurants hotels bars and wineries or for any wine lover that enjoys serving wine. Wine Saver HOME also makes the ultimate addition to any home wine cellar. Accommodates most standard-size wine bottles. Non-electric and compact. Black with stainless steel trim. The argon gas cartridges are hidden in a compartment underneath your wine bottles. Available here and sold seperately argon cartridges will power 12 to 15 wine bottles each. |
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Wine Enthusiast Essential Wine Buying Guide 2009 $29.95 Choose the right wine every time! From the editors of Wine Enthusiast Magazine comes the most current comprehensive and informative wine buying guide on the market. Based on tastings by a distinguished in-house panel this wine buying guide features qualitative ratings reviews and prices for more than 50 000 wines. Plus tips on when each wine is best enjoyed. Also includes expert advice on tasting and storing vintage wine charts and Top 10 lists. 990 pages. Softcover. |
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Sidewalk Etiquette $11.99 Sidewalk Etiquette |
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Wine Aerator Table Stand $14.99 With the Wine Aerator Table Stand you've got a simple hands-free platform for pouring wine through the Decantus or Vinturi wine aerators. A protective plastic tubing at the top prevents scratching of the aerators. Wine Aerators are sold separately. Size: 13'H x 6-1/4'W |
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Wine Enthusiast Wine & Food Pairings Cookbook $29.95 Pair your wine with top chef recipes! A memorable meal starts with the wine! Find over 80 delectable recipes organized by wine style. This first cookbook by the editors of Wine Enthusiast Magazine guides you in selecting the right recipe for your wine. Includes recipes from top chefs such as Bobby Flay and Rick Bayless along with expert wine pairing tips. Whether you're serving a light aromatic white or a big powerful red you'll choose the right dish here! 256 pages with full color photography. Hardcover. Take A Look Inside At Sample Recipes. |
SENSE & SENSITIVITY: Early arriving guests exasperate party host
DEAR HARRIETTE: We all know (or should know) the etiquette expected when we are visiting someone's home: Call if you need directions, if you will be late, if you want to bring another guest and bring dessert, wine, flowers, etc. However, what should the host do when certain guests arrive habitually early? My husband and I are faced with this problem consistently (not to be snarky, but it's ...
Mind your Manners: Italian Etiquette
Everyday Etiquette: Italy
Meeting People
When meeting people for the first time it is appropriate to wait to be introduced. You will generally be introduced to the oldest person first followed by the women.
The exchange of business cards is a common practice when first meeting someone. Status is important in the Italian culture and it is common to list any titles and/or education degrees you hold on your business cards.
Physical Greetings
When greeting someone a handshake accompanied by a “Pleased to meet you” is appropriate. When departing be sure to shake everyone’s hand, a general group wave as is often done in the United States is not looked on favorably.
An “air kiss” is an appropriate greeting once you have established a relationship with someone.
Physical Space
Italians stand much closer to one another than Americans do and it is common for men to walk down the street arm and arm and also women to walk down the street arm and arm.
Eye Contact
Intense direct eye contact is common, looking away is a sign of disinterest and/or that you are behaving rude.
Good Topics of Discussion
Food, wine, soccer (the national pastime), politics (if you know what you are talking about), music, philosophy and current events.
Bad Topics of Discussion
Inquiring about private family matters, personal income, stereotypes, World War II and Vatican politics. Also the common American question “what do you do?” is considered rude and too personal.
Communication Style
Moments of silence are rare in Italy and repeated interruptions signify interest.
Whistling and winking at women is meant as a compliment and is not used in a degrading way. If a woman is interested she will acknowledge the whistlers with eye contact, if she is not she will ignore them.
Italians often gesture with their hands and one does not converse with their hands in their pockets. Italians place great importance on maintaining a “Bella Figura” (Beautiful Figure/ Image) and slouching and leaning against things is just not done.
Waiting in Line
Lines do not exist in Italy, do not be surprised if someone just walks up to the counter and is served before you, despite the fact that you were next and have been waiting in “line” for the past 20 minutes.
Walking
The evening “passeggiata” is a common occurrence in Italy. Strolling the streets, seeing who is out and catching up with friends is a nightly occurrence in Italy.
Shopping
Customer service is not as “in your face” as it is in the United States. Generally a salesclerk will ignore you until eye contact is made signaling service is required.
Public Transportation
The easiest way to catch a taxi cab is at a taxi stand.
On public transportation it is customary for the younger to give up their seats to the older and men to give up their seats to women.
Tipping
The tip is generally already included in the price at a restaurant. A standard tip for a taxi driver is 10 percent. Bellmen usually receive 1 Euro per bag.
Appropriate Dress
In general Italians dress much more formally than Americans. Italians value “quality” in their clothing and are much more likely to own 2 very nice expensive suits than 6 decent cheaper suits. Black and muted colors are common in combination with brighter colored accessories.
Italian women tend to wear more makeup than American women and also wear nylons all year round.
Meal Time
Breakfast is generally from 8 to 8:30 AM
A standard Italian breakfast is coffee (espresso is generally served after dinner) with a croissant or a couple of cookies.
Lunch is generally served from 1 to 3 PM
In the south lunch is the biggest and longest meal of the day, in the North it is often the biggest meal of the day but during the business week it does not last as long as it does on the weekend. A typical lunch includes soup, bread and olive oil, a main meal and/or soup, salad and a desert of fruit. Wine and sparkling mineral water usually accompanies the meal.
Dinner is generally served from 8 to 10 PM
If the main meal of the day was lunch, then dinner is often a light affair taken at home. If however it was not a typical dinner is quite elaborate. Formal Italian meals consist of: antipasto (such as proscuitto, bruschetta, or fruit), soup, pasta, main dish (usually meat), salad, cheese, desert, fruit and an espresso. Wine is also commonly taken with dinner.
Table Manners
The Italians do not switch their knife and fork as people do in the States. The fork remains in the left hand and the knife in the right hand.
Placing your utensils down on your plate signifies to wait staff that you are finished.
When not using your utensils your hands should be kept visible above the table.
Dishes are passed to the left.
To get a waiters attention you should make contact, waving your hand or calling out is considered to be rude.
Often times in an informal restaurant you will be seated at a table with a stranger, if this is the case conversation is not expected.
Who Pays?
In general the person who does the inviting also does the paying, although the guest is expected to protest. When a woman is seated at a table with men the men (despite a woman’s protest) will always pick up the bill.
Punctuality
The further south you go the less importance is placed on being on time. For social events being a half an hour to an hour late is common. When people are late resist the American temptation to request the reason. Lateness is generally because a person was involved in obligations that involved superiors, family or old friends (and it would have been rude to cut it short).
For more Italy travel tips check out Glamour Getaways at http://www.glamourgetaways.com
About the Author
Joanna Lehmann is founder of Glamour Getaways (http:/www.glamourgetaways.com) a women's only tour operator with a "glamour" theme.