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Britain
is revealed as a nation of wine bluffers and wine duffers as just one
in three know exactly which wine to order at restaurants. Rather than
asking for help, Brits bluff their way through the wine list and half
just opt for the second cheapest bottle to avoid looking stupid or
cheap in front of their peers and waiters.
In what is being dubbed as
'Second Cheapest Syndrome' by specialty cheese brand Castello who
commissioned the research into 1,000 diners across the UK, one in
four people admitted they wouldn't know bad wine if they were served
it at a restaurant. Over half of respondents also admit to feeling
stressed or confused when ordering wine at a restaurant. Despite
this, diners are reluctant to ask waiters for recommendations.
56% of diners shy away from
asking waiters for suggestions for fear of being sold expensive wines
and 41% admit that they don't ask for help because they are worried
about losing the respect of their peers.
Nanette Cowley from speciality
cheese brand Castello comments, "Some flavours go together
like chalk and cheese, but on the other hand, there are perfect
combinations, like a crisp Sauvignon Blanc and a deliciously creamy
speciality cheese like Castello Blue. The best waiters are trained to
know which wines go with certain dishes on the menu. By telling them
what you're planning to eat and your budget, diners can learn about
food and wine matching and get so much more out of their meal".
Other regional findings from the research:
- Geordies are the most honest
when it comes to ordering wine; diners in Newcastle are most likely
to admit not knowing which wine to order
- Diners in Yorkshire are the
cheapskates of the country and are most likely to choose the cheapest
wine on the menu
- Waiters in Wales are the least
trusted as diners expect the hard-sell on expensive wines
- Four out of ten people in
Birmingham think that cheap wine tastes as good as fine wine
- Londoners are the biggest wine
snobs and are most likely to turn their noses up at the house wine
- A third of diners in the
Norwich area think that they know more about wine than the waiters
who serve them
- Cornish people are have the
most critical taste buds and are most likely to spot bad wine
- Diners in Kent are the most
likely to ignore any advice about which wine to order
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