"Wine Drinkers of the World, Unite" by Christopher Hitchens

I agree with Christopher Hitchens!

http://www.slate.com/id/2191912/?GT1=38001

After several episodes of waiters pouring the remaining wine to the rims in order to empty a bottle, I have started telling them that we will pour our own. I shouldn't have to feel rushed when I'm spending a decent sum on dinner and wine. That's exactly how "waiter pour" makes me feel. Do like I do and just say "no".

PS: I wonder what Hitchens was drinking?

Didn't like the rhetoric of the article, but the content left me musing. So, last night I took control of pouring the three bottles (of a decent but unremarkable 2004 Clos de Brusquieres Chateauneuf-du-Pape) I took to a restaurant with six friends, with the result that half of the last bottle remained and could be taken home. If I had let our diligent waitress pour, that final half bottle would have languished in glasses. Not a huge deal, but, still...

Do look at the 'outraged sommelier' comments about this story on Decanter here - they did make me smile.

I can't help but at least partially side with Christopher H ... the other day we ate lunch with friends at a very well-respected gastropub, the Narrow by the Thames, owned by no less a celebrity-chef than Gordon Ramsay. It exceeded my expectations on all counts except one - it was great, very good value English food, well served in a nice setting; the wine list had a good, relatively eclectic selection with fair prices - this is a gastro-pub I should emphasize, so why were the waiters serving the wine in such a pushy manner? Definitely to try to encourage us to drink more. The tables were small but the bottles were on the table; if I had been 'in charge' which I wasn't, I would have asked to serve ourselves - it really began to annoy me and I certainly will next time we go there, which we will.

...owned by no less a celebrity-chef than Gordon Ramsay.

Wink,

You should have taken a page from Ramsay's play book and dumped the wine on the floor while shouting profanities.

Christopher Hitchens is a nasty, spoiled, contentious, thoroughly repellent man, who is tolerated because he can write tantrums with some style. This is a fine example of what he does: A waiter, doing what he is paid to do, becomes the subject of an all-encompassing rant. Really, why does anyone have time for this old boor?

'cause he is now a "Conservative" speaking up for the powers that be.

'cause he is now a "Conservative" speaking up for the powers that be.

No. Because he is a self-centered jerk. What was the waiter's crime? That he interrupted the Great Man in the middle of a story. Nothing to do with wine.

Christopher Hitchens is a nasty, spoiled, contentious, thoroughly repellent man,....

I don't know much about Mr. Hitchens, but based on your desription we'd probably hit it off pretty well.
Wm.

[Robin Garr]

No. Because he is a self-centered jerk. What was the waiter's crime? That he interrupted the Great Man in the middle of a story. Nothing to do with wine.

Dunno, Dave. I see where you're coming from, but I have to confess, I do get irritable when a restaurant server keeps topping off glasses in an apparent effort to hustle another bottle. I think Hitchens is on target with that point as far as some dining establishments are concerned, although I'm not clear why he didn't just politely ask the server to please stop doing that, he'd rather pour his own.

'cause he is now a "Conservative" speaking up for the powers that be.

No. Because he is a self-centered jerk. What was the waiter's crime? That he interrupted the Great Man in the middle of a story. Nothing to do with wine.

True...but the question was aksed "Why is he given a podium from which to speak" and I gave my opinion.

I'm sitting here thinking, "but I like it when a waiter does that...", but asking myself why. I think it's because I then drink more wine, faster, and can at least subliminally assign the responsibility to someone else. Keepin' it real.

I'm sitting here thinking, "but I like it when a waiter does that..."

Well Ben, you are clearly wrong. The rest of us are clearly right because we agree with me... and Christopher Hitchens!

Definitely a matter of personal preference.

Right or wrong...as long as I drink more wine.

although I'm not clear why he didn't just politely ask the server to please stop doing that, he'd rather pour his own.

My thought exactly. I guess it wouldn't have made for as entertaining a column.

Hitch is an interesting caricature . . er, character. I enjoyed reading God is Not Great, but his continued defense of the White House's case for invading Iraq uses some most twisted logic.

Yesterday, the National Post published a sommelier's response to Hitch's invective.

Personally, I've never had any problems when I simply asked the waiter to let us pour our own wine.