By Dennis Tafuri, Sommelier and Proprietor of Cask 591 Restaurant and Lounge

Is it ok to go ‘by the glass' at your favorite restaurant?  This is a great question.  I have found that most restaurant's wine by the glass selection to be pretty ho-hum and mundane.  Far too many wine programs are afraid to take risks and offer their guests interesting, esoteric wines not found in the bargain section of your local liquor store.  Who is to blame them?  After all, a bottle of wine once opened will not stay forever like the bottle of 25 year old scotch on the back bar.  The max they have before the wine goes down the drain is 2-3 days, depending on the bottle.  Now there are a lot of different ways to preserve freshly opened bottles of wine that vary greatly in expense and the sight of these items on the back bar of your favorite establishment should help set your mind at ease.

The one thing all these methods have in common is removing the air from the wine bottle.  Once a wine cork is removed from the bottle and fresh air is allowed inside, the aging process accelerates tremendously.  This can work to your advantage when you open a bottle before it is ready to drink.  By simply allowing the bottle to ‘breathe', you can help the wine reach a more ideal state of enjoyment.  The most inexpensive way to prolong the wine's life is with a pump that removes the air from the newly opened bottle.  There are manual pumps available for a few dollars and automatic pumps that cost thousands.  Both will give you the same results, an extra day or so.

The best way to preserve wine is with a cuvenee system.  This method not only preserves wine, it serves it as well.  A cuvenee pumps out the air and replaces it with an inert gas, thus slowing the aging process.  Used correctly, these machines can keep wines fresh for up to 2 weeks.  The downside is the cost of these machines and the amount of space they require.

But back to the question at hand - ‘Is it ok to go by the glass at your favorite restaurant?'  The answer is YES. Provided the establishment meets certain quality standards.  What do you do if you do not see any preservation system behind the bar?  Simply ask the server to open a fresh bottle for you.  At Cask 591 I try to offer selections that get better with a little air as well as use a pump to remove the air from the bottle.  When both methods fail and the wine is past its prime, I make a mean sangria!

Wine by the Glass recommendations

2005 Chapoutier Cote du Rhone, France $8/ glass

Medium bodied wine with lots of fresh red fruits balanced with a crisp, clean finish.

2006 Yalumba ‘Y' Series Viognier, Australia $8/ glass

Bouquet of rose pedals with honeysuckle on the palate.  Light and refreshing, great alone or with lighter fare.

2005 Wolftrap, South Africa (blend of Syrah, Cinsault, Mouvedre & Viognier) $8/ glass

Floral bouquet on the nose with rich, extracted red fruits on the palate, pairs perfect with grilled poultry & pork.

2005 Pascual Toso Malbec, Chile $8/ glass

Ripe and rich, lush black cherry and plum throughout with a lingering finish.

2005 Dr. Loosen ‘Dr L' Reisling, Germany $8.50/glass

Tart, crisp green apple on the front with lychee and honey on the back; goes great with everything!