1. —Professional Alcohol Service—
“Ah, Bouteille, ma mie, Pourquoi vous videz-vous?”
(Ah, bottle, my friend, why do you empty yourself?)
- Molière

2. Learning Objectives
Perform key steps and etiquette in table wine service.
Perform key steps and etiquette in sparkling wine service.

3. Professional Alcohol Service
The service of beverages service sounds fairly simple—merely pouring some liquid refreshment into a glass and then setting it on a table or bar.
Alcohol based beverages are a significant part of the “dining and drinking” experience for most consumers and should be given as much care and concern as the food it’s often served with.

4. The Beverage Manager
The manager should have the comprehension of job duties for the bartender and sommelier—as well as the capacity to perform proper beverage service when necessary.
Depending upon the manager’s title, an individual may be entirely responsible for the revenue and cost control of beverages as a primary responsibility of their job—or the role may be part of their secondary duties while simultaneously managing the remaining segments of the establishment.
Regardless of their title, these individuals will employ a staff of employees who will carry-out the duties and tasks required to prepare, sell and serve food and beverages.

5. Sample Duties of a Beverage Manager
The Beverage Manager
Sample Duties of a Beverage Manager
Hire, train and monitor service staff in product knowledge, wine and food pairing, and service etiquette.
Source out beverages and related products appropriate for the restaurant concept.
Order beverages (wine, beer and spirits) and related products in the appropriate quantity and quality appropriate to the concept of the establishment.
Receive products; compare the physical shipment against the invoice and purchase order.
Maintain the organization and overall arrangement of beverages within selected storage areas.
Communicate and coordinate with the chef about wine and food pairings.
Design and maintain beverage menus.
Cost-out and set beverage selling prices.
Suggest and justify appropriate wine and food pairings to both service staff and consumers.
Market beverages and promotions on behalf of the food and beverage establishment.
Assist in selling, opening, and serving wine tableside.
Conduct regular physical inventories and compare them to sales reports
Compile and calculate regular profit and loss statements
Assess beverage cost % deficiencies as needed

6. Beverage Service Employees
Each food and beverage establishment will have varying needs when it comes to staffing—these needs will partially be determined by the type of concept.
Job Descriptions—One of the first and most important methods for organizing beverage staff is to develop and utilize job descriptions.
Job descriptions are written statements that describe an employee’s most significant duties, responsibilities, the necessary qualifications for a given position.
Job Analysis—Managers should analyze each job that is performed at their establishments on a regular basis. A job analysis is a process used to gather information about the duties, responsibilities, necessary skills, outcomes, and work environment of a particular job. 
Performance Standards— Since most food and beverage establishments are labor intensive, creating and clearly communicating performance standards and expectations are the cornerstone of any successful business.
Performance standards state what behaviors or results are expected for employee performance to be considered satisfactory—these standards are the criteria against which performance is judged against. 
They identify “how” and “how well” the specific job tasks should be performed.

7. Beverage Service Employees
The beverage or bar employees may have duties separate from other servers —although in many restaurants, the same person might perform both major duties.
Beverage or bar employees are employed in food and/or beverage related establishments to primarily service customers with drinks, and secondarily, food.
The bar staff may only create and/or dispense alcoholic based drinks (draft and bottled beer and basic spirit based drinks) and light appetizers.
In more elaborate situations (e.g. fine-dining), bar service staff may be required to create more elaborate drinks and have greater breadth and depth of knowledge and skill of drink preparation (wine, cocktails) and take orders for food.

8. The Bartender’s Job Description
A bartender (also barkeeper, tapster, buddy, pal) is an experienced person who "tends the bar" by primarily making and serving wine, beer, spirits and cocktails from behind a counter as a principle responsibility of their job.
Bartenders maintain extensive knowledge of different brands of spirits, common cocktails and are capable of providing recommendations and serving beverages to customers.
Sample Duties of a Bartender
Set up bar for opening
Operate Point of Sale System (POS) or comparable cash register
Greet and initiate conversation with guests as appropriate
Prepare and garnish drinks
Wash glassware and supplies as needed
Stock the bar with additional inventory
Balance cash register and run closing sales report
Breakdown bar for closing

9. The Sommelier’s Job Description
The sommelier (saw-muh-LYAY), or wine steward, is a trained professional who specializes in all aspects of wine and, in some cases, beer, spirit, water, and even cigar service.
often associated with high-end fine-dining restaurants, where they contribute value and prestige to the consumers' wine experience.
The title and role of sommelier has more recently evolved to include individuals that maintain a high level of expertise in wine (and beer and spirits) and have achieved a potential diploma and/or certification from an accredited wine educational organization.  
These individuals may be involved with managing wine beyond the scope of a typical restaurant setting that include but not limited to consulting, wine shops and grocery stores.  

