Avoiding Any Wine Faux Pas by Harald Wiesmann

If guests ask me about the behavior towards wine in fine dining restaurants, I answer say to the, “If you really want to know than I will tell you, but it is going to take a while!” Why? Well, there are the hidden rules for the guest and the service staff.

Yes, of course there are rules and they must be followed by the sommelier and by staff who care about the wine service, especially in fine dining restaurants. The rules are the key for the enjoyment of wine and will help the guests to follow suit as well. But, as it is when driving on the streets of Bali, rules may exist, but they aren’t always followed: signal when turning a corner, driving in the right lane, driving on the right side of the road – rules go out the window!

Coming back to wine, often people don’t want to be called professionals, don’t want to show off, or perhaps are worried on doing the wrong thing. Thus, sadly, rules are broken or not followed. So, in case you find yourself seated at a fine dining restaurant, in Bali or anywhere else in the world, here are some rules you should keep an eye out and hopefully follow!

As I am a very classic man, I see the wine culture in a different way than many people and hope I will be forgiven here for my suggestions.

So, to have a great evening the service staff and the guest can both do their part to create a smooth and unforgettable experience. Who knows, maybe you’ll tell the story to your grand children, “we had a Chateau Latour at the Kayuputi Restaurant in Bali and the Sommelier did decant the wine in front of a beautiful ocean view where the waves were singing...”  

Harald Wiesmann, Restaurant Manager of the fine dining, Asian-inspired Haute Cuisine Kayuputi and Chief Sommelier at The St. Regis Bali Resort, has a very interesting career history spanning a number of years with different roles in various countries. His 43 years of international experience has led Kayuputi to receive prestigious awards from the Wine Spectator Magazine (USA) for six consecutive years since its opening six and a half years ago, and dubbed as a fine restaurant that has one of the best wine lists in the Asian region. Harald is set to publish his book, titled “Wine and Dine at St. Regis Bali Resort” in the near future.