A guest criticised my wine. Is he a bit of a plonk?

I held a dinner party at my home and two of the wines I poured, which I thought were pretty good, were criticised by a guest. I was a bit annoyed. Did they overstep a line?
P.B., Lane Cove, NSW

A: There’s an unwritten rule that I try to observe and that is not to say anything negative about the wine, food or anything else that the host serves when I’m their guest – unless they ask for my opinion and really want to know it.

Even the most incompetent host deserves points just for trying. It would be unusual if there were nothing positive to say about a meal, assuming the host had gone to some trouble over it. To gratuitously criticise anything would be insulting.

Of course, some people’s comments carry more weight than others. If you invited my column co-host, Terry Durack, or chef Luke Mangan to dinner, a compliment would mean a lot. I suspect even Gordon Ramsay would be nice if your beef were overcooked and your wine past its prime.

But if there’s something seriously wrong with a wine – for example, it’s badly cork-tainted and the host or hostess hasn’t noticed, but you have – what then? First rule: don’t make a fuss because you will come across as a wine bore. A lot depends on how well you know each other. Try to avoid a Fawlty Towers-like scene.

If you’re a practised taster, there may be occasions when you’re the only person who notices a fault in the wine. If everyone else is tucking in and enjoying it, you’d be a party-pooper to put your hand up. If there are several wines on the table, it’s easy enough to quietly tip yours out and try another bottle. If there’s only one bottle, it’s crook, you’re desperate for a glass of something decent and you know the host well, take them aside and gently suggest there might be a problem.

And if there’s a blowfly drowning in your glass, try to dispose of it without drawing too much attention to it.

Got a drinks question for Huon Hooke? thefullbottle@goodweekend.com.au

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