Olive Garden Italian Restaurant - Wine Basics

Learn how to open and pour a bottle of wine and gain some helpful tips from our Olive Garden service team.

Opening

Tools:
The right tools make a difference. You’ll need a corkscrew and napkin.

To open a bottle:

• Cut the foil about an eighth of an inch from the top, remove and wipe the rim with a napkin.

• Insert the tip of the corkscrew slightly off center and turn until all but one groove of the corkscrew is fully into the cork.

• Hook the lever of the corkscrew onto the rim of the bottle for leverage and carefully pull out the cork while holding onto the neck of the bottle.

• Finish by removing the last part of the cork by hand. Take the cork out of the corkscrew and you’re ready to pour.

Tip: If the corkscrew starts to wind off-center, take it all the way back out and start over again. We have some more Helpful Wine Tips below to enhance your wine experience.

Pouring

If you’re entertaining friends and family, it’s a courtesy to pour for the ladies first and the gentlemen second. As you finish pouring each glass, give the bottle just a little twist to get the last drop into the glass. Use your napkin to catch any drips.

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Helpful Wine Tips:

• A Broken Cork: If a cork breaks as you're trying to open a bottle, don't worry. Simply remove the corkscrew. Reinsert the corkscrew in the remaining cork and pull carefully.

• The Right Corkscrew: We recommend that you use a “waiter’s” style corkscrew, like that used at Olive Garden, because it is designed to use leverage to make it easy to pull a cork. This model is widely available anywhere you buy wine.

• Rinse Your Glasses: Machine-washed glasses can leave a slight soap residue, so be sure to rinse your wine glasses in water before you put them on the table and serve your guests.

• Storing Wine: Light, vibration and extreme temperatures can change the flavor of wine. Store wine in an interior closet, a wine cellar or a specially designed refrigerator to avoid fluctuations in temperature.

• Opening Sparkling Wine: Hold the cork and turn the bottle by holding it from the bottom. If the bottle is cold and slippery from condensation, you may need a towel to get a better grip on the bottle and protect against the potential hazard of a flying cork.

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