Ordering wine for dinner can be a bit of a test. It doesn't have to be. Next time you're on a dinner date and it's time to make an impression, there are a few ways to look like a sommelier, not a sucker. Here's some ground rules.

- Ordering the most expensive bottle on the list is for poseurs. There are great, food-friendly wines under $100 these days, especially from places like Chile, Australia, New Zealand, and Oregon. At the same time, $200 and up full-bodied 'Super Tuscans' from Italy like Sassicaia (www.sassicaia.com) or California Cabernets like Stag's Leap (www.stagsleap.com) or Oregon Pinor Noirs like Domaine Drouhin (www.domainedrouhin.com)-are often worth every penny with the right meal.

- The best way to be discreet about how much you want to pay is to show the wine list to the server with your finger on a number that is a bit below what you're willing to pay. Then ask for a few recommendations "in that range." Order a more expensive choice among them, and the service ought to improve from that point on.

- As the server presents the cork to you, inspect it, but never, ever smell it. Natural corks smell like cork, not the wine inside. Instead, eyeball it and place it on the table, wet side up. If it looks scummy or crumbly and darkly streaked, your wine may be tainted. This happens in up to 8-10% of wines with natural corks.

- The swirl: vigorously swirl with the glass bottom on the tablecloth to get the wine some air. (Practice this to avoid spilling.) Then take a deep sniff. If it smells extremely sour or like wet cardboard, you might have a problem. This should be done quickly and without any fanfare. To overdo it is to look like a clown.

- If the wine smells and tastes good, particularly a red, and if you're in a nicer restaurant, ask if it's possible to decant the wine. The aeration can make a lesser wine taste much better, and a great wine extraordinary. And the presentation is a nice touch.

June 03, 2008