My boyfriend and I hosted a Christmas party last night. We provided the food and drinks, and just asked guests to bring dessert. Among other drinks we provided, we had wine. A few guests brought a bottle of wine, but I never offered to open it for them, because I've always heard it was rude to open the wine for the guests right then and there, and it was assumed it was for the host to enjoy at a later time. One of the guests ended up opening the wine they brought after having a glass of wine we provided, and I had no problem with that at all. My question is, should I offer to open somebody's wine for them when they bring it, or just set it aside and offer the wine I've provided?
2006-12-16 20:17:09 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
the first answer suggested that the wine might have been awful...it might have, but I told this guest to pick out a wine he'd like to drink (I had 11 bottles of win), so it's not like there wasn't enough alcohol or anything like that.
2006-12-16 21:33:26 · update #1
As a host it is your responsibility to provide all of the food and drinks as well as the entertainment thru a variety of guests. Which is exactly what you did. BRAVO. However, a gift of wine is exactly that. A gift. Although, many people don't realize that. So, you can recon their position by politely remarking how nice the wine they brought is and would they like you to open it now with dinner. They will either say aye or nay and you will have an idea of their position on the "gift" w/o offending them.
2006-12-16 23:01:44 · answer #1 · answered by GrnApl 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are not required to open the bottle. You are presenting it as what it is, a gift. Never expect for a wine you bring to be opened. For all you know the host already has a wine list planned out, yours may not compliment the meal or mood of the evening.
You can though always ask the presenter if they'd like it opened.
When presenting, I would say something like "This is for you to enjoy later. I think you'll like it."
2006-12-16 20:43:15 · answer #2 · answered by techie2_98 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If you asked the guest to bring wine (which you didn't....you asked them to bring a dessert), then it should be opened by you and offered to your guests. Otherwise it is considered a gift to be enjoyed by you at another time.
Since you had plenty of wine to serve, the guest who opened their own was quite improper. What you could do the next time this situation presents itself is to accept the "gift" and tell them you will save it for another special occasion and thank them for their thoughtfulness. Then immediately put it away.
2006-12-17 02:57:13 · answer #3 · answered by Rembrandt11 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well your guest was very rude! It was brought as a gift... anyway, maybe you could ask next time, 'should we open this now?' and if they give an ambivolent answer, hide the wine on a rack somewhere.
2006-12-16 20:55:20 · answer #4 · answered by floormee 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If the person said it was a gift for later, they probably want you to enjoy it at some other time either by yourself or with them. Etiquette dictates that you don't have to open wine that people bring as a gift unless you want to.
2016-05-23 01:36:20 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, you should open the wine while your guests are there to show that you appreciate them bringing it. Think of it this way, if someone brought a cake to the party, you would put it out and offer it to your guests, correct?
2006-12-16 21:46:45 · answer #6 · answered by Lov'n IT! 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
My friend and I took a good bottle of red to another friend's party. The host took our wine from us and poured us a disgusting glass of plonk. Had it been an average wine we would have kept quiet and drunk it, however it was awful so we asked the host if he would mind opening ours and we would stick to drinking that, We had no problem sharing our wine with others once it was opened.
My understanding is that if you take drink to a party then you are entitled to drink it, it is not meant as a gift for the host unless specifically stated.
2006-12-16 20:26:26 · answer #7 · answered by PomOnTour 3 · 2⤊ 4⤋
NO OF CORSE BECAUSE THERE IS NO WINE BEFORE ITS TIME. IT MEANS THE PERSONA THAT BRINGS THE WINE WILL PICK THE PROPER TIME AND SETING OF ATMOSPHAER OF MOOD. EVEN IF ITS SORROW, HAPPYNES,OR TO A LOSE OF FREANDS AND FAMALLY.
2006-12-16 20:43:07 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋
Never open wine brought by guests! Keep them in the shelf. You can also try having the breakfast in toilet, taking shower in the kitchen, having sex in shitty railway track and so on... You got plenty options!!
Also you can get a life!
2006-12-16 20:31:36 · answer #9 · answered by mr_brawny 1 · 1⤊ 9⤋