10. Wine Service
What is done at home or amongst friends is one thing, but when conducting wine service in a dining establishment, we want to follow certain etiquette.
Opening a wine simplified

11. Ten Steps of Wine Service
1. Present the bottle of wine with full view of the label to the host (the individual who ordered the wine).
Always confirm with the host that the bottle is correct, by stating the producer, grape varietal (or name of wine), and vintage date.
Allow time for the host to respond as to the accuracy of the information.
2. Cut the capsule below the groove in the neck of the bottle and remove the upper portion of the capsule. Place the capsule in your pocket. Be careful not to remove the lower part of the capsule, as it is part of the bottle’s decoration.

12. Wine Service
3. Insert the point of the corkscrew in the center of the cork and twist once clockwise, then continue to turn the corkscrew until almost fully into the cork. Do not turn the bottle.
Note: Try not to pierce the opposite end or sides of the cork.
4. Attach the lever onto the rim of the bottle.
5. With one hand, lift up firmly, but slowly, until the cork emerges, while holding the neck of the bottle and the lever together with the other hand.

13. Wine Service
6. Remove the cork from the corkscrew and place on a small plate next to the host.
The purpose of this step is for the host to inspect the cork for moistness to indicate that the wine was properly stored on its side.
7. With a cloth napkin, clean the neck of the bottle to remove any remaining mold or cork.
8. Pour approximately 1 oz into the host’s glass. Twist the bottle slightly before lifting away from the glass in order to leave the last drop in the glass, with napkin ready to catch any additional droplets.
As the host tastes, hold the bottle with the label facing the host. If the wine is not approved, follow these three steps:
Listen carefully to the explanation as to why the wine is unacceptable.
Acknowledge the explanation and remove the tasting glass.
Ask whether you may bring another bottle or the wine list.

14. Wine Service
9. If the wine is approved, proceed with pouring wine into the glasses of all the guests, no more than one-half full; start with the guest to the left of the host, and continue clockwise, finishing by refilling the host’s glass.
10. Place the partially empty bottle to the right hand of the host (with the label facing the host). Offer the guest the option of having the wine chilled in the ice bucket (white wine) or left on the table.

15. THE PROCESS OF DECANTING PROCEDURES FOR DECANTING
Decanting a Red Wine
THE PROCESS OF DECANTING
Decanting can benefit both a young and old red wine.
Young red wine often needs some time for aging, so that its components within the wine will assimilate with one another.
Tannin often is higher the younger the wine is; therefore, the longer period of aging allows the tannin to naturally soften over time.
Mimics the process of aging by exposing the wine with a large amount of oxygen.
An old red wine has color pigment and tannin particles that separate out from the wine, causing sediment and a loss of color.
The sediment is harmless; however, etiquette dictates that the sediment be removed from the wine before the wine is poured into a glass to be consumed.
PROCEDURES FOR DECANTING
1. Stand the bottle up for a period of about 24 hours so that the sediment falls to the bottom.
2. After gently removing the foil cap and uncorking, position a lit candle (or other light source) next to the decanting vessel. The candle will illuminate the neck and shoulders of the wine bottle so that the sediment can be located.
3. Slowly pour the contents into a decanter, making sure to leave the sediment in the original bottle.
4. If the sediment begins to float into the neck of the bottle, stop the process and let the bottle rest for about 10 minutes to allow the sediment to fall back to the bottom of the bottle again.

16. Sparkling Wine Service
To open safely, slant or hold the bottle at a 45 angle (being sure to not point in the direction of anyone) that increases the wine’s surface area and decreases pressure.
Remove the top of the foil covering.
Holding onto the cork and wire hood, untwist and loosen the wire hood that covers the cork. Some prefer to remove the wire hood before progressing to the next step, while others choose to leave it on for safety reasons.
Hold the cork under a towel and the bottom of the bottle in the other hand.
Twist or wiggle the bottle and ease the cork out slowly to subdue “popping.” Keep a firm grip of the cork to prevent it from flying. Place the cork on a side plate in case the customer would like to inspect it.
Wipe the rim of the bottle with a cloth napkin.
From the right of the host, fill his/her glass with 1 oz. Let the host taste from approval.
Pour 1/3 full, step back and let foam subside. Fill glass ¾ full. Start with guest to the left of the host and continue clockwise finishing by refilling the host’s glass.
Place the bottle in an ice bucket and drape with a towel.
Sparkling Wine Service

17. Proper Serving Temperatures
The colder a white wine is the aromas and flavors are muted but acid is perceived high.
The warmer a white wine is the acid is de- emphasized and tastes flat.
45Fº 55Fº
Proper Serving Temperature of White Wine
PROPER SERVING TEMPERATURES
Medium to Full bodied red wine (60 – 65 Fº)
Sweet white table wines and light bodied red wine (55 – 60 Fº)
Medium to full-bodied white table wine (50 – 55 Fº)
Light to medium-bodied white wine and Rose wines (45 – 50 Fº)
Sparkling wine (40-45 Fº)
Proper Serving Temperature of Red Wine
The colder a red wine is the tannin (dryness) is emphasized
The warmer a red wine is the alcohol (spiciness) is emphasized
55Fº Fº