we are going to be enjoying some great restaurants in burgundy, provence and the cote d'azur. we generally don't drink much wine. so the question: is it acceptable to order wine by the glass at good restaurants?
Posted by
Fontainebleau, France
893 posts
Most restaurants will offer wine by the glass (verre), or by the pitcher. The small pitcher (25cL pichet) is roughly the equivalent of 2 glasses. If by the pitcher, it's the "house wine" and usually very reasonably priced. The only thing is I can't guarantee it's this way in finer restaurants. The only "really fancy" place I've eaten at only offered wine by the bottle (but we were four adults and shared one bottle.) Hopefully someone with a higher food budget than I have will be able to give a better answer.
Posted by
Washington, DC
21 posts
We just got back from a week in Paris, which was really an epicurean expedition. ;-) We found that every restaurant we went to (no matter the price point) offered wine by the glass (nicer restaurants will typically have a wine list with several options in addition to the house wine). As the previous poster said, you'll want to order "un verre." Enjoy!
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10633 posts
In better restaurants we usually buy half bottles, but if we ever need the odd glass of white or red or sweet wine to go with a specific course, we ask for a glass and they bring something appropriate. Certainly, if you ask if it's possible, they'll bring you a glass of wine, even if it isn't on the wine list.
Posted by
Los Angeles, California
1986 posts
never had a problem finding very nice wine by the glass- even in the snootiest restaurants in the middle of Bordeaux